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      Arsenal ‘confident they will win Declan Rice transfer race thanks to Mikel Arteta despite Man Utd and Chelsea interest’

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      ARSENAL are growing in confidence they can win the race to land their number one target Declan Rice this summer, according to reports.The West Ham captain is also attracting interest from Premier League giants Chelsea and Manchester United.
      Rice is widely expected to leave West Ham this summer with plenty of interest in his signatureCredit: Rex
      The Gunners have had a superb season so far and sit top of the Premier League eight points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City.
      The club’s owners are ready to back Arteta in the transfer market as they look to build on the progress made this season.
      According to the Evening Standard they are confident of winning the battle for Rice.
      Rice, 24, is viewed as an ideal acquisition and fits the north Londoner’s recruitment model.
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      The England international harbours ambitions to play in the Champions league, win trophies and has his best years ahead of him.
      There’s an acceptance within West Ham that their star man will leave this summer when he will only have one year left on his contract.
      Arsenal tried to sign a midfielder in January with Rice considered but they opted for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, having two bids rejected.
      Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping they can add to their pulling power by being able to offer Champions League football instantly and point to the Spaniard’s record of developing young players.
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      Chelsea have been long term admirers of Rice and released him as a 14 year old from their academy.
      The West Ham man also has a very close friendship with Mason Mount but the uncertainty over Mount’s future coupled with the fact Chelsea are unlikely to be playing Champion’s League football next season doesn’t help their cause.
      Interest from the Manchester clubs would further add to the competition for Rice’s signature with United having scouted him and City expected to be in the market for a midfielder this summer.
      The Hammers will be hoping the strong interest in Rice enables them to maximise the fee they can get for the midfielder but will struggle to get near the £150million they have asked for in the past. More

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      Man Utd blow in Gabri Veiga transfer race as Celta Vigo midfielder ‘dreams of joining Arsenal’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED and their rivals in the chase to sign Celta Vigo star Gabri Veiga have allegedly suffered a huge blow.And that is because the 20-year-old Spanish Under-21 international is “dreaming about joining Arsenal”.
      Gabri Viega allegedly has his heart set on ArsenalCredit: Rex
      A host of Premier League teams, including both of the above and Man City and Newcastle, are all interested in the midfielder.
      A report in today’s Faro de Vigo has also stated that Serie A leaders Napoli are “willing to activate” his £35.2m release clause at the end of the campaign.
      But it seems that Veiga has no desire to move to Italy – with the publication instead saying that he wants to “fulfil the dream of signing for Arsenal”.
      They are allegedly his “favourite” team and both he and his representatives like the club’s commitment towards youth and the sporting project being led by Mikel Arteta.
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      And it also adds that the prospect of living in London also appeals to the young ace.
      Arsenal are not thought to have yet tabled an offer for the youngster as they allegedly prepare for the bidding auction to begin.
      Veiga has shone bright this season in LaLiga as he has bagged nine goals and three assists in 29 appearances across all competitions.
      And Celta president Carlos Mourino recently accepted that holding onto Veiga is virtually impossible – not least financially.
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      He also revealed that at least four Premier League clubs are seriously interested in signing him.
      Mourino said: “We want to keep Gabri Veiga but it will be impossible due to his release clause.
      “We don’t want to sell, but they are going to buy him from us. And we can’t do anything there.
      “We know some of his offers and it is impossible to reach them.
      “There are several teams behind Gabri. Real Madrid? They haven’t asked us, we don’t know if they will have called the player. 
      “Of the top 10 in the Premier League, four have asked about him.” More

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      Alex Iwobi reveals ‘joke’ in Arsenal training with Mikel Arteta facing headache over one of first-team players quitting

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      EX-ARSENAL star Alex Iwobi has revealed how one of his former team-mates was a “joke” in training – now Mikel Arteta faces a headache over the very same ace.The now-Everton winger left the Gunners after over a decade at the club in the summer of 2019.
      Alex Iwobi revealed how Reiss Nelson was a ‘joke’ in training at ArsenalCredit: The Beautiful Game Podcast
      The pair were former teammates at the GunnersCredit: Getty
      Nigerian international Iwobi, 26, played almost 150 matches for Arsenal and helped them to FA Cup glory before his departure.
      Despite it being almost four years since his exit, he still keeps a close eye on Arteta’s team.
      And, during an interview with The Beautiful Game podcast, he had plenty to say about pal Reiss Nelson.
      The 23-year-old memorably scored a 97th minute winner over Bournemouth this month in what could prove to be a vital strike in Arsenal’s quest to end their 19-year title drought.
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      Iwobi said: “He’s another Arsenal product, he’s another one who is a joke in training. With him like, he just has that raw ability.
      “I have to give it to him because he’s had to be patient. But every time he’s come on to play, he’s delivered.
      “I think he’s been the most impactful sub at Arsenal this season. For someone to be able to do that and not play regularly and still have that elite mindset, I have to rate it.”
      Nelson will be out of contract this summer and his lack of starts could lead to him following the example of Iwobi and leaving.
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      Both Premier League rivals Brighton and French side Nice have been linked with a move.
      That could lead to Arteta being forced to search for a replacement to play back-up to Bukayo Saka down the right.
      Nelson said before Christmas: “I have been here for so long and I’m very comfortable here.
      “I am an Arsenal fan and, of course, I want to sign a new contract at the club.
      “I am just going to be ready for anything I get now and give my all for the team.”
      Reiss Nelson is out of contract at Arsenal this summerCredit: Getty More

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      Arsenal told transfer fee for Montpellier wonderkid Elyi Wahi but manager warns striker has much to learn

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      ARSENAL will have to pay up to £26million to sign striker Elyi Wahi, Montpellier manager Michel der Zakarian has warned.The coach has also declared that the exciting forward needs to improve his fitness.
      Elye Wahi could cost Arsenal up to £26millionCredit: Getty
      Montpellier boss Michel Der Zakarian suggested how much it would take to let the striker leave the clubCredit: AFP
      Wahi, 20, has impressed in Ligue 1 this season after scoring 12 goals in 24 appearances for Montpellier.
      It follows his breakout season last term in which he netted ten in 33 games.
      His form has already seen him linked with a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal among the potential suitors.
      Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund are also reported to be keen on Wahi.
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      But Zakarian has outlined the deal that would be needed for the French side to cash in on the Gunners target.
      He said: “The kid, he’s 20, and full of talent. That costs a lot. For me, minimum €25-30m.
      “When you see the TV rights over there, England can buy him. It’s easier for them.”
      The Armenian coach also admitted that the French striker still has a lot to do to get to the top level.
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      He added: “Where he can improve? He needs to work on his volume, needs to run a lot more, always be moving and be in a position to repeat the efforts. If you don’t have the fitness…
      “He’s a sprinter, he goes really quickly, but sometimes he’s knackered after 45 minutes.
      “He needs to work a bit better, that’s every day at training. If he wants to play in a big club and play with great players, he needs to work hard. He can go very far, at a very, very good level.
      “Scoring goals like he does, you need to put them in the back of the net.
      “What he does is good for his age, but I think he can do even better.” More

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      Ivan Fresneda learning English as Real Valladolid star breaks silence on Arsenal transfer interest

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      ARSENAL target Ivan Fresneda is “proud” to be linked with a move to some of Europe’s top clubs.The 18-year-old has broken his silence on a potential transfer away from Real Valladolid.
      Ivan Fresneda is currently learning English and GermanCredit: Getty
      Fresneda was linked with a switch to Arsenal in January, with Newcastle, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund also reported to be keen on the right-back.
      Now it has been revealed that Fresneda is currently learning to speak English and German.
      Speaking on rumours of a move while on Spain U19 duty, Fresneda told DiarioAS: “I’m proud but I always say it, I’m also at a big club, Valladolid.”
      He added: “I have always valued studies with a view to the future, beyond football.
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      “I am a person who likes to learn languages.”
      Despite being linked with a January move, Fresneda ended up staying at La Liga outfit Real Vallodolid.
      However, rumours of a move away from the Spanish club continue to swirl.
      Fresneda has a release clause of £26.5million in his contract.
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      He also revealed three players in the world he looks up to, with right-back now a “fashionable position” to play in.
      Fresneda said: “It is a fashionable position that today is valued much more than before and there are real players. Achraf [Hakimi], Reece James and [Trent] Alexander-Arnold are three of my favourites.”
      The highly-rated defender has played 15 games for Valladolid this season. More

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      Tony Adams: Bukayo Saka is second only to Lionel Messi… Arsenal should build entire side around him to conquer Europe

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      WHEN Manchester City paid £100million to sign Jack Grealish 18 months ago, I couldn’t believe that they didn’t even try to buy Bukayo Saka.Even now I’m gobsmacked that Arsenal have been able to hang on to a kid who is already one of the best talents in the world.
      Tony Adams has rated Bukayo Saka alongside Lionel MessiCredit: Louis Wood
      Hopefully, they will soon get Bukayo tied down to a lengthy new contract, so I can stop worrying.
      Like me, he’s a London-born Arsenal fan who graduated through the academy and has the club in his blood.
      But even though the Gunners hierarchy are pretty confident he’s never going to leave them, they should never take that loyalty for granted.
      If Arsenal hadn’t shown the level of commitment I was looking for at the time, I would have been out the door like a shot when Manchester United wanted to buy me in 1996.
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      But they proved their ambitions by signing Patrick Vieira and Nicolas Anelka and that was good enough for me to sign on the dotted line.
      Now Mikel Arteta and the board have to convince Bukayo to stay by going big again in the transfer market this summer.
      Playing in the Champions League next season will be a whole new ball game for this Arsenal team.
      And it’s going to be really difficult for the current squad to compete at that level while also challenging for the title.
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      We all saw what happened when Mikel rested a couple of his big boys in the Europa League the other week.
      The back-up players looked bang average and were played off the park by Sporting Lisbon.
      At the moment they need Bukayo, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Oleks Zinchenko playing every week because they have a team that almost picks itself.
      But I’m sure they’ll give Bukayo that hefty new contract to keep him at the Emirates because they know he is irreplaceable.
      If there’s a better player in world football at the moment, someone who both scores and makes goals, the only one I can think of is Lionel Messi.
      Bukayo is absolutely on fire and the reason Arsenal are top of the table.
      Erling Haaland might be scoring hundreds of goals for Manchester City and Marcus Rashford is also having a phenomenal season for United.
      Messi is the only player Adams rates above SakaCredit: Getty
      Adams says Saka is the Footballer of the YearCredit: Alamy
      But Bukayo is, hands down, the Footballer of the Year because he was England’s best player at the World Cup and he’s been the best player for the team eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.
      The first time I saw him was about five years ago in a youth team game at Forest Green and I could immediately tell he was something special.
      I reached out to him straight away because I wanted to know who was looking after him, did he have a good family and a decent agent.
      He told me: “I’m all right, Mr Adams, my family are good, this is OK, I speak to this person.”
      I knew then he would go a long way.
      We’ve kept in contact ever since and I reached out to him after he missed that penalty in the shootout in the Euro 2020 final.
      He appreciated the contact and the next time I saw him at the Emirates he gave me a big hug.
      If there’s a better player in world football at the moment, someone who both scores and makes goals, the only one I can think of is Lionel Messi.Tony Adams on Bukayo Saka
      He’s such a lovely boy, so respectful and polite. The kid has talent but he also has brains.
      And he still calls me ‘Mr Adams’.
      I still don’t understand why Gareth Southgate took him off 15 minutes from the end of England’s World Cup quarter-final against France.
      Mind you, I’m still baffled that Gareth, Arteta and Unai Emery have all tried to play him at left wing-back at one time or another.
      It was interesting that England didn’t pick Ben White for this week’s Euro qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine after he came home early from the World Cup.
      I can understand Gareth thinking he has better right-backs available but I don’t think White will give a monkey’s.
      He likes what he’s doing at Arsenal and he likes the players he’s playing with, so he’ll just get on with it.
      Adams has urged Arsenal to tie Saka down to a lengthy contractCredit: Getty
      Ben White was snubbed in England’s latest squadCredit: AFP
      He claims he doesn’t really like football but some guys I played with used to say that too.
      It’s a defence mechanism and some young guys need that.
      Fine, it’s only because they care.
      In my early career I much preferred going to the pub than joining up with the England squad because I was scared of being in that environment and I wasn’t comfortable in those surroundings.
      There were a lot of very big characters looking out for themselves and it was a real dog eat dog world.
      I was thrown to the wolves after the 1988 Euros and there was no one putting an arm around my shoulders like I did with David Beckham and Michael Owen when I was England captain ten years later.
      And on top of all that I had the illness of my addiction at the time, which is why I was always so keen to listen to George Graham when he would tell me I was injured and should pull out of international duty.
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      Mikel will know just how George felt after losing Jesus to injury during the World Cup and then seeing Rodri’s tackle on Odegaard the other day.
      He wants everyone fit and available for the title run-in because, even though Arsenal have a big lead going into April, they still have no margin for error.
      Arsenal legend Tony AdamsCredit: PA More

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      Arsenal fans fear Bukayo Saka could still quit despite agreeing new long-term deal over ‘curse’ of highest paid player

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      ARSENAL fans fear that Bukayo Saka could still leave the club despite agreeing a new long-term contract.The deal will see the England international become the club’s highest-paid player, with a salary of up to £300,000 per week.
      Bukayo Saka has agreed on a new deal at ArsenalCredit: Getty
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil both struggled at Arsenal after signing new deals with the clubCredit: PA:Press Association
      Saka has been in stunning form for the club this season, helping them to the top of the Premier League table.
      The 21-year-old has scored 12 goals and assisted ten more in his 28 league appearances.
      While he has certainly earned his new deal, it does not guarantee his form will continue.
      Former club stars such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Lukas Podolski and Mesut Ozil all saw their effectiveness fade after signing new contracts.
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      One Arsenal supporter tweeted: “Saka contract curse is pending….”
      While a second asked: “Will Saka beat the “improved contract” curse?”
      However, some were more hopeful, as a third fan added: “Saka about to break our £300,000 big player contract curse.”
      Ozil was a star player for Arsenal and he was awarded with a whooping contract worth £350,000 per week just six months before he was set to leave the club on a free transfer, according to The Mirror.
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      However, the following season, under new manager Unai Emery, he only managed to contribute six goals and three assists.
      The next season he scored one goal before being exiled from the team by manager Mikel Arteta and leaving on a free transfer to Fenerbache in January 2021.
      Aubameyang received a pay rise after helping the club win the FA Cup in 2020.
      But he also went on to fall out with Arteta at the start of the 2021/22 season.
      The Gabon striker was dropped from the squad after a third disciplinary issue in a year. He then left the club in the winter transfer window on a free transfer to Barcelona.
      Podolski might not have been been on a similar wage to the two recent stars but he was among the club’s highest-paid players in 2012.
      Earning £157,000 per week, the German starred in his first season in North London.
      However, in his second campaign, he lost his place in the team after some inconsistent performances.
      He then left the club on loan to Inter Milan in January 2015 and then permanently to Galatasaray in the summer for a measly fee of less than £2million.
      Lukas Podolski also fell victim to the curseCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd More

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      Alex Iwobi opens up on Arsenal transfer exit claiming ‘it was a nudge’ when club wanted to sign winger in his position

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      EVERTON star Alex Iwobi has opened up on his exit from Arsenal in 2019.The Nigeria international swapped North London for Merseyside in a £40million transfer.
      Alex Iwobi swapped Arsenal for Everton in 2019Credit: Getty
      Nicolas Pepe’s arrival helped to nudge Iwobi out of the clubCredit: Getty
      But he has now revealed he was nudged out of the club following the arrival of Nicolas Pepe.
      Iwobi was told he would not be guaranteed a place in the side and with Everton showing a lot of interest, he decided to opt for a new challenge.
      In an interview with The Beautiful Game Podcast, he said: “Arsenal just signed a new winger [Pepe] and there were a few players there who were not ready to go.
      “So they said ‘we have received a bid for you, it’s a high bid, we’re not going to get this sort of money from anywhere else.
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      “It was a nudge, it’s a winger as well someone who is probably going to play in your position. It’s up to you sort of thing.
      “So I thought ‘cool, they have given me that and Everton’s a club that’s a very big club that wants me’. I want a new challenge so why not pursue it.”
      Iwobi has had tricky patches at Everton but has impressed this season, so much so he is set for a bumper new deal.
      The 26-year-old credits Frank Lampard for his turnaround, with the former Toffees boss responsible for converting Iwobi from a winger into a midfielder.
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      Iwobi added: “I feel like he revitalised and saved my career a bit.
      “He talked to me a lot. He helped me a lot.”
      And Iwobi said of Lampard in September: “Sometimes in training he (Lampard) tells me to relax and calm down, as I’m always running.
      “But he enjoys that I’m being selfless and working hard for the team.
      “I like to progress with the ball and get up the pitch as quick as I can, and he sometimes tells me to enjoy the ball and take care of it. That’s something I’m learning in this deeper role.” More