Arsenal transfer news

ARSENAL will renew talks with Bukayo Saka over a contract extension in the “next weeks and months”, according to reports.The Gunners winger was in brilliant form for England during the World Cup in Qatar.
Bukayo Saka has 18 months remaining on his Arsenal contractCredit: Getty
Saka, 21, was named in L’Equipe’s team of the tournament – with the French newspaper a notoriously harsh critic.
After a very short break, the Three Lions hero will soon return to action with his club.
He has 18 months remaining on his Arsenal contract, with the Gunners desperate to seal an extension before Saka enters his final year.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the North Londoners will resume talks in the coming months as we enter 2023.
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He adds that the Gunners accept that these negotiations take time.
Prior to the World Cup, Saka scored five goals and assisted a further six in 20 appearances in all competitions.
Arsenal went into the break five points clear of Manchester City, a potential Saka suitor, at the top of the Premier League.
Saka then bagged three times at the World Cup – scoring twice against Iran and once in the last 16 against Senegal.
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SunSport reported that Saka and team-mate Aaron Ramsdale would join back up with the Gunners by the end of last week.
Mikel Arteta’s side return to action on Boxing Day, when they host West Ham United.
They were back at the Emirates last Saturday, with Ramsdale featuring in a 2-0 defeat to a youthful Juventus side.
Saka, 21, impressed for England at the World CupCredit: PA More

MATHEUS CUNHA has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for Arsenal as they seek to replace crocked ace Gabriel Jesus.Cunha, 23, is on the for-sale list at current club Atletico Madrid.
Matheus Cunha is a transfer target for ArsenalCredit: Getty
And Arsenal are seeking to take advantage of this by bringing the Brazilian forward in to cover for the long-term absence of Jesus, who underwent knee surgery earlier this month.
The Gunners have been considering their options in the January market, including keeping faith in Eddie Nketiah or recalling Folarin Balogun from his loan move at Reims.
However, reports of Arsenal seeking a solution in the transfer market are gaining pace, with Cunha the latest player revealed to be on their radar.
Goal reports Arsenal are one of four Premier League clubs interested in the ex-Hertha Berlin striker.
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Wolves are the current frontrunners to sign Cunha, while Leeds have also held talks regarding his transfer.
Arsenal and Aston Villa are the other English sides linked with a move, with Unai Emery looking for fresh reinforcements to help Villa avoid the drop.
The interest from Mikel Arteta’s side could disappear, however, if they manage to bring in the likes of Mykhyalo Mudryk or even Joao Felix.
Cunha’s lack of form at club level is likely to make the activation of his £87million release clause from Atletico unlikely, but the club will sell for under that.
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He has netted just seven goals in 54 appearances since joining in the summer of 2021.
And this year he has failed to bag even one goal in any of the 510 minutes he has played across all competitions.
This poor form saw him miss out on a spot in Tite’s Brazil World Cup squad, with his last international appearance coming in September. More

ARSENAL have suffered another attacking injury blow after Reiss Nelson hobbled out of their final friendly before the Premier League returns.Nelson, 23, who scored against AC Milan in Dubai earlier this week and has two goals in two Premier League appearances this season, pulled up feeling his hamstring in the first half of Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Juventus.
Reiss Nelson suffered an injury against JuventusCredit: Getty
The goals both came from Arsenal’s own wrongdoing as Granit Xhaka and Rob Holding both put through their own net.
Mikel Arteta, who is already without Gabriel Jesus following knee surgery, said: “We don’t know the extent of the injury.
“The fact that he had to leave the pitch straight away is not good news, especially with someone like Reiss, who is really powerful and fast.
“Let’s see what will happen.”
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Eddie Nketiah will lead the line for the Gunners when they host West Ham on Boxing Day following Jesus’ injury.
The Gunners striker has two goals across the four mid-season friendlies the Prem leaders have played this month, but missed a sitter against the Italians.
Arteta has no concerns about his ability to step up.
He said: “Eddie is always ready, he knows that obviously, it opens up an opportunity for him with Gabi being out, and he needs to grab it.
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“But the way he trains every day and the mentality he has, he gives us no reason to think that he is going to be anything but super-ready to perform.”
Nketiah was tipped to leave Arsenal throughout last season, with Crystal Palace heavily linked with him.
However, no transfer took place, and now he has the chance to prove himself at the Emirates. More

EDDIE NKETIAH drew a blank in his final dress rehearsal before stepping in for Gabriel Jesus when Arsenal resume their title challenge.Nketiah is Mikel Arteta’s only fit striker following Jesus’ knee surgery this month.
Arsenal lost their final warm-up friendly game against JuventusCredit: Getty
Granit Xhaka scored one of the own-goals as he headed past Aaron RamsdaleCredit: Getty
Reiss Nelson appeared to pick up an injury in another blow for the GunnersCredit: Getty
After two goals in three friendlies so far this month, the Gunners academy graduate had one final chance to impress Arteta and sharpen up before the Boxing Day visit of West Ham, but came up short against Juventus.
Arsenal will head back into the Premier League schedule five points clear of champions Manchester City, but with huge concerns over how to fill the hole left by Jesus.
With a few big name players still away either at or after the World Cup, Arteta named as strong a side as possible for their final game before the Premier League’s return.
And they could have got off to a flying start against the Italians, with Reiss Nelson driving forward and crashing an effort into the side netting after just 43 seconds.

The Gunners controlled the game throughout the first half but could not take their chances.
Fabio Vieira saw a well struck volley saved at the near post while an Nketiah strike was ruled out for offside.
From the resulting free-kick, Nketiah passed up a golden chance to score when a mix-up between Juventus goalkeeper Mattia Perin and defender Fabio Miretti left the ball at his feet yards from goal.
The striker quickly fired across goal but managed to hit the far post instead of the back of the net. It was the kind of chance you cannot afford to waste during a title race.
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Having passed up all those chances, the hosts shot themselves in the foot moments before the break.
Tommaso Barbieri bent a hopeful cross into the Gunners box after a short corner only for Granit Xhaka, on his first outing since returning from Qatar, to glance a header into his own net.
Arsenal toiled after the break but could still not find a way back into the game before, in added time at the end of the game, Juventus added a second.
Joseph Nonge Boende played a low ball through into the path of England Under-20 international, Samuel Iling-Junior, whose strike deflected off Rob Holding and past Aaron Ramsdale.
While Ramsdale was making his Arsenal return after England’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals, there was still no sign of Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli.
Both are expected back at Arsenal’s London Colney training base in the coming days.
Full-backs Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu are both struggling with niggles but are expected to be in contention for West Ham on Boxing Day. More

EDDIE NKETIAH is the man tasked with filling the boots of Gabriel Jesus, but based on this evidence it may be an uphill challenge.During Arsenal’s final mid-season friendly before the return of domestic football, Nketiah was set up with a glorious opportunity to put his side 1-0 ahead against Juventus.

Eddie Nketiah squandered a great chance to put Arsenal aheadCredit: PA
The Hale End graduate pounced onto a sloppy back pass in the Italian side’s defence to set himself up with a near open goal.
However, he spurned this chance by crashing his shot against the woodwork.
And this lack of ruthlessness was duly punished as Granit Xhaka then inadvertently headed the ball into his own net just before the break.
Nketiah has not been having the best of luck throughout the game.
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Just before his miss he thought he had put Mikel Arteta’s side a goal ahead only for it to be ruled out.
The 23-year-old has played understudy to Jesus throughout the season.
And following the Brazilian’s injury he will now be tasked with leading the line for the next three months – unless Arsenal sign a direct replacement.
He has proved a capable deputy in the Europa League, scoring twice.
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But his record when he plays in the Prem is what he will ultimately be judged by.
A purple patch at the end of last season saw Nketiah score five goals in seven games, including braces against Chelsea and Leeds.
Despite victory in their last two friendlies against Lyon and AC Milan, Arsenal will be ending their mid-season with a loss after Rob Holding deflected an effort into his own net to compound Arsenal to a 2-0 loss. More

JOAO FELIX reportedly favours a “bigger club” than Aston Villa in an apparent boost to Arsenal’s hopes of securing his signature.The 23-year-old has been linked to a host of Premier League clubs including Chelsea and Manchester United.
Joao Felix is managed by Jorge Mendes, who is said to be pushing a deal with Aston Villa.
Felix has lit up the World Cup at times with flashes of brilliance and registered two assists and one goal in his four appearances before Portugal’s exit.
The Atletico Madrid player is expected to leave the Spanish capital after falling out of favour with the club.
Aston Villa were reported to be one of the club’s interested in him, but according to Spanish newspaper Marca, that is looking unlikely.
Marca has reported that Felix isn’t interested in moving to Birmingham to join The Villans and is hoping for a club with “more substance and history”.
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New boss, Unai Emery, will be a level of attraction for new recruits, but it seems not enticing enough for Felix.
Arsenal could appear a more attractive proposition than Villa – who, unlike the Gunners have won the European Cup – due to their position at the top of the table and far better recent history.
Gabriel Jesus has had to undergo surgery following an Injury to his knee.
Mikel Arteta’s side are without Gabriel Jesus for up to three months following the Brazilian’s injury in Qatar, leaving a vacancy up top that Felix could occupy.
The Portuguese creator made the move to Madrid in 2019 for £113million, but it’s said the club would be willing to let him go on loan.
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Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil admitted that despite him rating Felix very highly it is likely he could leave.
He told Spanish broadcaster TVE last week: “He is the biggest investment the club has ever made and I think he is at the highest level in the world in terms of talent.
“I would love him to continue, but that is not the player’s idea.” More