Exciting £80m double deal on cards for Arsenal, as Arteta preps bid for well-documented target
Arsenal remain interested in Youri Tielemans and are reportedly preparing a second offer for the midfielder, as they work behind the scenes on a deal for Pedro Neto.
The summer transfer window will enter it’s final week in the coming days. And a number of big European clubs are still looking to make moves. Arsenal are just one of the Premier League’s big guns who are expected to add to their squad.
Only last week Fabrizio Romano claimed Arsenal officials were open to one more incoming deal.
“I’m aware that Edu and Mikel Arteta are exploring options for another Arsenal signing. But always with the names under the radar,” said Romano.
That deal could well be the move for Neto, with Arsenal officials deep in talks with Jorge Mendes.
Gunners transfer chief Edu though remains focused on outgoings. And it will be the success of those deals that means whether Arteta will be granted the spending power to boost his squad.
Nice are in talks with Arsenal over taking Nicolas Pepe on loan, while Hector Bellerin and Ashley Maitland-Niles could also leave.
Neto would be a terrific signing to replace Pepe. But Wolves are said to be keen on keeping the forward, as per David Ornstein. And talkSPORT suggest they have put a £50m price tag on his head.
Arsenal’s top target
The powerful 22-year-old has now been described as Arsenal’s top target. That honour had been Tielemans’ all summer, but could Arsenal land them both?
According to information attributed to football.fr journalist Abdellah Boulmaare, Arsenal are ready to make a second bid next week for Tielemans.
Arteta has rubber-stamped a final-week move for the Belgium midfielder, who has been wanted by Arsenal all summer. It’s unclear just when the Gunners made their first offer for the player.
Tielemans has been the man high on Arteta’s wanted list and now they are ready to make another move.
At the start of the month The Guardian claimed Arsenal were finally ready to launch an official move for the midfielder.
Talk of a £25m bid was rife, but will reportedly hold out for at least £30m for the 52-times capped star.
Two alternative options to Tielemans
Tielemans, who did not start in the weekend’s defeat to Southampton, has entered the final 12 months of his contract.
James Maddison and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall started in central midfield.
Asked about the changes he made to his Leicester side, Rodgers, who also omitted Wesley Fofana, told Sky Sports: “One, a change in system and two, I mentioned in the week, we’re coming into a Premier League game and maybe we’ve got players who are maybe not quite in the right frame of mind.
“You can’t carry them, or certainly we can’t. So yeah, that’s the reason for the changes.”
The source claims Arsenal have two alternatives in Italian star Sandro Tonali and Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.
If Arteta can get enough financial wiggle room to land Tielemans and Neto then his hand will have been significantly strengthened.
Two more fine additions will give them renewed confidence in their hunt for a Champions League place.
