Massive Arsenal boost as Euro giants ruled out from signing top Arteta objective, with rival transfer agreed
Arsenal have been given a major lift as a reputable German journalist has shut down claims one of the Bundesliga’s biggest clubs could sign a top player ahead of the Gunners.
One of the positions Mikel Arteta is desperate to improve this summer is central midfield. Arteta does have strong options already available in the position, including Martin Odegaard, Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny and Jorginho.
However, Arsenal could do with freshening the area up for two reasons. The first is that Xhaka, Elneny and Jorginho are all 30 or above, so it would be a good idea for Arsenal to prepare for the future by landing another midfielder similar to Odegaard’s age (24). Secondly, if Arsenal are to continue to challenge for Premier League titles, they need a new, top-class midfielder to make them even better.
Arteta’s primary target is understood to be Declan Rice of West Ham. He will enter the final 12 months of his Hammers contract this summer. And with no new deal in sight, Arsenal should be able to get him for a reduced price. A bid worth around £70million should do the trick.
But recently there have been rumours about Bayern Munich beating Arsenal to his services. These emerged following their sacking of Julian Nagelsmann and appointment of Thomas Tuchel.
Rice was one of Chelsea’s top targets while Tuchel was in charge at Stamford Bridge, and he is still on their radar.
Arsenal may have to fight off Chelsea to sign the England international. Luckily for Arteta though, Bayern have been ruled out of the race.
Sky Sport Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has quashed the claims about Rice moving to the Allianz Arena. In a tweet, he wrote: ‘Been told there was no meeting between his management/dad and FC Bayern last week. He’s no transfer target at this stage.’
Bayern not pursuing Arsenal target or Chelsea player
Plettenberg added that Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who has also been linked with a Tuchel reunion in recent weeks, is not actually in Bayern’s sights either.
Instead, the reigning Bundesliga champions are preparing for the arrival of Konrad Laimer from RB Leipzig. He has already signed a pre-contract agreement with Bayern ahead of joining them on a free transfer.
Arteta will be delighted about not having to fight off Bayern for Rice. Bayern are one of the biggest clubs in Europe and could therefore cause Arsenal serious problems in transfer talks.
Instead, Arsenal will mainly have to fend off Premier League rivals for Rice, such as Chelsea and Manchester United.
However, the Gunners should be able to win the race for him given how well they are doing in the league this term. Arteta could guide them to their first Prem crown since 2003/04.
Rice will probably view Arsenal as a more exciting project to join than Chelsea or Man Utd this summer.
Meanwhile, Ray Parlour has urged Arsenal to hand two more players lucrative deals after Bukayo Saka’s huge new earnings emerged.
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