Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has ordered the Spanish giants to make a move on Arsenal for a hugely influential attacker, while Friday’s Transfer Gossip claims another top Everton target could be on his way to a Premier League rival.

ANCELOTTI ORDERS REAL SWOOP FOR ARSENAL MAN

Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka is reportedly attracting interest from Real Madrid as manager Carlo Ancelotti has ‘asked’ the club’s top bosses to pursue him.

Saka has emerged as one of the best young talents in the Premier League and has been a major player for England too.

The 21-year-old has made the right-wing position his own at The Emirates. He was involved in 18 goals in the Premier League last term as the Gunners narrowly missed out on the top four.

This season has been a completely different proposition, however, with the Gunners currently top of the Premier League, with their top stars playing at different level.

Saka’s performances have also stepped up as he has grabbed seven goals and seven assists in 19 Premier League outings.

Saka long-term future in doubt

The Three Lions star is expected to play a pivotal role in the final few months of this season. However, his long-term future is in doubt with his current contract due to expire in 2024.

Real Madrid are keen to capitalise on this, according to Spanish outlet Nacional. They are reporting that head coach Ancelotti has ‘asked for the best of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal’ and Saka is the player they are ‘interested’ in.

The LaLiga giants are ‘positioned to welcome’ the winger and Ancelotti is ‘one of his admirers’. The former Chelsea chief thinks Saka ‘would be a great signing’.

It’s not the first time the Spanish giants have been linked with Saka and the report adds ‘Real Madrid can try to take him away from Arsenal, who would ask for a minimum of 50 million euros for their star, in case they cannot reach an agreement to extend his bond.’

AGENT OF ARSENAL TARGET PLAYS DOWN MOVE

The agent of Vitoria Guimaraes midfielder Ibrahima Bamba has cooled talk of his client joining Arsenal before Tuesday’s January transfer deadline.

Mikel Arteta is on the hunt for a new midfielder after admitting that Mohamed Elneny’s injury may force him into the market this month.

The Egypt international is not a first-team regular at the Emirates Stadium. However, with Arteta operating with a small squad, his absence could be felt in the Premier League title race – especially with FA Cup and Europa League fixtures also in the mix.

The Gunners have already signed Belgium forward Leandro Trossard from Brighton and highly-rated Poland defender Jakub Kiwior in the winter window.

And reports have strongly linked Bamba with a switch to north London. Those linked only heightened after the 20-year-old’s agent, Filipe Macedo Alves, was seen in London.

However, Alves told O Jogo: “It’s true that I was in London, but I am just arriving from Germany, where I was watching Edmond Tapsoba’s game. Bamba is not the only player I work with.

“He [Bamba] has a player profile that is clearly of interest to many clubs. But today he is a Vitória player and is only focused on Monday’s game in Chaves.

“The market is open, but I’m not going to feed rumours.”

SOUTHAMPTON TARGET RENNES SPEED DEMON

Southampton have reportedly enquired about Rennes winger Kamaldeen Sulemana before the January window shuts on Tuesday.

The Ghana star has already been on the radar of a few Premier League rivals, including fellow strugglers Everton.

The Toffees had made contact with the Rennes over a possible move earlier in the transfer window before sacking Frank Lampard.

Newcastle United were also interested. However, they were put off by the forward’s £40million valuation.

Sulemana only joined Rennes in the summer of 2021 from Nordsjaelland in Denmark. However, the report in the Daily Mail claims the 20-year-old is open to leaving this month.

The player did feature at the World Cup but only played just short of an hour after across two substitute appearances, having picked up an ankle injury before the tournament.

He actually left Qatar as the fastest player, having clocked up a top speed of 22.2mph in a group-stage match against Uruguay.

Sulemana has so far endured a frustrating season though. He has featured 19 times across the campaign for Rennes he has only been limited to one goal and two assists.

The ankle issue has also seen him unable to play more than half-an-hour for Rennes since September.

The article Transfer Gossip: Real Madrid chief orders swoop for top Arsenal star to devastate Arteta; another Everton target set to be pinched by Prem rival appeared first on Teamtalk.com.