Arsenal need to step up their transfer activity, with the new season just a few weeks away now.
And it seems the Gunners are starting to seriously explore some more big-money signings.
On Friday it was reported from MediaFoot in France that Arsenal were pushing hard to sign Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta.
Arsenal’s hopes to sign Paqueta have been boosted according to Sunday’s edition of L’Equipe (via GFFN). They say that Paqueta has asked to leave Lyon.
Paqueta, who turns 25 in August, has become an ever-present for the Brazil national team, with 33 caps and 7 goals. He is naturally a central midfielder, but capable of playing wide and also as a striker. Paqueta possesses brilliant work rate and technical skills and is likely to fit in well in the Premier League.
According to MediaFoot’s report, Lyon will ask for around 50 million euros for Paqueta.
Arsenal are likely to view Paqueta as an option in the left central midfield role in Arteta’s preferred 433 system, but Paqueta’s flexibility would present the Gunners with a series of exciting options in terms of how they could line up.
Whilst Arsenal have signed Gabriel Jesus and extended Eddie Nketiah’s contract, the club doesn’t have many other senior options at center-forward, and Paqueta would give Arteta an alternative number 9, providing different options for differing game scenarios.
Newcastle are also heavily interested in Paqueta but after seeing how his ex-teammate and fellow Brazilian Bruno Guimaeres has performed at Newcastle, Edu Gaspar will surely be keen to ensure Paqueta heads to Arsenal and not Eddie Howe’s side.