Thursday, March 28, 2024

Arsenal to complete sales of 3 first team midfielders in ‘coming days’

Arsenal have made a formal offer to sign Euro 2020 star Manuel Locatelli, according to reports in Italy (SportItalia via Football Italia).

As we told you back in May, a club insider told Fresh Arsenal that the Gunners have an interest in signing Sassuolo midfielder Locatelli as a replacement for Granit Xhaka if he leaves this summer.

Xhaka is now pushing to leave Arsenal and a move to Roma is thought to be close. According to Di Marzio, a deal will be completed in the ‘coming days’. I think it’s unlikely any deal will be completed for Xhaka until Switzerland are knocked out of Euro 2020. The Swiss qualified in third place and will face France in the round of 16 on Monday night. 

25-year-old Lucas Torreira is also reportedly ‘very close’ to moving to Italy, this time to Lazio. Il Tempo explain the player is ‘close’, as there appears to have been an ‘acceleration to get to Lucas Torreira’ to the Italian club. They say Arsenal are asking for a €20million fee.

 Matteo Guendouzi doesn’t appear to have a future at the club either and he looks set to be the third senior midfielder likely to leave the club in the coming days. According to La Provence, Marseille are closing in on a deal to sign him and a deal is expected to be concluded ‘early next week’. 

Arsenal will need to sign at least one midfielder in order to replace those that are departing. If all sales are completed, the club are expected to sign two central midfielders. 

The first will almost certainly be Anderlecht midfielder Albert Sami Lokonga. The 21-year-old Belgian has agreed personal terms with the club already and the Gunners have made two formal bids, according to reports. Arsenal have already seen a bid worth €15million rejected by Anderlecht. It is thought that the Belgian club are looking for €20million for their captain. 

Elsewhere, Arsenal have reportedly made a formal offer to sign Euro 2020 sensation Manuel Locatelli – but they face stiff competition, particularly from Juventus. The likes of Ruben Neves and Yves Bissouma have also been linked, but it remains to be seen who Arsenal’s primary central midfield target is.

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