Arsenal have had a second bid turned down for RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano according to sources in France – as the Gunners step up their late chase to strengthen their defence.
Laurent Koscielny left the club on Tuesday morning leaving Arsenal with limited options in central defence. Rob Holding is still recovering from a long term injury, the Gunners are actively trying to sell Skhodran Mustafi, leaving Sokratis as the only fit and senior central defender at the club.
La Voix du Nord – a reliable source in France, say that Arsenal have had a second, €70m bid rejected for Upamecano. They say #Arsenal will continue to try and convince Leipzig to do a deal before the deadline. pic.twitter.com/R1BRyh73uK
— PB (@OliPriceBates) August 6, 2019
Arsenal appear to be willing to go big for 20-year-old central defender Dayot Upamecano.
Earlier in the day, the Daily Mail reported that Arsenal had already had a £55million bid rejected but remain hopeful for securing a deal for the Frenchman. The Mail’s report also says that Leipzig would like Emile Smith Rowe to be included in the deal, whether that be as a loan or permanent.
It now seems that a second bid has been been rejected, as reported by La Voix du Nord, via the reliable GFFN. They too say that despite this rejection, Arsenal are still trying to convince Leipzig to do a deal.
Smith Rowe spent the second half of last season in Germany on loan but injuries restricted his appearances – however, it seems he impressed the German club during his short spell.
With less than two years remaining on his contract, Leipzig must be considering cashing in on one of their most valuable assets, Upamecano. They have already brought in Ethan Ampadu on loan and have the likes of Nordi Mukiele and Ibrahim Konate as defensive options. The German club would also have the rest of the month to bring in a replacement, as it is only the English window that will close on Thursday.