Friday, March 29, 2024

Arsenal In ‘Advanced Talks’ To Sign Portuguese International In Bargain Deal

Arsenal are in ‘advanced talks’ to complete the cut-price signing of FC Lorient defender Raphael Guerreiro.

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The 22-year-old, already capped 5 times for Portugal, could be on the market for as little as £5million this summer. His contract expires in the summer of 2017 and is unlikely to extend. Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain have also been heavily linked with a move for the player.

Kieran Gibbs is set to leave the club for a similar amount of money, with plenty of Premier League team interested in securing the signing of the Arsenal academy graduate.

Predominantly a left-back, Guerreiro has also featured plenty of times on the left wing. His dribbling qualities and passing attributes allow him to seamlessly slot into a more advanced role. Wenger has tried this with Gibbs this season, but it has rarely been productive.

If Guerreiro is signed it would cast doubt over the Gunners chase for Leicester City’s Ben Chilwell, also a left-back.

Monreal, 30, signed a new contract in January that will keep him at the club until 2019. With Gibbs the one to leave, Monreal is expected to stay and compete with Guerreiro for a starting spot – with the Spaniard still considered an important part of the starting eleven.

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Arsenal are also thought to be looking to sign a centre-back, central midfielder, striker and maybe a winger. If Wenger does sign five (!) players, you can expect to see plenty of outgoings too, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott’s futures in doubt. Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Mathieu Flamini will all be released at the end of the season.

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