Big Arsenal transfer to collapse as two different deals hastily take shape

Steve Pearson 29 May 2025 12:09 PM

A superstar Arsenal were in talks to sign is now expected to pen fresh terms with his current club, and a report has revealed who the Gunners are ramping up their efforts to sign instead.

A monumental summer awaits for Arsenal who are hoping a handful of impactful additions will turn them from challengers to champions.

Martin Zubimendi will be the first to arrive after the BBC brought news of a medical being scheduled. The midfield maestro has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal and the payment structure in his €60m / £51m transfer has been ironed out with Real Sociedad.

Elsewhere, additions are being sought in the wing and striker positions. Today’s story regards the former, with a potentially conclusive update emerging on Rodrygo.

Sky Germany recently brought news of Arsenal getting serious for the Real Madrid ace.

The Brazilian was described as being ‘at the very top’ of their shortlist for the flanks and talks over a deal projected to be worth €80m had begun.

However, that was followed by claims Arsenal had baulked at Rodrygo’s hefty wage demands, understood to be around £300,000-a-week.

And in a fresh update from Football Espana, the final nail may have been hammered into Rodrygo’s transfer coffin.

They state Real Madrid are no longer looking to offload the 24-year-old. Instead, they hope to tie the Brazilian down to a new contract and extend his deal (that expires in 2028) to 2030.

Real Madrid’s intentions are now clear, while Rodrygo will take some level of convincing to re-sign after his importance waned following Kylian Mbappe’s arrival.

Nevertheless, it has been suggested Rodrygo can be convinced to sign on the dotted line if new manager Xabi Alonso reassures the winger he’ll still have a crucial part to play moving forwards.

Even if Rodrygo can’t be convinced, the fact he has three years remaining on his existing deal means Real Madrid do not need to sell.

Arsenal re-focus on Leroy Sane

With Rodrygo almost certainly off the table, The Times state Arsenal have fixed their gaze back on Leroy Sane.

Mikel Arteta is a long-term admirer of Sane who he worked with during his days as Pep Guardiola’s No 2 at Manchester City.

Sane is due to become a free agent this summer and Bayern Munich have put an extension on the table. The Bavarian side are doubly determined to forge an agreement after losing out to Liverpool for Florian Wirtz.

And with Nico Williams difficult to prise out of Athletic Bilbao too, The Times state Andrea Berta hopes to lure Sane back to the Premier League for a new chapter in north London.

Latest Arsenal news – Gyokeres and Sesko complications

In other news, Arsenal’s search for a potent new striker has narrowed down to two – Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko.

With The Telegraph stating RB Leipzig are holding out for a colossal £92.5m fee for Sesko, all eyes are on Gyokeres.

But in a familiar story for Arsenal, that deal isn’t proving straightforward either despite the presence of a verbal pact.

Gyokeres, his agents and Sporting CP informally agreed to let Gyokeres leave Lisbon for around €65m-€70m this summer. That is some way below the player’s €100m release clause.

Reports in Portugal have talked up an Arsenal bid in a meeting between club officials and Gyokeres’ agent. However, Sporting vice-president, Francisco Salgado Zenha, has now insisted that if such an offer has been presented behind the scenes, he’s certainly not aware of it.

Furthermore, the Sporting chief fired a warning to Arsenal and all other suitors when insisting Sporting will not sell Gyokeres if they don’t wish to, irrespective of the verbal pact.

“He has three more years on his contract,” Zenha told reporters (as cited by Goal). “At the moment, there are no offers, he has three more years on his contract.

“I think the answer has been given. [Sporting’s transfer plans] won’t be any different from last year. We want to keep the best players and retain talent. We want to continue to be champions, have competitive teams and fight on all fronts.

“I have been in this role for seven years. In the years when Sporting were champions, we even made fewer sales than in other years.”

He continued: “The fact that we are champions gives us a greater ability to retain players and talent.

“Coincidence or not, we have not had to sell any players in those times. Not that we have not received offers, but the market is not under our control, we are always dependent.”