Breaking down Arsenal links to £22m Man Utd target and why January deal could squeeze out summer recruit

Arsenal are reported to be considering a cut-price deal to sign Valencia star Javi Guerra, with reports in Spain revealing two big reasons why his sale could be sanctioned just months after signing a new deal, and with TEAMtalk analysing how a deal could force out a recent Mikel Arteta signing.

The Gunners were the Premier League’s biggest spenders this summer when it came to net spend. Mikel Arteta’s side splashed out £267m this summer, with only £10m clawed back in sales, and ensured their total outlay was more than champions Liverpool, who did spend £440m but reclaimed £228m in sales of their own.

However, the early indications are that their investment has paid off, with Arsenal currently boasting a six-point cushion at the Premier League summit and having shown they have comfortably the meanest defence around with just three goals conceded across their 10 games so far.

Now, according to reports in Spain, Arsenal are one of two clubs pursuing a January deal for Valencia midfielder Guerra. Alongside Atletico Madrid, Fichajes claims the Gunners are ready to open talks with Los Che over a €25m (£22m, $29m) deal for the 22-year-old, just a matter of months after he signed a new deal at the Mestalla.

The player, strongly linked with a move to Manchester United during the summer, opted to extend his stay with Valencia until 2029.

But after a poor start to the 2025/26 season, and with Valencia sat in the relegation zone, Fichajes reports the player now regrets his decision to sign up and is open to leaving in January to take his career to the next level.

And per the report, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta sees Guerra as the perfect addition to his midfield, with the Spain Under-21 international capable of operating as either a No.6 or as a No.8.

But his potential arrival could hurt Christian Norgaard, who himself only arrived at Emirates Stadium in the summer…

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How would any deal impact Norgaard at Arsenal?

Per the report, it’s claimed Valencia are open to the sale of their star man for a cut-price fee and despite the fact that his current deal contains a release clause worth €100m.

And while Fichajes are not the most reliable of sources, often known for their far-fetched reporting, they state Los Che will consider his sale for the cut-price fee to aid their own rebuilding plans as they look to provide manager Carlos Corberan with a squad capable of avoiding the drop.

Furthermore, they state that if either Arsenal or Atletico ‘act quickly’ then they can ‘take advantage’ of Valencia’s ‘weakness’ and  ‘close a very advantageous deal’.

Should Arsenal land the 89-game midfielder, they would be signing a player with a lot of talent and plenty of versatility.

As such, he could be seen as an ideal upgrade for Norgaard, who currently fills that void as midfield cover for Arteta.

The Dane moved to Emirates Stadium over the summer, joining on an initial £10m deal from Brentford.

However, with just two substitute appearances in the Premier League so far, totalling just 14 minutes, the 31-year-old is already a long way down Arteta’s thinking.

While he did miss six games from mid-August to mid-September owing to injury, he has yet to convince Arteta he can be any more than a squad player.

Were the Gunners to land Guerra for just £22m, they would not only be landing on an upgrade, but on a player some nine years Norgaard’s junior, potentially squeezing the Dane out after just one season in north London.

And while we’re a long way from such a scenario playing out, the links to Guerra would suggest Arteta is already thinking of ways to improve his squad, and with the player adding serious quality cover this summer.

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Arsenal latest: Odegaard, Barca links explained; how ‘miracle player’ Max Dowman arrived

Talking of squad players, there is probably no one finer at Arsenal right now than Mikel Merino.

And Arsenal fans were once again in awe of the ‘world’s best emergency No.9’ after the Spaniard scored twice in a comfortable 3-0 win at Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, although there was a warning for Arteta over the use of his top stars.

The same game also saw Max Dowman shatter records for becoming the first 15-year-old to feature in the Champions League.

We have taken a look behind his stats on the historic night as a ‘miracle player is born’.

Finally, Barcelona are spying a colossal raid on Arsenal for captain Martin Odegaard, it has sensationally been claimed – but what are the truths behind the rumours in the Spanish press, and should the Gunners be concerned? We’ve taken a close look at his situation…