Exclusive: Huge Arsenal sale in doubt as European giants hit out at negotiation tactics

Arsenal could be set to miss out on a huge summer sale with the proposed buying club for one of their stars unhappy at the progress made in negotiations, TEAMtalk can reveal.

There has been plenty of discussion about who Arsenal will sign this summer in order to once again challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title, but there will also be key sales too.

Emile Smith Rowe has already left to join Fulham, while Reiss Nelson, Jakob Kiwior and Aaron Ramsdale are all being heavily linked with moves away.

Yet Eddie Nketiah has been most heavily coveted, with Marseille very keen to sign the striker this summer. New manager Roberto De Zerbi is keen to completely reinvigorate his attacking options, having signed Mason Greenwood from Manchester United this summer.

Arsenal are said to want around £30m for Nketiah and the French club have been attempting to negotiate a lower fee. But they are unhappy with the way talks have been conducted by the Gunners and sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that they feel goalposts have been moved.

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While Marseille are still keen to push through a deal for Nketiah, they will want to see a change in approach from Arsenal. They have also been heavily linked with a move for Borussia Dortmund striker Yousoufa Moukoko.

Premier League clubs including Crystal Palace have previously been linked with a move for Nketiah but there is no suggestion that is the case this summer, with less than a month remaining until the transfer window shuts.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is open to keeping the striker, who he described as “top level” after he scored a hat-trick against Sheffield United last season, but has informed him that his game time will be limited.

Gabriel Jesus is an existing option for Arteta, while other frontmen have been linked including Victor Osimhen, Viktor Gyokeres and previously Alexander Isak.

Marseille losing patience in Nketiah chase

“He’s got an eye for goal,” Arteta last October. “You look at his stats from the last 10 years. What he’s done is remarkable. He needs minutes, opportunities and service. If he gets that, Eddie is going to score goals, that’s for sure.

“He’s a great player for Arsenal. He can be better, yes. And the best thing is the talent that he’s got, but especially his mentality is incredible. When he has that mentality with that talent, he’s going to get much better.”

Last season, Nketiah scored five goals in the Premier League as the Gunners lost out on the title on the final day by City.

The Gunners have already signed Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna and are also very keen on Spain and Real Sociedad man Mikel Merino, although Barcelona are also being heavily linked.

TEAMtalk can confirm that Marseille remain interested in Nketiah despite them closing in on a deal for Moukoko as an alternative.

But Nketiah’s potential move to France is looking increasingly unlikely, as De Zerbi’s side have been left frustrated by Arsenal’s conduct in negotiations.

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