Arsenal

Arsenal

Premier League • England

Report details Arteta masterstroke helping Arsenal but hindering rivals Tottenham

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrating at the Emirates stadium 2021

A report has revealed a Mikel Arteta transfer decision which has worked out brilliantly for Arsenal, while also hindering rivals Tottenham.

Arsenal went on a good run of form between December 11 and Boxing Day, winning five consecutive matches in all competitions. They also put in a good performance when Manchester City ended their winning run on New Year’s Day.

The Gunners’ momentum was slowed down by the shock FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest. Arsenal also went down to 10 men in Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final draw with Liverpool, but showed fight not to go behind.

The general consensus is that Arsenal are going in the right direction under Arteta. Summer signings Aaron Ramsdale and Ben White have been impressive, despite some early reservations.

Takehiro Tomiyasu is already a hit among supporters thanks to his powerful displays at right-back. The Japan international made 16 league appearances before suffering a calf problem earlier this month. He is pushing to feature in the rest of Arsenal’s January fixtures.

However, it could have been far different for Tomiyasu. The Guardian provide an intriguing report on his summer switch to the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta had reservations over star’s suitability

They claim Arsenal were originally closing in on a deal to sign Emerson Royal from Barcelona. However, Arteta shunned the player amid reservations over his suitability.

That led the Gunners to pursue Tomiyasu, then at Serie A outfit Bologna. He joined for £19.8m, according to Sky Sports, and went on to pen a four-year contract.

Juventus want Aubameyang on loan from Arsenal

Juventus want Aubameyang on loan from Arsenal

Juventus want Aubameyang on loan from Arsenal for rest of season

Emerson, meanwhile, moved to Tottenham for £25m and has since proved Arteta to be right. The Brazilian has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League. He has put in several sub-par performances, leading Antonio Conte to already ask for a replacement.

They are aiming to land Wolves’ Adama Traore and convert him into a wing-back, which could see Emerson end up as a backup option.

Breakthrough in Arsenal transfer pursuit

Meanwhile, Arsenal have taken a major step forward in their pursuit of Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic.

Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso has been standing firm on the striker’s future, insisting he will not be ‘screwed by players’ earlier this week.

However, Italian paper La Repubblica, via Metro, claim a major breakthrough has finally been reached. They report that Commisso is now ‘ready to let the player go’.

Furthermore, it seems Arsenal’s £58m offer for the player is now ‘likely to be accepted’. The two clubs must now finalise a payments package. Indeed, the Gunners hope to spread the cost out over the five-and-a-half-year deal they want to give the player.

La Viola, however, are seeking more of a chunk up front. And the £12.5m deal to take Lucas Torreira to Fiorentina permanently will be kept as a separate entity.

Either way, the sale will go down as a transfer record for Fiorentina, easily surpassing the £37m received from Milan for Rui Costa in 2002.

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