Arteta gets green light to bring exciting £46.5m duo to Arsenal this summer

Pape Gueye

Arsenal are working on deals to bring a pair of talented youngsters to Emirates Stadium this summer as Mikel Arteta and Edu look to go down the route of signing upcoming talent rather than established stars.

With the Gunners currently down in 10th place after just six Premier League wins all season, the club look unlikely to qualify for Europe next season unless they can enjoy a surge in form late in the season and/or taste success in the Europa League.

As such, the club are reportedly planning wholesale changes to their playing staff this summer and a quartet of big-name stars were last week tipped to be cast aside as Arteta plans sweeping changes.

It’s claimed that Arteta is aware that he needs to offload their highest earners in order to re-invest in his squad and plans to buy upcoming talents, as opposed established names, in order to rejuvenate their flagging fortunes.

And with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Reis Nelson providing hope for the future, Arsenal will also be boosted by the arrival of teenage defender William Saliba from St Etienne.

And it’s no surprise to see Arsenal looking to the French market again with the club reported to be tracking talented Le Havre midfielder Pape Gueye.

The 21-year-old is reported to be valued at around €20million (£16.9m) by the Ligue 2 outfit and has drawn favourable comparisons to both N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba for his all-action displays in the centre of the park.

According to Estadio Deportivo, the Gunners are not alone in their pursuit for the midfielder, with Sevilla and AC Milan also on Gueye’s trail as Le Havre look to cash in on their prized asset.

 

Arsenal are also exploring the possibility of a deal to sign Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes, who was subject of interest from the Gunners back in January.

The Brazil-born defender, 20, has made 19 starts in Ligue 1 and a further six in the Champions League – meaning he has already played more this season than in the past two.

Le10 Sport claim that Arsenal and Everton both made concrete offers for the Brazil Under-20 international, but they did not meet Lille’s valuation.

The French club have since tied him down to a new contract until 2023, but it is suggested they may concede defeat in their efforts to keep him if an acceptable offer comes in the summer – with the Gunners ready to meet the apparent €35m (£29.6m) price on his head.

Arteta is reported to be extremely keen on signing the pair for Arsenal this summer and wants them brought into his set-up as he looks to re-build his struggling Arsenal side into future top-four contenders.