Transfer Gossip: Man City ace tempted to join Arsenal in stunning coup; Two major Man Utd transfers derailed
A second source has echoed claims Arsenal will push for a third Man City coup and the player ‘could be tempted’, while two Man Utd transfers have gone up in smoke and Nottingham Forest are determined to sign players from PSG and Atletico Madrid – all in Tuesday’s Transfer Gossip.
ARSENAL TO MAKE IT A MAN CITY HATTRICK?
A second reliable source has confirmed Arsenal are sizing up a third raid on Man City, and the report has outlined how Mikel Arteta can tempt the player to north London.
Arsenal snatched Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus from Man City last summer. The pair both hit the ground running in their maiden seasons at the Emirates, with Zinchenko earning a place in Jamie Carragher’s Team of the Season on Monday Night Football.
The duo have both been roaring successes for Arteta thus far and per the Athletic, the Spaniard is determined to make it a trio.
Indeed, they reported Arsenal are preparing a shock swoop for Man City captain, Ilkay Gundogan.
The German veteran, 32, is out of contract at season’s end. Gundogan is courting concrete interest from Barcelona, though per Fabrizio Romano, will receive an offer to stay at City.
However, according to a fresh update from the Guardian, the terms City are poised to put to Gundogan won’t be to his liking.
They state Gundogan is likely to command a two-year deal with both years fully guaranteed. In other words, he does not want the second year to be a club option.
A one year-deal with an option for a second is exactly the structure of deal Romano claimed City are preparing to offer. As such, the door is ajar for Arsenal if they’re willing to guarantee a second year for a player who’ll be 34 at the time.
The Guardian double down on Arsenal’s interest in Gundogan, stating they are ‘pursuing a move’.
It’s also hoped the prospect of working alongside Arteta could be another factor that lures Gundogan to London. Arteta previously worked alongside Gundogan while serving as Guardiola’s No 2 at the Etihad.
However, it’s reiterated the ‘deciding factor’ will be the contract length. The ball is now in Arsenal’s court and whether they’re willing to stretch to two fully guaranteed years looks set to be pivotal.
TWO MAN UTD DEALS IN TROUBLE
One rumoured Man Utd deal has been completely dismissed by a top reporter, while another will now cost much more than first hoped.
The upcoming window is a crucial one for Man Utd who’ll hope to thrust themselves into title contention next season.
To do so, an elite-level centre-forward is wanted, potentially followed by additions at right-back, centre-half and central midfield.
As such, it came as something of a shock to see French outlet L’Equipe report Man Utd were in advanced talks to sign PSG misfit, Neymar.
The Brazilian remains one of world football’s most potent wingers. However, now aged 31 and with a chequered injury record, a move had the feel of United falling into the type of trap that previously saw them sign Alexis Sanchez and Cristiano Ronaldo, for example.
Fellow Brazilian Casemiro is reportedly a driving force behind what would be a spectacular yet incredibly risky signing. However, according to ESPN’s Mark Ogden, Neymar to Man Utd will not be happening.
Ogden tweeted “Manchester United aren’t pursuing a deal for Neymar. Not the current regime anyway.”
The latter comment refers to Man Utd’s potential takeover, with one of the bidders being Qatari businessman, Sheikh Jassim.
Neymar’s PSG side are owned Qatari Sports Investments and should Sheikh Jassim succeed in buying out the Glazers, a move for Neymar would seem to be more viable.
But for the time being at least, Neymar is not being pursued by those in power at Old Trafford.
Second Man Utd transfer in doubt
Elsewhere, a permanent move to sign loanee Marcel Sabitzer has been cast into doubt.
The Austrian is a contender to satisfy United’s need for a new central midfielder this summer. Sabitzer has performed well since joining from Bayern Munich on loan in the winter window.
Sabitzer does not feature in Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel’s plans moving forward. As such, a move is there for the making and reports in Germany shed light on the modest fee that can get a deal done.
BILD claimed just £16m could be enough to swing a deal. Sport1 state a ‘suitable offer’ between the range of £13.2m and £17.6m (€15m-€20m) will be satisfactory.
However, according to the latest from Sky Germany, the figure United must now pay is far higher than first thought.
Indeed, their reporter, Florian Plettenberg, tweeted “Bayern’s price valuation for him is up to €25m in summer.” €25m equates to roughly £21.75m at current exchange rate.
Plettenberg noted Man Utd are “still interested” in signing the player outright, though the escalating cost of the deal, combined with the fact an expensive new centre-forward is the top priority means it is no longer straightforward.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST WANT STAR SIGNINGS
Nottingham Forest will push to sign PSG’s Keylor Navas and Atletico Madrid’s Renan Lodi on permanent deals, per a report.
Steve Cooper’s side secured their Premier League status with a superb 1-0 victory over Arsenal on Saturday evening.
Attention will quickly turn to the summer window and per 90min, Navas and Lodi are wanted back at the City Ground.
Both players will be difficult to sign thanks in large part to the interest they’re courting from elsewhere.
Indeed, 90min state veteran stopper Navas has ‘interest from all over Europe, the Middle East, MLS and South America’. The 36-year-old will enter the final year of his PSG deal this summer and looks certain to move outright.
Left-back Lodi, meanwhile, has reportedly caught the eye at Newcastle. Forest did have an option to buy worth around £25m, though the window to activate that option has reportedly expired.
As such, any permanent move will have to be negotiated from scratch.
