Transfer rumours: Arsenal to battle Liverpool for £38m winger, plus 30-goal striker linked

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The opening of the summer transfer window is fast approaching and the rumour mill is starting to kick into overdrive, Like the rest of their Premier League rivals, Arsenal will be looking tin strengthen their squad over the coming months as Mikel Arteta looks to finally bring the title back to north London after pushing City close the past two years.

Arteta is expected to have a busy summer ahead as he revamps his squad. Several positions are expected to be on the agenda with the Arsenal boss on the look out for a new left-back, central midfielder, back-up goalkeeper, winger and striker.

Let’s look at some of the latest transfer rumours.

Arsenal join Liverpool in Bakayoko hunt

Just a couple of weeks ago, it appeared Liverpool were leading the chase to sign Jonathan Bakayoko from PSV Eindhoven. New boss Arne Slot knows the winger well from his time in Holland and it looked like it was only a matter of time before the Merseysiders made a formal swoop.

However, fans with Liverpool tickets will be disappointed to hear that Arsenal have now taken the lead in the race to sign Bakayoko this summer. Reports coming out of Holland claim that the Gunners are keen to sign the explosive winger and are the most likely destination should be come to England.

The 21-year-old scored 14 goals and provided a further 14 assists for PSV last season, and impressed in both legs against Arsenal in the Champions League, so it’s no wonder Arteta has identified him as a target.

PSV are willing to sell at £38m, so Bakayoko would be a cost-effective solution as Arsenal look to bring in top class competition for Bukayo Saka on the right flank. The main problem might be persuading the player to come to the Emirates Stadium to play second fiddle to the England international, as there is no way Saka losses his first team place.

Eze also on Arsenal’s radar

It looks like Arteta is keeping his options open for the attacking department as The Guardian is reporting that Arsenal are also showing a keen interest in Crystal Palace wide-man Eberechi Eze.

The 25-year-old is older than Bakayoko but has that all-important experience in the Premier League having been a regular for Palace in recent years. Eze has provided 26 goals and 17 assists in his 124 appearances for the Eagles, and his superb form last year earned him a place in the England squad for the Euro’s this summer.

As a former Arsenal academy player, Eze could be open to returning to the club should a deal be agreed with Palace. The Eagles want at least £60m though, so he’d be more expensive compared to Bakayoko.

Arsenal would also face stiff competition as the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham have also been linked with a move for Eze and could be prepared to make a formal move if he decides he wants a new challenge.

Merino a midfield target

Arsenal are also in the market for a new midfielder as Arteta wants someone to partner with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in the middle of the park. Jorginho is in the final years of his career while Thomas Partey could leave with just one years left on his contract following another injury plagued campaign.

Several names have been linked with a move to the Emirates and one of the latest is Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino. The 28-year-old is older than most of Arsenal’s reported targets so it comes as a bit of a surprise to hear he’s on Arteta’s wish list.

However, Merino has lots of characteristics that would make him a terrific addition to the Arsenal squad. The Spanish international is a deep lying midfielder who likes to dictate play, which is exactly what Arteta is looking for. He also chipped in with eight goal contributions last season, so he also posses a threat going forward.

With a valuation of around £42m, Merino also wouldn’t break the bank and Arsenal would hope to drive the price-tag down considering he only has one year left on his contract. However, the Gunners could face stiff competition to get a deal done as Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are also chasing Merino’s signature this summer.

Arsenal enter Kimmich chase

Another name on Arsenal’s hit-list is Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich. The German international has been one of the best players for Bayern in recent years and has helped them win a whole host of trophies.

However, he has just one year left on his contract and is showing no sign that he’ll pen an extension. Bayern don’t want to lose him for nothing in 2025 so the Bundesliga giants are reportedly ready to cash-in. Kimmich is valued at around £42m but again, Arsenal will hope to agree a cut-price deal given his contract situation.

Kimmich is also 29 years old, so it’s highly unlikely Arsenal would pay over the odds for a player who’s approaching his 30th birthday. Signing a player this old would be a huge change in strategy for Arteta as the Spaniard has favoured buying younger players who can be improved through coaching.

However, there is no doubt Kimmich would be a superb signing for Arsenal as he’s a world class defensive midfielder who’s also capable of playing at right-back. Understandably, Arsenal aren’t the only club showing an interest as Liverpool and Barcelona are among the clubs also keen, so competition will be fierce for his signature if Kimmich leaves Bayern.

Guirassy the latest striker linked

Many Arsenal fans felt the club lacked a killer striker last season and it ultimately cost them the title. It’s hard to argue with that, so it’s good to hear that Arteta is looking to rectify this by bringing in a new No.9 this summer.

A number of strikers have been linked with a move to the Emirates including Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen, Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko. However, another name has been added to the list of targets with reports claiming that Arsenal are eyeing Serhou Guirassy.

The striker starred for Stuttgart last season having scored 30 goals across all competitions making him one of the most dangerous forwards in Europe. Guirassy isn’t just a goal-scorer, as he is also known for his excellent hold-up play and link-up play, so he should be a good fit in Arteta’s system if he joined Arsenal.

The 28-year-old is another player who’s approaching the latter stages of his career, but the big bonus about Guirassy is his price-tag, as he reportedly has a release clause worth just £8m in his contract. That would make him a bargain in todays market, and would leave plenty of money left over for Arteta to use to strengthen other areas of the squad.

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