Arsenal ‘dreaming’ of signing Liverpool target in huge £80m coup, with star Ten Hag obsesses over another option
Aurelien Tchouameni and Martin Zubimendi are both Arsenal targets
Arsenal are dreaming of adding a big-name midfielder to their ranks for the second summer in a row according to a report, with Liverpool target Aurelien Tchouameni and a dream Manchester United fancy viewed as ideal partners for club-record signing Declan Rice.
Mikel Arteta has overseen a remarkable rise since he took charge at Emirates Stadium, leading Arsenal to within a whisker of derailing Manchester City’s long domination of the Premier League. Indeed, they finished on 84 points to City’s 89, but just one win against Pep Guardiola’s side, instead of the losses they suffered, would have seen the title heading to north London by just one point.
Recently, though, the Gunners did finally manage to get the better of City with Gabriel Martinelli’s strike securing a 1-0 win over the reigning champions. And Arsenal, who now boast one of the youngest and most valuable squads in European football, remain in the market for further team reinforcements over the upcoming January window.
Indeed, that officially opens for business in just 67 days, meaning many clubs, including Arsenal, are starting to draw up their list of targets.
It’s not yet clear just how much cash Arsenal will have to spend. But having broken through the £200m barrier over the summer to sign Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and David Raya, it is likely their focus will be on quality of quantity.
To that Arteta is reportedly targeting another midfield addition to play alongside Rice. The club allowed Granit Xhaka to move on over the summer and it’s suggested neither Jorginho – out of contract next summer – and Thomas Partey figure in his long-term plans.
Arteta keen to sign Aurelien Tchouameni to partner Declan Rice
As a result, it’s no surprise to see Arteta looking at potential options. To that end, the likes of Andre Trindade and, as we exclusively revealed, Arthur Vermeeren, have both been touted as potential options.
As young, upcoming talents, both look well equipped to shine in the Premier League.
However, according to Football Transfers, the one player Arteta is dreaming about is Real Madrid superstar Tchouameni, who has previously been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool.
The France star is one of a number of quality midfield options available to Los Blancos, with Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga battling alongside veteran stars Toni Kroos and Luka Modric for a regular shirt.
However, while Tchouameni is highly-rated by Real, it’s suggested he could be allowed to leave next summer should a significant offer come their way. And with the Spanish giants aiming to bring in Kylian Mbappe on what will prove enormous – and ultimately financially-draining wages – it’s suggested Tchouameni could be sacrificed as a result.
Any such deal would set Arsenal back a sizeable fee with reports previously stating the 23-year-old would cost a minimum £80m.
Man Utd target Martin Zubimendi also on Arsenal transfer radar
However, Football Transfers claims that, while a deal for Tchouameni would be difficult to finance – and certainly not before the summer window – Arsenal also have a long-standing interest in Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi as a plan B option.
Indeed, the Spain midfielder was on their shortlist of options over the most recent window before their £105m splurge for Rice ultimately came to pass.
And while Zubimendi was happy to stay put after guiding his hometown club into the Champions League, Arteta has maintained a strong interest in the 24-year-old midfield anchor.
The two-times capped Spain midfielder is also on Manchester United’s radar and is reportedly one of the big-name signings Erik ten Hag is obsessing over ahead of the 2024 transfer windows.
However, the Gunners are also keen on the player and he is another option Arteta is considering as a long-term partner for Rice in central midfield.
Indeed, the Arsenal boss wants to sign a more defensively-minded midfielder who can release the shackles, somewhat, on Rice and allow the England man to play with a little more freedom and more as a No 8 than a No 6.
And while Zubimendi would also come with a hefty price tag, a €60m (£52.8m) release clause in his deal, which becomes active in summer 2024, certainly makes his signing that bit more easy for Arsenal to pull off.
In the meantime, we understand Arsenal are likely to employ a more reserved approach to the January window. And while new additions remain an option for Arteta, it is thought they will only spend cash if the right deal opens up in the winter.
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