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Arsenal have received a big boost in their hopes of signing Everton midfielder Amadou Onana this summer, after being heavily linked in the January window.

The 22-year-old has been a key player for the Toffees since joining the club from Lille back in the summer of 2022. Last season saw him make 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring three times.

football.london understands that Arsenal explored a possible deal for Onana back in the January transfer window. There were also reports of ‘intensive’ talks between the two clubs over a possible deal.

It seems that talks could now re-open, with Everton’s stance ahead of the summer transfer window outlined. According to HITC, Onana is one of Everton’s valuable assets that they are willing to part with in the summer with the Toffees demanding a fee of more than £50 million.

The club have some financial worries amid uncertainty over a takeover, meaning that they may be forced into sales this summer. It is said that Onana is one of the players that they could let go.

If the midfielder does arrive at Arsenal, then it could be a big boost for Declan Rice. Onana’s position means that he would be able to play a deeper role, therefore allowing Rice to push further up the pitch and allowing him to have more impact in attacking areas.

Speaking back in March, Rice highlighted how he is improving his attacking game after being asked to play in a more advanced role under Mikel Arteta.

“The way Mikel wants his six to play is completely different to his eight,” he said. “At times when I have been playing recently, I have been highest up the pitch, which is unnatural to me but I am learning.

“My strongest position is six – I’ve built my career on that – but when Mikel says he wants to me to play eight I am excited to get up the pitch, score goals and drive with the ball. Luckily, I can play both, but there are still areas of improvement in both.”

Arteta will be keen to add to his squad over the summer window as the club look to push for the Premier League title again in the 2024/25 season.

Arsenal are set to offer Mikel Arteta something they never gave to former manager Arsene Wenger to sign a new deal, according to a report.

Arteta is currently contracted at Arsenal until 2025, but a new deal is in the works as the club looks to hold onto their esteemed manager.

He’s guided the Gunners to back-to-back second-place finishes in the Premier League, having taken Manchester City all the way this season.

They took the title race to the final day of the campaign, missing out on top spot by just two points, having picked up four points over Pep Guardiola’s side in the league this season.

Arsenal want to enter formal contract talks with Arteta over fresh, new terms that would keep him at the Emirates beyond 2025.

If the 42-year-old pens a new contract, then he would become the club’s highest-paid manager in their history, per a report.

Wenger currently holds that record in his last contract, which was worth around £8 million-per-year.

Any contract offer to the Spaniard will see him become one of the highest-paid managers in the Premier League, alongside Man City boss Guardiola, who bags a reported £19.7 million-per-year.

At the Globe Soccer Awards, where Arteta won the Best Premier League Coach award, he was asked what is next for Arsenal, he said: “Win. Win, win and win. That’s what we want.

“I feel extremely proud because when I decided to stop my career as a football player, I thought that all the joy and best moments were gone.

“We’ve been building for a few years and right now we have a team that is full of enthusiasm, and so hungry to win trophies.

“We know the competition, but we believe we can do it, so we’re going to give it a real go.

 

Arsenal are reportedly prepared to walk away from their pursuit of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi after being left frustrated by a lack of progress in negotiations. Zubimendi has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium and is said to be Mikel Arteta’s top target ahead of the summer transfer window.

Arsenal were said to have been interested in a January move for Zubimendi but nothing materialised at that stage and he ended up staying in Spain. However, a deal could reportedly be done in advance of next season with Arteta keen to bolster his midfield in preparation for a renewed Premier League title challenge.

The Gunners are thought to be huge admirers of Zubimendi but there is a chance they could walk away from the table unless a speedy breakthrough is made in negotiations. A deal has stalled in recent weeks, according to HITC, with Arsenal growing increasingly frustrated over a lack of progress in talks with the player’s camp.

It is said that Zubimendi remains Arteta’s top midfield target, with the Spaniard convinced that he would be the perfect fit for the club next season. Arsenal are reportedly willing to pay his £51million release clause but the 25-year-old is yet to give the green light to the move.

The report adds that Arsenal are looking to get things wrapped up quickly and have informed Zubimendi they will move on if nothing can be agreed in the near future. He recently played down the speculation by insisting that he was happy at Sociedad and in no rush to leave the club for pastures new.

They are just rumours, I am happy at Real Sociedad, it is like my home,” Zubimendi told Spanish outlet Marca last month. “I cannot say that I will play my entire career at Real Sociedad, perhaps the club won’t want me to continue in the future, but I do not concern myself with these rumours.”

It remains to be seen who Arsenal will target if they fail to secure a move for Zubimendi, with a handful of other midfielders said to be of interest to the Gunners. They are reported to have already done their due diligence on the likes of Joao Neves, Amadou Onana and Bruno Guimaraes.

Aston Villa playmaker Douglas Luiz is also said to remain on Arsenal’s shortlist after initially being linked with the north Londoners last year. However, the fact that Villa have qualified for next season’s Champions League would suggest that any deal for the Brazilian is likely to be a non-starter.

Arsenal could reportedly be ready to offload as many as nine first-team players in a major transfer clear-out this summer.

The Gunners seem likely to make some changes to their squad after coming so close to winning a tight Premier League title race with Manchester City, and it seems outgoings could be as important as incomings.

According to the Times, Arsenal may cash in on homegrown players like Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson, while others such as Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares could also be sold.

On top of that, there are even doubts over both Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior, who both found themselves in and out of Mikel Arteta’s starting line up over the course of the season just gone, with Takehiro Tomiyasu starting at left-back ahead both players when he returned to fitness.

Arsenal clear-out on the cards?

Ramsdale, for instance, performed well for Arsenal before being slightly unlucky to lose his place to David Raya, so could surely start for most Premier League clubs.

Arsenal “would be sending a serious message” by landing Man Utd forward Marcus Rashford this summer, according to a transfer insider.

The Gunners had a brilliant season in the Premier League but missed out on winning the title on the final day with Man City’s 3-1 win over West Ham handing Pep Guardiola’s side the championship.

However, the continued improvement under Mikel Arteta has put Arsenal in a brilliant position to attract some of the best names in world football to the Emirates Stadium.

They have the reputation to attract the best players again, as well as their continued participation in the Champions League next term, and Man Utd forward Rashford is one player who they have recently been linked to.

A report earlier this week claimed that Arteta has spoken to Rashford over a potential summer move to Arsenal in what GiveMeSport describe as ‘secret talks’.

And now GiveMeSport transfer insider Dean Jones claims that although he hasn’t “heard anything so far that backs this story up”, he reckons it would be “pretty wild to be completely fake”.

Jones told GiveMeSport: “There are links with Rashford going to Arsenal, and having had conversations with Arteta, this would be a monstrous moment if that was true.

“I haven’t heard anything so far that backs this story up but I don’t see why someone would make this up, because if you want to seem in the know, you would at least come up with something that seems realistic. This seems so big that it would be pretty wild to be completely fake.

“Anyway, if it is true, can it even happen? I would say no when you consider Rashford’s potential transfer fee of somewhere close to £80million, plus the fact he is one of United’s top earners and picks up £350,000-a-week.

“A wage like that would smash through the ceiling of what they currently pay and when you consider the form he’s been in, it could be a risk. But, in general, signing Rashford? Wow, that would be sending a serious message about where they are aiming.”

Arsenal are trying to negotiate a new long-term contract for Arteta and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano insists that they “will enter into concrete and advanced talks” soon with the Spaniard.

Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “Arsenal are prepared to enter into advanced conversations with Mikel Arteta and his representatives to extend his contract. Arsenal didn’t want to discuss it during the season, they were waiting for the end of the Premier League, but in private conversations they always made it clear that they wanted to extend his contract.

“Arteta’s current contract expires in 2025 and they didn’t want to enter into the new season with this still being unresolved, so the idea is very clear – after some initial contacts in April/May, now he will enter into concrete and advanced talks to extend his contract.

“Arsenal want Arteta to be one of the best paid managers in Europe, and to give him new power with the new contract. Despite links with Barcelona, he was never a candidate for the job because he’s super happy at Arsenal, convinced by the project, 100% involved in the planning for the future, and also Edu and all the directors are very happy with Arteta. Obviously they want to finally win titles, but credit to everyone involved because the way they are progressing is something very special.

“Everyone at Arsenal, including the players of course, is very happy with Arteta’s management style, and that’s why the expectation is to continue together, and to reach an agreement soon.”

A player often linked with an Arsenal move this summer has now been seeking advice from Mykhailo Mudryk, who once came famously close to joining the club himself.

Although Edu Gaspar will operate amid fairly strict Profit and Sustainability Rules this summer, it’s believed that the club will spend big again.

Mikel Arteta needs three, four or maybe even five new faces to improve this Arsenal squad, perhaps enabling them to finally overcome Manchester City to win the league.

If it is to be Pep Guardiola’s last season at the Etihad, then it would be the perfect time for Arteta to begin his trophy winning legacy at the club – one that now seems inevitable.

Arsenal won’t want to be remembered at the side who waited for Guardiola to depart in order to begin their success, it would leave a slight tarnish on anything they go on to succeed.

That being said, a marquee signing to begin the summer could provide the necessary confidence that Arsenal could lift the 2024/25 title.

Shakhtar Donetsk’s Georgiy Sudakov is a talent who is admired by almost all of Europe’s top clubs right now, and the 21-year-old has been linked with Arsenal.

Mykhailo Mudryk tells Georgiy Sudakov he’s not ready amid Arsenal links

Sudakov is admired by the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal, and has made it clear that he now wants to come to the Premier League.

And in an interview with iNews, Sudakov has actually admitted that his close friend, Mudryk, doesn’t share his belief that he’s ready to come to England.

Mudryk has endured a fairly difficult time at Chelsea since his high profile move – one that followed intense interest from Arsenal.

And speaking in the interview, Mudyrk appeared to be worried that his former teammate, who is valued at around £60m, may experience something similar.

Sudakov explained: “I was telling Misha (Mudryk) about how much I want to play in the Premier League and how it would be great to play in the same team.

Arsenal are reportedly preparing a bid to sign a £51 million player targeted by Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich, and it is believed the Gunners want to act fast to win the race.

Edu could sign new world-class striker for Arsenal this summer

Mikel Arteta’s side were praised for their excellent attacking form last season, despite just losing out on the Premier League title to eventual champions Man City, who won a national record fourth league crown in a row.

The north Londoners scored over 90 goals in the league alone, with the majority of their strikes coming courtesy of Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz. Their attacking contributions came from across the forward line in the absence of a world-class natural number nine, which is testament to the fluidity of Arsenal’s side going forward.

However, it has been widely reported that sporting director Edu could soon put that to an end, as Arsenal are actively seeking a new striker this summer. Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah are Arteta’s only senior options in that position right now, but both are facing uncertain futures at the Emirates Stadium.

A guaranteed 25-plus-goals-per-season front man has long been thought of as the missing piece of the jigsaw, with Arsenal chiefs eager to source it before the start of next season.

“Arsenal are seeking to sign a prime striker before their pre-season tour,” wrote reliable journalist Miguel Delaney for The Independent recently.

A forward who Arsenal have been regularly linked with is Bologna star Joshua Zirkzee, coming after the Dutchman’s excellent Serie A campaign.

The Bavarians, who will now be lead by new manager Kompany (Fabrizio Romano), possess a buy-back clause regarding Zirkzee – which hands them an advantage. However, if they decide not to formalise their interest, Arsenal would be handed a fairly clear run.

Arsenal chiefs apparently want to move quickly for Zirkzee as they seek to end their long search for a natural striker of real quality. Stefano Pioli, commenting on the £51 million Zirkzee last season, claimed he is a striker who “has everything”.

Arsenal preparing bid for Joshua Zirkzee

According to Italian newspaper Tuttosport, as relayed by Spanish media, Arsenal are preparing an official bid for Zirkzee, but Bundesliga giants Bayern also have the striker on their list of potential targets and are “involved” in the race.

Arsenal have been made aware that they can sign Sporting CP star Ousmane Dembele for a fee of around £51m this summer, as per Record.

The Gunners are said to be interested in the Ivory Coast international for a very long time as it has been reported that they have been monitoring his development since his FC Midtjylland days.

However, although Arsenal have been linked with a move for him over the last few transfer windows, they haven’t opted to make a concrete approach yet. But, things could be different this time around as Mikel Arteta’s side are reportedly considering strengthening their backline by signing a new defender this summer.

It has previously been reported that Diomande has a £69m release clause included in his current contract and Sporting don’t want to let their star man leave for anything less than that figure.

However, according to the report by Record, the Portuguese giants are currently in financial difficulties so they are considering selling some of their stars to balance the books.

Diomande to Arsenal

The report further claims that Sporting are ready to cash-in on Diomande and are prepared to accept a fee of around £51m including bonuses. So, Arsenal can manage to sign their long-term target in a cut-price deal this summer should they formalise their interest.

The Ivory Coast international has enjoyed a stellar campaign this term, playing a key role in guiding his team to win the league title and also helping his nation win the AFCON. So, having been impressed by his development this season, Arsenal could decide to make a swoop to sign him this summer.

Diomande, standing at 6ft 3in tall, is quick, strong, good in the air, comfortable playing out from the back and also efficient in defensive contributions. The 20-year-old is a highly talented player and could be a solid signing for Arsenal if they purchase him.

However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club eventually opt to make a concrete approach to secure the Sporting star’s signature in the upcoming transfer window to reinforce their defensive department.

 

Arsenal and Liverpool have been linked with a move for the Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.

The 26-year-old central midfielder has established himself as a key player for Newcastle United since arriving and he has been linked with several top clubs in recent months. According to a report from Spanish publication AS, Arsenal and Liverpool are keen on signing the player but he could cost around €80 million.

There is no doubt that the South American is one of the best midfielders in the league and he has the ability to justify the asking price. He could transform Arsenal or Liverpool in the middle of the park. He will control, composure and defensive cover to the side.

Arsenal need to bring in a reliable partner for Declan Rice and Guimaraes will help them control the tempo of the game from the deep. He will also add craft and composure. Jorginho is past his peak and the Brazilian would be the ideal replacement.

Similarly, Liverpool need more quality in the middle of the park as well. Thiago Alcantara will not be at the club next season and he will need to be replaced adequately. The 26-year-old Newcastle star certainly fits the profile. He is well settled in the Premier League and he could make an instant impact at Anfield.

Bruno Guimaraes could be keen on Arsenal or Liverpool move

Guimaraes will probably want to join a big club capable of winning trophies now. Arsenal and Liverpool will be attractive destinations for him. Newcastle are still in the rebuilding stages of their project and they are unlikely to compete for major trophies soon.

It will be interesting to see if Arsenal and Liverpool are willing to pay the reported asking price for the Brazilian in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Manchester City are keen on the player as well and they have already met with his agents. They certainly have the financial resources to win the race for his signature and it remains to be seen how the situation develops.

 

Arsenal will only have a set number of weeks to complete two of their possible summer transfers. As well as having to navigate international tournaments in the coming months, plus pre-season and the Olympic games, new release clause stipulations have added another obstacle.

The Gunners are expected to be busy under Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar as they attempt to refresh and revamp the squad in an attempt to oust Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. Unlike last year, which only saw a limited number of arrivals and very little change, wholesale movement is now on the cards.

Arsenal are likely to see a host of their lesser-used squad options exit the club in order to build funds, comply with financial regulations, and give Arteta a stronger foundation to work with across four competitions. The focus coming in will be on quality not quantity in key areas.

Two of the positions of most importance are in midfield and upfront. Luckily for Edu there is no shortage of options. Arsenal are looking at Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi as a potential central addition whilst in attack they continue to be linked with Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee amongst others.

Bruno Guimaraes is a player that has been on the club’s radar for some time and has a release clause in his current Newcastle deal, though the chances of a move this summer is small. His £100million price tag is a lot to pay, especially after Arsenal spent big on Declan Rice 12 months ago.

If they were to go in for the Brazilian destroyer, then the window of opportunity is also restrictive. Far from being a blanket clause that allows clubs access – if financially viable – Guimaraes will only be available for a short period.

With the transfer window not officially opening until June 14, Guimaraes’ clause is only active until June 30. During that period he will be away with his country ahead of the Copa America as well, complicating matters.

It leaves just two weeks for clubs to make use of Guimaraes’ lofty clause. Eddie Howe is planning for his star man to be around for another year regardless. “He is integral to what we are doing and we are desperate to keep him,” the Magpies boss said at the end of the season.

As for Zirzkee, there is less pressure on the immediate short-term to get him over the line, but even his £35million clause is not going to be an option all summer long. It is reported that clubs will have between July 1 and August 15 to activate the terms of his deal.

That certainly gives more leeway for Arsenal as well as some time to prepare an offer but it also comes in the thick of the summer.