Arsenal have proven that they are capable of operating without Gabriel Jesus in friendly victories over Lyon and AC Milan during their midseason training camp in Dubai.
But with an unexpected Premier League title charge set to continue after the World Cup, the Gunners can’t afford to take any chances. Almost 12 months on from their initial interest, Arsenal are being linked with Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic once more, with the Juventus striker changing his tune over a move to north London, while the Gunners could propose an eye-catching swap deal.
Mirror Football takes a look at all the latest transfer stories coming out of Emirates Stadium…
Vlahovic performs U-turn
After snubbing a move to Arsenal to remain in Italy and join Juventus from Fiorentina at the start of the year, Vlahovic may be in favour of joining the Gunners in the upcoming January transfer window.
Despite a return of 16 goals and four assists in his first 36 games, Vlahovic’s time with Juventus hasn’t quite gone to plan. The Old Lady are 10 points off the top of Serie A, whereas the Gunners are top of the Premier League.
As a result, Arsenal are confident they are in a stronger position to capture the Serbian, with Tuttosport, via football.london, revealing they are speaking to his representatives once more in the hope of finally luring him to north London.
Would Dusan Vlahovic be the perfect replacement for Gabriel Jesus? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Arsenal ponder swap deal
Adding to the intrigue surrounding the Vlahovic saga, it has also been claimed that Arsenal could pursue the Serbian striker as part of a swap deal, should Juventus make a move for Gunners defender Gabriel.
Italian outlet Calciomercatoweb has reported that the Old Lady remain interested in the services of the Brazilian centre-back after making attempts to sign him during the summer. Juventus continue to admire the 24-year-old, even more so after his impressive start to the season.
As per the report, Massimiliano Allegri’s side are willing to offer £34.4million plus add-ons and midfielder Arthur - who is due to spend the whole season at Liverpool - on loan with an option to buy. However, it is unlikely to be enough for Arsenal, meaning they may demand that Vlahovic moves instead.
Tomiyasu’s Italy return unlikely
A proposed swap deal involving Takehiro Tomiyasu for Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries is not expected to be a priority for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta opted against signing a new right-back in the summer and instead converted Ben White from his natural centre-back position. Tomiyasu’s injury issues have seen him slip down the pecking order, while Cedric Soares is not deemed good enough for a regular spot.
According to Fabrizio Romano, via Caught Offside, the recent rumours surrounding Tomiyasu moving to Inter in order for Netherlands international Dumfries to come the other way are unlikely to lead to anything, with the Gunners set to prioritise other deals, such as signing a new midfielder and striker.
