Arsenal take on Juventus in their final midseason friendly on Saturday as they continue their preparations for the resumption of the Premier League on December 26.
But while plenty of work is being put in on the pitch, lots is also taking place off it. The Gunners were strongly linked with Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic during the summer and are said to be ‘leading the race’ for his signature. However, a crushing blow has been delivered by Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, who has intentions of moving elsewhere next month.
Mirror Football takes a look at all the latest transfer stories coming out of Emirates Stadium…
Gunners ‘lead’ Milinkovic-Savic race
Arsenal could be closing in on the signing of Serbian midfielder Milinkovic-Savic following a fresh report that claims they are at the ‘front of the queue’ ahead of the January transfer window.
The Gunners were put off by Lazio’s astronomical asking price during the summer and seemingly backed away from a deal, but Mikel Arteta and Edu have seemingly put in the ground work since and could finally be nearing a deal for the in-demand midfielder.
That’s according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, which claims that Arsenal are front and centre for the 27-year-old, with Lazio lowering their asking price to around £66million. The Gunners are targeting a new midfielder in January and could be nearing a deal for their main target.
How much will Arsenal spend in the January transfer window? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Arsenal handed crushing Felix blow
Following reports that Arsenal could be in the best position to sign Atletico forward Felix in the January transfer window, it has been revealed that the Portuguese star is not interested in moving to north London next month.
The 23-year-old is fully expected to depart the Wanda Metropolitano in January, with Manchester United also strongly linked, but it is looking unlikely that a move to the Premier League could be on the cards.
That’s according to a report in SoccerNews, which claims Felix wants to sign for Paris Saint-Germain. The same report claims Arsenal are out of the frame to sign the Portugal forward.
Guardiola targets Saka
Bukayo Saka has become one of the stars of the season with his impact in Arsenal’s Premier League title surge and an impressive World Cup with England - and he is being targeted by Manchester City.
The Gunners remain keen to extend his stay at the Emirates with a new long-term contract this season and Arteta remains confident that the club will achieve that. However, there is a fresh report that comes as a huge blow to the north Londoners.
According to 90min, Pep Guardiola is targeting the signing of Saka alongside Jude Bellingham, with the Spaniard seeing the English duo as a vital part of his squad plans going forward at the Etihad Stadium.
