Darren Bent has encouraged Arsenal to sign Mason Mount instead of Neymar, with Mikel Arteta eager to further bolster his frontline. The Paris Saint-Germain winger faces an increasingly uncertain future in the French capital, and Europe's richest clubs are expected to battle it out for his signature this summer.
It's said that PSG are keen to offload Neymar in order to free up space on their wage bill. In fact, they're said to be so eager to sell the Brazil international that they would be willing to accept a 'significantly reduced' offer for his signature, according to Brazilian outlet UOL.
As for Mount, football.london understands that negotiations have been complicated, with the proposed length of contract and wage packet proving to be a significant hurdle. The 24-year-old midfielder could be available for a discounted price this summer having recently entered the final 12-months of his deal.
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With Mikel Arteta in the market for a new midfielder, Bent has insisted that he would rather the Gunners sign Mount than Neymar. Speaking on talkSPORT, the former Tottenham and Aston Villa striker said: "I think [Mount] gets into any top team squad.
"I’m not saying he’s going to start, I don’t think he does. But at a better price – I’m not paying £80million for no player with one year left on their contract, especially when this season they’ve got three goals and two assists."
Andy Goldstein, Bent's co-host, then posed a question. He said: "For argument’s sake, I know they’re different players, I get that, but from a superstar perspective and players that could come in and ruin the great camaraderie you’ve got in the dressing room, I’d rather have Mason Mount coming into my dressing room. than Neymar."
To which Bent replied: "I 100% totally agree with that. Even though Neymar is the better player, Mason Mount would be the better fit in and around the dressing room. He never gives you any problems, you know exactly what you’re getting."
In an interview with Genting Casino, Emmanuel Petit admitted that he would love to see Neymar in the English top-flight. The Frenchman said: "I would love to see Neymar in the Premier League.
"Both he and Messi are under so much criticism at PSG and they both are getting frustrated at what people are saying in the media. They are both artists. Neymar has been below expectations in his fifth season and he has been injured for half the season.
"I have always been a fan of Neymar. I love the way he plays football but he needs teammates who understand his artistry. You can’t ask him to play the ball back or make continuous runs.
"You just need to give him a chance with the ball - just like Messi with Argentina at the World Cup. I have always thought Neymar should stay at PSG, but in the last couple of weeks I have changed my mind."
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