Arsenal transfer news: Wilshere Bournemouth move makes sense
Midfielder heads to the South Coast for the season as Gnabry quits Gunners - all the latest Arsenal transfer news and gossip
Arsenal transfer news: Santi Cazorla heads for Emirates exit
28 April
There's a clearout on the cards this summer at the Emirates with the elderly trio of Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini all set to be cut from the Arsenal squad, along with some of the younger underachievers. But according to The Sun another midfielder who does not fit into either category may also leave north London - Santi Cazorla.
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The pint-sized playmaker has hardly been seen this season because of injury and the Sun claims he is "eyeing up a move away from the Emirates" with former club Villarreal his likely destination. The 31-year-old Spaniard is in the twilight of his career and it seems that he is pining for a return home after four years in London.
With Mohamed Elneny and Alex Iwobi now on the scene at Arsenal, Cazorla believes the time has come to step aside and see out his career in the club he first represented in 2003.
As for who might be bought to replace the gaping holes in midfield, the Sun namechecks Borussia Monchengladbach's Granit Xhaka and Leicester's N'Golo Kante. It's not the first time the pair have been linked to the Emirates but the Sun claims that Arsene Wenger is desperate to sign Kante and "has personally watched [him] on a number of occasions this season".
Kante arrived at the King Power Stadium last summer in a £5.6m deal from Caen but if Wenger wants to land the playmaker he'll probably have to pay triple that fee given Kante's outstanding season. He will also have to persuade him that Arsenal are a bigger and better club than the Champions-elect.
Another Gunner soon to be a goner is French flop Mathieu Debuchy with the defender having failed to impress since arriving from Newcastle in 2014. Now the Daily Express claims Arsenal have found the man to replace Debuchy (currently on loan at Bordeaux), and it is Bayern Munich full-back Rafinha.
The story was broken by German rag Bild, who say Arsenal are "prepared to offer Rafinha a three-year deal in the summer." The 30-year-old Brazilian has been at Bayern since 2011 but the German champions are prepared to let him go if the Gunners make them a serious offer.
Arsenal transfer news: £60m Aubameyang can restore credibility
27 April
Arsenal have not exactly been sharp on the pitch of late but the Daily Express claims that the Gunners are definitely on alert in the transfer market after a candid declaration from in-demand striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang about his English ambitions.
The Gabon goal machine has been linked with a trio of Premier League clubs in recent weeks with Arsenal just ahead of Manchester United and Liverpool in the race to sign the 26-year-old. Having netted 34 times this season for Borussia Dortmund, Aubameyang is one of the most-sought after sharpshooters in Europe and the Express says he's dropped his biggest hint yet that he could be on his way to England.
"I watch the Premier League for sure," he said when asked. "There's so much space – and I love space because then I can run. That's why it's a very good and very special league."
It's believed Dortmund would demand £60m in return for Aubameyang but that's a price Arsenal may be willing to pay to restore their credibility.
Talking of eye-watering sums, the "staggering £50,000-a-week" wage demands of Chelsea's teenage forward Dominic Solanke could lead to a parting of the ways, and according to the The Sun Arsenal "are planning to steal the Chelsea wonderkid" from their London rivals.
The England Under-21s star has a clear idea of his worth, and while Arsenal may not pay him exactly what he wants, the Sun claims that the Gunners will offer him regular first-team football, something he hasn't been getting at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal transfer news: Fulham flop Mitroglou rejects Gunners
26 April
With Arsenal's disastrous 2016 slump showing no signs of abating Goal.com reports that the Gunners could start finding the going tough in the transfer market, where even Fulham rejects have begun turning their noses up at the Emirates.
Earlier in the month they were heavily linked with Greek striker Kostas Mitroglou but according to Goal.com the 28-year-old "is set to sign a permanent deal" with Benfica. Mitroglou was loaned to the Portuguese champions by Fulham last summer after a series of injury problems, but 19 goals in 28 matches have caught the eye of Arsene Wenger and also AC Milan. But it appears the Greek goal machine has "verbally agreed a deal" with Benfica that will net him £1.5m a season.
Meanwhile Talksport claims that Arsenal "are the latest English club to be linked with a move for Valencia star Sofiane Feghouli".
Manchester United and Tottenham have both been seen sniffing around the Algerian midfielder but Spanish newspaper Estadio Deportivo claims the 26-year-old's wage demands have proved too much for the pair. But, bizarrely, they have not put off Arsenal who "could be about to make a contract offer" for the playmaker with 21 goals to his name this season.
Also attracting attention is Bayern Munich's rising star Kingsley Coman with the Daily Star claiming that Arsenal and Liverpool are both interested in the 19-year-old French frontman. That interest, says the paper, will only strengthen in the light of comments by made the teenage sensation.
"England has a league where every player would like to play," said Coman, quickly adding, as is the custom, that he's perfectly happy at his current club.
Meanwhile, there are continued doubts over the future of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at the Emirates, with The Sun, among others, reporting that the injured England winger is wanted by Manchester United.
Arsenal transfer news: Theo Walcott heads for the exit
25 April
Arsene Wenger has dropped his biggest hint yet that Theo Walcott won't be an Arsenal player next season, reports the Evening Standard.
The England winger hasn't started a Premier League match since the 3-2 defeat at Manchester United on 28 February, instead being relegated to the role of a substitute, as he was in Sunday's bore draw at Sunderland. The 27-year-old has been replaced in the pecking order by teenager Alex Iwobi, and rumours are growing that Walcott will be moved on in the summer.
When the question was put to Wenger, the Arsenal manager hardly gave a ringing endorsement of Walcott's credentials, replying: "I don't know yet. I'm not in transfer mode at the moment but I think he has gone through a bad spell." Though the Gunners gaffer said Walcott remains "motivated and focused" he admitted that his future at the Emirates was unclear: "Let's see how well he finishes the season now."
Talking of uncertain futures, the Daily Mirror reported at the weekend that injury-prone Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain "has been offered to West Ham". Wenger is determined to have what the Mirror calls a "clearout this summer" and Walcott and the Ox are both on their way out. Manchester City were linked with Oxlade-Chamberlain earlier in the month but apparently West Ham want a marquee signing to celebrate their move to the Olympic Season and the 22-year-old winger will do just nicely.
Finally, the Daily Star claims that Arsenal "are set to battle with Manchester United" for the hand of Lille winger Sofiane Boufal. Wenger despatched his scouts to the French cup final on Saturday night to see the £23m-rated Boufal in action for his club against Paris Saint-Germain. Though the 22-year-old couldn't prevent a PSG victory, Boufal's performance confirmed to Arsenal that he's a player of real promise and they'll rival any United bid when the transfer window opens.
Arsenal transfer news: £25m for Lucas Biglia, £5m for Fulham flop
22 April
If Arsenal want Lucas Biglia it's going to cost them £25m. That's according to Talksport, which says that Lazio are eager to ward off interest from the Gunners, Liverpool and Manchester United for their influential midfielder.
The Argentine star has been "heavily linked" with the Gunners in the last year or so, but Lazio want the 30-year-old to extend his current contract, which runs out in the summer of 2018. Taking Italian paper Il Messaggero as its source, Talksport says that should Biglia refuse the contract extension then Lazio president Claudio Lotito is "ready to sell if a £25m offer is made".
Could the Gunners be going to make a move for a Fulham reject? Metro believes so, the paper claiming that Arsenal are in talks "to sign Benfica forward Kostas Mitroglou". Admittedly the 28-year-old has netted 22 times in 40 appearances for Benfica since joining the Portuguese outfit last year, but the Greek international's time at Craven Cottage was less prosperous. He was signed in January 2014 for a club record fee of £12m but was shipped on after three matches and no goals.
Despite that, Portuguese rag Record claims that Arsenal are ready to hand over £5.5m for Mitroglou although the paper says that he "would prefer to stay at Benfica", sentiments likely to be shared by more than the odd Gooner.
And Metro also claims that Arsenal are circling 18-year-old Rodrigo Bentancur with Wenger perhaps desperate for more South American stars given the contribution of Alexis Sanchez to the Arsenal cause. Currently with Boca Juniors, the Uruguayan playmaker is likely to be the subject of a summer offer from the Gunners.
Arsenal transfer news: Andre Green to replace Theo Walcott
21 April
There could be plenty of empty seats at the Emirates this evening as Gunners fans boycott the match against West Bromwich Albion, but there could be a few fresh faces in the Arsenal dressing room next season.
Arsene Wenger has wasted no time in picking over the remains of relegated Aston Villa, and Metro claims that he is closing in on a deal for Andre Green, the 17-year-old winger who made his first senior appearances for the club this season.
Apparently the Arsenal manager believes the "blistering pace" of Green could be a valuable asset at the Emirates - although wasn't that what he once said about Theo Walcott? The fact that Wenger is being linked with Green gives more weight to the stories emanating from north London about the likelihood that Theo Walcott will be moved on in the summer after a decade of inconsistency.
Meanwhile the Daily Mail says that Arsenal are the latest club to join the race for Rennes winger Ousmane Dembele, and the paper also reports that contrary to earlier rumour the 18-year-old has not agreed terms with Borussia Dortmund.
Chelsea and Tottenham are known to be tracking Dembele but then the more excitable elements of the German press took it upon themselves to announce that he had signed for the Dortmund this week. That was news to Dembele's lawyer and representative, Badou Sambague, who informed FootMercato: "I categorically deny any agreement with Borussia Dortmund or anyone. Ousmane is finishing his season. If there is a lot of speculation, about him or others, it's still speculation."
Rennes have also made it clear that if Dortmund, Arsenal or any club want to sign Dembele it will cost a lot more than the £3.95m mentioned in some quarters of late.
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