The winter transfer window may not open for another three weeks but Arsenal have already bagged their first bargain of the new year, reports The Sun.
The paper, quoting Spanish reports, says that the Gunners have ‘agreed to sign’ Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi for £35million.
The former Stoke midfielder was first linked to Arsenal last month after reports emerged suggesting he had fallen out with Sevilla.
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Apparently the strapping 6ft 3in enforcer was less than impressed when he was substituted against Liverpool in a Champions League group game.
News of his Spanish sulk reached Arsene Wenger and the Sun claims that the Arsenal gaffer has tabled a bid that has been accepted by Sevilla. The deal will “be made up of a £32.7m down payment and £2.6m in bonuses” and the 28-year-old is said to be over the moon at the prospect of his imminent return to the Premier League.
The Sun believes the acquisition of N’Zonzi is a canny move by Wenger, who has failed to find a muscular midfield presence in the decade since Patrick Vieira left the club.
Meanwhile the Daily Star says that Mesut Ozil’s agent has told Barcelona “that they must make a decision on the Arsenal playmaker within the next two weeks”.
The Catalan outfit have been linked with a move for the hot-and-cold midfielder in recent weeks with Ozil now in the final six months of his Emirates contract.
The Star says Ozil is “excited” at the thought of returning to La Liga but Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo claim that the 29-year-old has told Barcelona that he wants his future sorted out by the end of the year.
Will that happen? It may still depend on whether Barcelona can land Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho who is believed to be their number one target in the new year.
Then again, Metro has a different take on Ozil’s future, with the paper saying he has “told friends he favours a move to Manchester United over Barcelona”.
According to Metro the Germany international has got nowhere in negotiations with Arsenal over a new deal although he “allegedly turned down an offer worth £235,000-a-week” and the club expects him to leave next month.
