Arsenal chase Vargas loan deal as Podolski heads for Emirates exit
Gunners set to sign second Chilean but World Cup winner could be on the way out
It's getting Chile again in north London as the British summer does a disappearing act and Arsene Wenger eyes a deal for one of Alexis Sanchez's compatriots. According to Talksport Chile striker Eduardo Vargas is "on the verge" of becoming the Gunner's fifth signing of the summer and will soon be keeping Sanchez company in the Emirates.
Apparently the Chilean media have reported that Vargas "has failed to convince" Napoli manager Rafa Benitez that he has a future in Serie A and consequently the former Liverpool coach is happy to let him leave, despite the fact it was Vargas who scored the opener for Chile in their 2-0 defeat of Spain in the recent World Cup. Talksport claims that initially the move will be a one-season loan but Arsenal will have the option to make the deal permanent if the 24-year-old frontman makes a decent fist of it at the Emirates.
And will it be Lukas Podolski that Vargas replaces at Arsenal? Yes, claims the Daily Star, which says that the German forward has caught the eye of Turkish outfit Galatasaray. It appears that officials from the club were in London at the tail end of last week, enquiring as to the availability of both Podolski and young Costa Rican hitman Joel Campbell. The Star says that while Wenger made it clear to Galatasaray that Campbell is not for sale, he showed "interest in letting the Germany international leave". The 29-year-old Podolski has two years to run on his existing contact but Wenger will show him the door providing the bid is big enough from Turkey.
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Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror reports that Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is ready "to show Nani the door" in a bid to bring some semblance of order to the Red Devils ropey defence. It's said that the Dutchman is desperate to sign Sporting Lisbon and Argentina World Cup star Marcos Rojo after the opening day's defeat to Swansea, and according to reports in Argentina a deal has indeed been agreed. Speaking to Radio Continental in Argentina, Rojo is claimed to have said: "It feels like a dream, to be a Manchester United player. Leaving Sporting wasn't easy."
If the deal does get the green light the Mirror says that Nani will almost certainly return to Sporting – from where United signed him in 2007.
The Liverpool Echo reports that 21-year-old defender Tiago Ilori has joined Bordeaux on a season-long loan. Having been farmed out to Spanish side Granada at the back half of last season, Ilori is now heading to the south-west of France. Ilori, who moved to Anfield for £7m last September from Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon, has yet to make a name for himself at Liverpool and manager Brendan Rodgers believes it's in his best interest to get regular game time elsewhere.
Someone else off on a temporary transfer is midfielder Marko Marin. The official Chelsea website reports that the Serbian-born German international has joined Fiorentina on loan for the 2014/15 season. Marin, who arrived at the Bridge in April 2012, spent last season on loan at Sevilla where he earned a Europa League winner's medal for his troubles.
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