Mangala on the radar
Arsenal have been scouting VfB Stuttgart midfield ace Orel Mangala.
The 21-year-old has caught the eye in the Bundesliga this season and the Daily Express reports that Arsenal boss Unai Emery has apparently sent his scouts to watch him in action.
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The Belgium Under-21 international has also been tracked by Lyon, Marseille, Lille and Roma and as a result Stuttgart have upped his asking price to £26m.
That sum will be well within the Gunners’s range if, as expected, they offload Granit Xhaka in January.
Milan have eyes only for Torreira
But if Xhaka does leave the Emirates in the new year it won’t be to AC Milan, contrary to the rumours that began surfacing at the weekend.
Italian publication Tuttosport claims that Milan have cooled their interest in the stroppy Swiss star, but they are still interested in Lucas Torreira.
The unsettled South American is allegedly desperate to leave London and return to Italy, and it’s believed that Arsenal are ready to grant his wish providing that Milan are ready to pay close to the €30m (£25.7m) they gave to Sampdoria for Torreira in the summer of 2018.
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Gunners eye Demiral
Arsenal are “monitoring” Juventus defender Merih Demiral, says turkish-football.com.
The 21-year-old is also being watched by Atletico Madrid, but the Gunners are believed to be leading the race.
Turkish international Demiral was first linked to Arsenal in October and the rumours suggest that the north London club are ready to meet Juve’s asking price of £34m.
The strapping six-footer is a no-nonense blocker and Emery believes he can bring some much needed steel to the shambolic Arsenal defence.
Zakaria transfer tussle
Manchester United and Arsenal could be gearing up for what the Daily Star describes as a “transfer battle” for Denis Zakaria.
Liverpool are unlikely to make a play for the Borussia Monchengladbach star and that has left the field open for their Premier League rivals.
The Swiss midfielder has been in sparkling form this season and the Star says that it’s the defensive aspect of his game that has impressed Arsenal boss Emery.
Today’s back pages
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