Under in demand
Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea sent scouts to Italy on Sunday to run the rule over Roma star Cengiz Under.
According to radio broadcaster talkSPORT, the two London clubs are jockeying for position ahead of next month’s transfer window. Both are ready to meet Roma’s asking price of £45m.
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Under, who is 21, scored in Roma’s 2-2 draw with Inter Milan in what was another impressive performance from the Turkish international.
TalkSPORT reports that Chelsea want long-term replacements for Pedro and Willian, while Arsenal have all but given up the ghost that is Mesut Ozil. The Gunners believe the future is with Under and not Ozil.
Calciomercato, the Italian outlet, claim that Roma are ready to do business over Under, who they purchased last year from the Istanbul outfit Basaksehir for a modest £11m. They will use the money to strengthen their struggling squad.
Case closed for Ramsey
Arsenal manager Unai Emery has dismissed calls for the club to re-open negotiations with Aaron Ramsey over his future.
The Welsh midfielder put in a tidy cameo performance from the bench in Sunday’s 4-2 win over Tottenham. This has led to demands from fans for the club to do more to keep the playmaker.
Asked yesterday about the contract impasse, Emery said: “It’s one situation that was closed one or two months ago. At the moment the most important thing is he’s smiling, he has the commitment, the behaviour and the performances – that’s the best for him and for us.”
Pressed on whether he will reach out to Ramsey before his existing deal expires in six months, the Spaniard said: “This conversation is not for today, for us or for me. He needs to think about his future, for his family and for him. If he plays like [he did in the north London derby], it’s the best for him and the best for us.”
Wolf hunt
Having scored one victory over Spurs, are the Gunners going to make it a double whammy by securing the signature of RB Salzburg star Hannes Wolf?
According to the Daily Mail, the two clubs are “monitoring” the 19-year-old midfielder, who has earned comparisons with Tottenham playmaker Christian Eriksen after a string of assured displays for the Austrian outfit.
Apparently the teenage prodigy is also being tracked by a number of Germany’s leading clubs. Salzburg are hopeful a bidding war will break out next month.
Keeping tabs on Kokcu
The Daily Mail also reports that Arsenal and Tottenham are two of the clubs vying for the hand of “wonderkid” Orkun Kokcu.
Still only 17, Kokcu is regarded as one of the “brightest emerging talents” in European football. That’s the reason a host of clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, are keeping tabs on the Feyenoord midfielder.
