The man to replace Mislintat?
Speculation is growing as to who Arsenal will appoint to replace Sven Mislintat as the club’s head of recruitment.
Metro says that former Sevilla “transfer guru” Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo - better known as Monchi - is the favourite. Gunners boss Unai Emery is reportedly keen to renew his partnership with the man who helped him turn Sevilla into a European force a few years ago.
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The newspaper claims that Emery “has given the green light to pursuing the 50-year-old”, who brought champions including Ivan Rakitic and Dani Alves to the Spanish club.
Monchi, currently AS Roma’s sporting director, told The Sun: “I know my name is being associated with Arsenal but I am concentrating on my job with Roma. However, it is a pleasure being linked with a club like Arsenal – but it is not first time that happens.”
Cagigao a contender
Hold your horses, says the London Evening Standard, which believes Francis Cagigao is the front runner to replace Mislintat.
Currently head of international recruitment at the Emirates, Cagigao has made no secret of the fact that he wants the role when Mislintat leaves on 8 February.
The newspaper also reports that Ajax technical director Marc Overmars is in the running to become Arsenal’s sporting director, with another former Gunner, Edu, “having distanced himself from the role”.
The Dutchman “was unavailable for comment” when asked by the newspaper about the claims.
Suarez deal is off
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Denis Suarez is over, “after talks broke down between the two clubs”, the Daily Mail reports.
A deal had been expected by the end of the week but the Spanish club has called off negotiations after the Gunners insisted they would only take the playmaker on loan. Barcelona wanted a permanent deal for Suarez, but with money tight at the Emirates that couldn’t be arranged.
Terms and conditions
According to Metro, the Gunners offered a €2m (£1.7m) loan fee but “could not agree on the inclusion of a clause which would require them to permanently sign the midfielder”.
The paper adds that Barcelona had proposed a loan deal but only on the condition that Suarez sign a new contract with them.
His current deal runs out in June 2020 and the Catalan club are said to have been worried that they would get less for him at the end of the season, with so little time left on his contract. That wasn’t acceptable to Arsenal, leading the talks to collapse.
New Gunners gloveman
Arsenal are keeping tabs on Juventus goalkeeper Emil Audero, reports Football.London, which claims the 22-year-old is being lined up to replace Petr Cech when he retires at the end of the season.
The young shot-stopper is enjoying an impressive season in Serie A on loan at Sampdoria, appearing in all 20 of their league games.
Although Sampdoria do have an option to make Audero’s move permanent, Italian media claim that Arsenal are tailing him - and are ready to make Juventus an irresistible offer.
Indonesia-born Audero is unlikely to break into the Juventus first team in the immediate future, so the Italian champions should think seriously about any offer from north London.
