Mikel Arteta is making plans to attack his former club, this time looking for a Manchester City first-team star.
Arsenal’s spending is expected to reach £100 million ($128 million) once the deal for Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino is finalized.
Having invested £70 million ($90 million) in the signings of David Raya and Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal will go into the new season relying on the same attacking force as last year, but keen to bring in a proven striker ahead of the season. summer move. window. closes abruptly.
Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres are the two strikers most linked with a move to north London so far. However, the Mirror says the Gunners are now in the water with a move for Argentine foreigner Julian Alvarez.
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The 2022 World Cup winner has hinted he could leave Manchester City after expressing frustration at his limited playing time in the club’s top games last season.
The 24-year-old revealed he will continue his career after the Paris Olympics, with a resolution expected soon after Argentina face France in the quarter-finals of the competition.
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City manager Pep Guardiola has publicly reacted to Alvarez’s comments regarding the club’s pre-season tour of the United States, urging him to make a quick decision regarding his future.
Guardiola said: “I read that he has to think about it, so okay, think about it and then he will tell us what to do. “
“Julián played a lot. Did he play more? It is ok. That’s why you need to think about it. And when he thinks about it, he will tell us. “
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Pep Guardiola’s stance that he will never stand in the way of a disgruntled player may pave the way for Mikel Arteta to target his former club for a third time, following the successful signings of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko. However, any potential transaction will want it to be done at the right price.
The report also adds that Manchester City are not having it easy with £80 million ($102 million) for the former River Plate striker. Whether Arteta is willing to invest as much in the striker as he looks at his team is important to note, while Arsenal’s improvement to become City’s biggest challenger since the signing of Jesus and Zinchenko is potentially another complicating factor.