With Andrea Berta now Arsenal’s transfer chief, replacing Edu a few months ago, there is a different feel to the club’s transfer strategy this summer.
In fact, it’s quite a clever one really. Berta isn’t putting all of his eggs in one basket. Instead, he’s advancing a number of deals before concluding which would be the best one to proceed with.
If you believe reports, then the Gunners have held negotiations over deals for both RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko and Sporting’s goal machine, Viktor Gyokeres.
The latest on that is the Swede is now ‘dreaming’ of a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer.
Alas, signing a striker isn’t Arsenal’s only priority over the transfer window. They also need a winger.
Arsenal's pursuit of a new winger this summer
This is a busy old time for Berta and if he can remodel Arsenal’s attack successfully, he will become a quick fan favourite in north London.
On the agenda on the flanks is Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, with Arsenal having reportedly held talks to bring the Brazilian to the Emirates.
If a move cannot be done there, they may well turn their attention to Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams again. The Spaniard, who scored in the Euro 2024 final last summer, caught the eye of the Gunners during that tournament but despite the winger’s release clause, did not look at doing a deal.
A year on, they could revisit their interest. That’s according to reports in Spain who claim that while Williams is hoping to stay in Iberia, where Barcelona are very much interested, Bayern Munich and Arsenal are also looking at the 22-year-old.
Williams ‘likes’ the idea of moving to Barca but Bayern and the Gunners are now ‘willing to meet’ his bargain £53m release clause. They are also willing to lodge a high salary offer in a bid to tempt him away from the clutches of the Camp Nou.
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