Arsenal ‘top candidate’ amid ‘concrete steps’ towards £67m transfer

Arsenal have seven more matches to push for their spot in next year’s Champions League and are one step closer after their recent wins over Chelsea and Manchester United.

The fight into the top four had become an intense battle with their north London rivals but the Gunners keep the upper hand with two points clear going into the final few matches, and two weeks time could see one of their most crucial fixtures as they take on Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A few weeks ago, it looked like Mikel Arteta’s position was on the verge, but after such strong performances against fellow Londoners and the Red Devils, Arteta will now look to firm his place even more solidly as he prepares for a busy transfer season.

Jesus and Abraham updates

According to the news outlet Goal, Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus is searching for a role which should see him get more regular play time.

The 24-year-old Brazilian has started 17 out of the 24 matches he has played in the English Premier League this season.

Jesus, who scored four goals against Watford in City’s 5-1 win, is under contract with the Mancunian side until 2023 but his agent, Paulo Pitombeira has reportedly met with the Arsenal technical director to discuss a new deal.

At such early stages of the deal there have been no discussions regarding his salary and it is also reported that Jesus will not attempt to force his current club to let him leave.

Football.London reports that the Gunners may be expected to offer a bid in the region of €35million (£29million) for the striker this summer, a not insignificant amount when they may also hope to bid for Roma’s Tammy Abraham.

The former Chelsea star has scored 15 goals for his Italian side this season and is expected to once more become the target of a Gunners bid but Roma have placed an €80 million price tag on the England striker.

This is also the same price that Chelsea put on their player after inserting a buy-back clause in the initial contract that saw him leave Stamford Bridge.

‘Dutch Thierry Henry’ hopes for Arsenal move

Philips Sport Vereniging’s Cody Gakpo has had an extremely impressive season with the Dutch outfit and has unsurprisingly now seen himself linked with a move to several clubs, with the Gunners being one, according to Soccer News and Sport Witness.

Gakpo has been referred to as the ‘Dutch Thierry Henry’ and is one of the many players hoping to make it to the Qatar World Cup later this year.

The 22-year-old may find that a place in a more prominent League and club would attract more attention to him and therefore give him a stronger shot at a World Cup spot.

Speaking to Eindhovens Dagblad’s podcast Peesjevee, the journalist Rik Elfrink said: “Gakpo should, logically, become one of the spearheads. He’s spoken with the new coach, Van Nistelrooy.

“The question is also what this season will bring. If PSV does not become champion, does he only want to leave the club when he is in possession of the title? And the World Cup can also play an important role.”

So far, the ‘Dutch Thierry Henry’ has 18 goals and 15 assists this season and his recent renewal of contract with PSV has definitely shown itself to be a move in order to drum up more money for his sale rather than a commitment to him staying with the club.

Soccer News say Arsenal are rated as a ‘top candidate’ for the player.

Napoli star could make Emirates move for €80m

Earlier in the week, the Italian newsite Gazzetta dello Sport detailed that Arsenal had ‘already taken several concrete steps’ in regards to signing the Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen.

New claims from the journalist Fabio Santini, via Sport Witness are now suggesting that the Gunners are preparing themselves to make a huge bid for the star: “Arsenal are ready to offer a good €80 million (£67m) for Victor Osimhen.

“The player has been in the crosshairs of the English for some time, having demonstrated during his experience at Napoli that he’s a very important player, but also to still have ample room for improvement.”

With the Gunners being linked to player such as Abraham and Jesus, it seems relatively unlikely that his deal would go through, especially given Santini continued his statement by detailing Napoli’s president may remain unconvinced to let their star go: “President Aurelio De Laurentiis could also decide to sell the player, but at the moment he is asking at least €100m to let his centre-forward go.”

The 23-year-old has scored 16 goals for Napoli this season and is currently enjoying a whoscored.com overall rating of 7.19.