Arsenal 'hatch plan' to secure £25m discount on luxury Premier League transfer target

Arsenal are said to have a special plan to win the race to sign Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi this summer. The Gunners are gearing up for what they hope will be another Premier League title bid this season.

After falling just short in the last two campaigns, Mikel Arteta’s men are many people’s favourites to come out on top this time around, although much will depend on the business they manage between now and the end of the summer transfer window.

Having spent more than £200million last summer, Arsenal will have to balance the books to make new signings, but with a wealth of fringe players they can offload, they should have no problem doing so.

A handful of new signings are expected, and it’s thought Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori will be the first of them - excluding David Raya’s loan becoming permanent - providing a fee can eventually be agreed.

Another player Arsenal are said to be interested in is Crystal Palace defender Guehi, who was arguably England’s star of Euro 2024. The Sunday Sport say the Gunners are in the race to sign Guehi, but they are not going to pay the £70million Palace are demanding for him. The Eagles are under no pressure to sell after offloading Michael Olise for £50million, and that gives them the upper-hand in any negotiations.

But the Gunners reportedly have a plan to lower the fee, with the Sunday Sport reporting that Eddie Nketiah could be offered up in a bid to lower the fee. Palace could do with a versatile forward who can compete centrally and out wide after losing Olise, and Nketiah may well fit the bill.

The forward’s inclusion in the deal would likely bring it down by around £25million at the most, though, and it’s unlikely Arsenal will spent £55-£60million on a new defender after signing Calafiori, who will cost them somewhere between £35million and £40million by recent estimations.

What has been said about Guehi’s future

Asked about his confidence in keeping Guehi beyond the summer, Palace boss Oliver Glasner said: “If everything continues as we expect, both (Guehi and Eberechi Eze) will be in the squad. I'm always optimistic as all these players have contracts with Crystal Palace.

“It’s May and many situations can change. Nothing is 100 per cent but he’s under contract, he (Guehi) is a good player, he’s our captain, so I'm very positive and confident that he plays for Crystal Palace. I also read that almost the whole squad of Man United is available, so maybe we can get 10 from them! Every game is an audition for the players and us as a team.”

Guehi wasn’t necessarily thought of as a guaranteed starter for England heading into Euro 2024, but he emerged as the Three Lions’ most reliable defender, regularly standing out with his composed approach and physicality. Still only 24 years of age, Guehi is destined to return to the top having initially failed to nail down a starting spot at Chelsea.