TERMS AGREED: Arsenal board bows to Mikel Arteta’s pressure, agree a huge transfer few to sign an aggressive striker- Announcement will be made tomorrow
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is ‘convinced about signing’ Real Madrid forward Rodrygo but it all depends on their efforts to sign Benjamin Sesko, according to reports.
The Gunners are looking to transform their attack ahead of next season as they chase striker and winger additions before the end of the summer.
Arsenal have already reportedly secured the signing of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad with The Athletic‘s David Ornstein insisting earlier this week that the Gunners see the transfer as ‘done and signed’ despite rumours the midfielder could still join Real Madrid.
It looks like it is between RB Leipzig’s Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres as they look for a new centre-forward, while it’s unclear who will sign as their winger addition.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier this week that Real Madrid winger Rodrygo is the “dream target” at Arsenal before the end of the summer.
Romano said on his YouTube channel: “On Rodrygo Goes, what I can tell you is that he posted ‘Happy’ [on his social media], and there’s one more message from Rodrygo, because Rodrygo never asked Real Madrid to leave the club these weeks or these days.
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“So there is interest from Arsenal. He’s a dream target for Arsenal, but it’s not even a negotiation at this point, because the only way to make it happen as a negotiation is for Rodrygo to tell Real Madrid, okay, I want to leave the club. And Rodrygo hasn’t done that so far.
“So Rodrygo’s intention remains to do his best for Xabi Alonso, to work at his best level and to see a message with ‘Happy’ is quite an important development in this Rodrygo story.”
Reliable journalist Ornstein said on Wednesday that Arsenal are “admirers” of Rodrygo and the Gunners “would look at the situation” if “there is a possibility of a departure” from Real Madrid.
Ornstein said on The Athletic podcast: “But then you have somebody that clearly also has admirers inside Arsenal, Rodrygo. However, the noises are that he has to have a conversation first with Xabi Alonso, understand where he fits into plans at Real Madrid, if there is a possibility of a departure.
“There will be many clubs in for him. I’m sure, no doubt, Arsenal would look at the situation. But what about the finances involved, transfer fee, salary, commissions and so on.”
But Football Transfers insist that Arsenal are ‘preparing for crucial internal discussions this week’ with Rodrygo and Sesko ‘at the centre of the conversation’.
Arsenal boss Arteta ‘is convinced about signing Rodrygo, the Brazilian winger, and is eager to bring him to the Emirates’ but his arrival is ‘heavily dependent on how they structure their ongoing negotiations with RB Leipzig’ over Sesko.
The €80m release clause in the Slovenian’s contract ‘presents a significant financial challenge’ and Arsenal ‘are actively trying to work out a deal with Leipzig that would allow them to manage the budget required to complete both transfers’.
Arsenal legend Ray Parlour insists that he would “rather keep” Gabriel Martinelli than pursue a big-money move for Rodrygo this summer.
