Arsenal eye ‘decisive’ January transfer as ‘talks’ with £44m Man Utd target are underway
Arsenal are reportedly ‘very serious’ about signing Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic but they are expected to face competition from Man Utd.
The Gunners are known to be in the market for a new centre-midfielder after they failed to sign Douglas Luiz in the summer from Aston Villa.
They spent over £100m on new recruits in the last window but work still needs to be done with Arsenal looking to boost their hopes of winning the Premier League.
Arsenal are currently five points clear of Man City in the table and the club’s hierarchy are prepared to back Mikel Arteta in January to help the club go all the way in the title race.
Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykhaylo Mudryk is understood to be their main target, but they are also being linked with Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix.
A move for either player would significantly dent their budget so they may be forced to wait until the summer to strengthen in the middle of the pitch.
But 90min are reporting that Arsenal are among the clubs interested in Milinkovic-Savic.
Earlier this week, it was claimed that the Premier League side are in ‘pole position’ to sign the midfielder in 2023.
The 27-year-old has been in stunning form for Lazio this season but it is looking increasingly likely that he will leave the Serie A side in the near future with his contract due to expire in 2024.
90min have stated that Arsenal are ‘very serious’ about signing the midfielder and it is noted that his arrival in January ‘could prove decisive’ in the fight for the title.
Arsenal have been ‘holding talks’ with the player’s agent and it is suggested that Milinkovic-Savic is now rated at £44m.
Lazio have previously valued Milinkovic-Savic at around £90m but they are now unable to demand such a lofty fee as he is about to enter the final 18 months of his contract.
The Gunners may face competition from Man Utd for Milinkovic-Savic though as Erik ten Hag’s side ‘still have interest’ in the Serbia international.
As a cheaper alternative, Arsenal could look to sign Youri Tielemans from Leicester City.
The Belgium star was targeted in the summer but he is set to leave the Foxes next year with his contract up next summer.
It has been suggested that Arsenal could sign Tielemans in a cut-price deal in January.
But journalist Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport that they “would prefer” to see if he is still available as a free transfer next June.
“The hunch that I get from speaking to people close to this situation is that Arsenal would prefer to just see this situation play out through January and hope he’s still available at the end of it.”
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