Arsenal ‘outbid’ Chelsea in ‘fast-track agreement’ as Arteta ‘personally contacts’ Barcelona star
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has ‘personally contacted’ Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong ahead of a potential summer move, according to reports.
The Gunners are having a decent season but they are still struggling to take that extra step by winning the title as they head for three consecutive years of being a runner-up
Arsenal have seemingly blown their chance of staying within striking distance of Liverpool towards the end of the season after losing 1-0 to West Ham at the Emirates on Saturday.
Liverpool took advantage of their slip-up on Sunday by beating defending champions Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
Those results put Arne Slot’s side 11 points clear of Arsenal with the end of the season fast approaching – but the Gunners do have a game in hand on their rivals.
Arsenal have been unlucky on the injury front in recent weeks but they will be looking to strengthen their squad once again in the summer transfer market.
The Gunners spent a lot of money on Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino and David Raya last summer with Raheem Sterling and Neto joining on loan.
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It was largely a miss in terms of a transfer window with Arsenal clearly lacking a centre-forward and they will be hoping they get their business right in the upcoming market.
And the Gunners are already looking ahead to the summer transfer window with reports in Spain claiming that Arsenal have ‘outbid’ Chelsea and Bayern Munich for Barcelona midfielder De Jong.
It is claimed that all the new contract proposals from Barcelona that have been presented to him ‘have been instantly rejected’ by De Jong with the Netherlands international in ‘no hurry to make a final decision’.
The report adds:
‘And the chances of him packing his bags are increasingly high, and Joan Laporta and Deco are beginning to accept that they will not be able to keep him in the squad. But, at least, they hope to receive significant financial compensation in return. The problem is that the ‘Blues’ and the Bavarians did not intend to pay more than 35 million euros, although Arsenal are willing to make a much higher bet.’
It is claimed that Arteta ‘has become obsessed’ with De Jong and Arsenal ‘could offer around 40 million to try to reach a fast-track agreement with Barca’.
The Arsenal manager ‘has already personally contacted De Jong and his agent to get him to betray Barca and land at the Emirates Stadium in the coming months’.
