Arsenal transfer: Marseille ‘take first steps’ to sign Arteta’s ‘luxury joker’ after Greenwood deal
Marseille are looking to sign Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah in the summer transfer window, according to reports in France.
The Gunners are reportedly looking for a new winger and a new striker in the summer with Mikel Arteta’s side linked to lots of potential signings.
Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Ajax’s Brian Brobbey are some of the main names who Arsenal have been linked with already this summer.
Arsenal boss Arteta is looking to boost goals from forward areas with Kai Havertz often playing ahead of Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus in the central striker position.
And the Spaniard’s pursuit of new faces up front could spell the end to Nketiah’s nine years at the Emirates Stadium after moving from the Chelsea academy in 2015.
French publication Foot Mercato insists that Marseille are ‘are working on another English striker’ after striking an agreement with Man Utd over a deal to sign Mason Greenwood.
They ‘have taken the first steps’ to sign Nketiah from Arsenal with Marseille president Pablo Longoria said to have taken ‘on an English accent’ in recent weeks.
New manager Roberto De Zerbi ‘has a good command of the English market’ after spending two seasons at Brighton with the French club ‘currently studying the possibility of recruiting’ Nketiah.
The Arsenal striker is ‘open to a new challenge’ ahead of next season and Foot Mercato claim Nketiah has become a ‘luxury joker in recent seasons’ at the Emirates Stadium.
It is understood that ‘initial discussions have already begun between Marseille and the player’ and that the Arsenal academy graduate ‘is interested’ in a move to the Ligue 1 outfit.
The report adds that the ‘file is still in its early stages, but the first contacts are positive’ as Nketiah and Arsenal prepare to part ways.
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Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that Marseille’s deal to sign Manchester United striker Greenwood is on the verge of going through with just “a full agreement with the player” remaining.
Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “Manchester United have reached an agreement in principle with Marseille over the sale of Mason Greenwood. This was one of the main missions for Man United this summer, and now the agreement between the clubs is done, so we’re now just waiting for a full agreement with the player. Marseille already have the green light from Greenwood, who is tempted by the project and the club and working under Roberto de Zerbi, but we’re still waiting on the contracts.
“It will now be time to finalise the salary and also there are specific bonuses wanted by Greenwood, so there are still some details to be discussed between the player and Marseille, but the agreement between the clubs is done. Greenwood will join for €31m with add-ons included as part of this package, and, an important detail, Man United will have a future sell-on clause worth almost 50%.
“This is a big percentage, and it’s because Manchester United feel that after Marseille we could see Greenwood join another big club in Europe, so they want the opportunity to make more money from his future sale.”
