Arsenal transfers: Arteta ‘on alert’ with Real Madrid ready to ‘offer’ £17.5m-rated Tierney replacement

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has the opportunity to land Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy this summer, according to reports.

In 2019, Los Blancos paid around €48million to sign the French defender from Lyon, who only paid €5m to sign him from Le Havre two years prior.

Mendy has been in and out of the Madrid starting XI under Carlo Ancelotti, but he was first choice in his position in the Champions League when the Spanish giants won the competition last term.

Injuries have hindered the 27-year-old’s 2022/23 campaign. He has only played one game since appearing against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey on January 26.

Although Mendy’s contract does not expire until 2026, Madrid are reportedly open to letting him leave at the end of the season.

This is according to the Mirror, where it is said Arsenal are ‘on alert’ after the defender was ‘told he can leave Real Madrid this summer’.

In order to fund some signings of their own, Ancelotti’s side will attempt to offload several first-team stars, with Mendy – who is now ‘surplus to requirements’ – falling victim.

Mendy would ideally be given a three-year deal by whoever wants to sign him with Arsenal expected to be ‘offered’ the opportunity to make it happen.

The French international would only cost £17.5m and his agents are expected to ‘seek talks’ with the Gunners’ rivals, Tottenham.

However, Champions League football is thought to be very important for the 27-year-old. Tottenham’s defeat at Aston Villa on Saturday made qualification for the competition mathematically impossible.

Arsenal are expected to be very busy this summer as they prepare for their return to Europe’s premier competition.

A new left-back is not a top priority as things stand, though Kieran Tierney’s future at the Emirates is cast in doubt after he lost his place in the starting XI to Oleksandr Zinchenko.

The latter has seamlessly slotted into Arteta’s strongest XI, effectively performing as an inverted left-back that can effectively contribute as an extra midfield player.

Tierney is a superb defender but is not best suited to the role Arteta wants from his left-back, and the Scot could look to move elsewhere at the end of the season in order to play more regularly.

Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing Tierney with Eddie Howe making the signing of a new left-back one of his top priorities.

Mendy is very two-footed, so could be used by Arteta as an option in right-back, which is a position he is believed to be looking to bolster.

Benjamin White has played there all season following the return of centre-back William Saliba – who remains out after suffering a back injury in mid-March.

Takehiro Tomiyasu has been White’s back-up but is very injury prone and was ruled out for the season in the same game Saliba injured his back.

In terms of natural right-backs, Arsenal have been linked with Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters and Real Valladolid youngster Ivan Fresneda.

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