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Unai Emery wants Lucas Vazquez, Arsenal have already made £7m-a-year contract offer

By
Sri Aswin
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Unai Emery

Arsenal are reportedly among the contenders to sign Spain international Lucas Vazquez from Real Madrid during this summer’s transfer window.

The 27-year-old made 47 appearances for the European champions over the course of the previous season but only 25 of those came from the starting lineup.

As a result, there has the talk of him being lured from the Bernabeu and Marca suggests that Arsenal are among the prime candidates to acquire his services.

It is added that Gunners boss Unai Emery is impressed with the Spaniard’s direct style of play, although the club are likely to face competition from the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool.

According to Metro, the Gunners have already made a £7m-a-year offer which is almost triple his current salary. In the past, Don Balon have reported that Vazquez will be available for a total around €65M.

Since the start of the transfer window, the focus has been solely on improving the defensive strength of the squad but Emery has still had his sights on pursuing another winger.

Nonetheless, Vasquez may not be assured of the regular gametime he craves for with the likes of Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan, Lacazette in the ranks and this may potentially scupper any deal.

To date, Arsenal have pursued two signings in Stephan Lichtsteiner and Bernd Leno from Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen respectively but there is expected to be further movement with a couple of deals close to completion.

Sokratis from Borussia Dortmund is more or less complete with just an announcement left to be made whilst Lucas Torreira is also close to securing his switch from Sampdoria.

As per BBC’s David Ornstein, the club have yet to finalise an agreement for the Uruguayan but talks are likely to intensify once he returns from the summer World Cup in Russia.

Stephan Lichtsteiner sends emotional message to fans after officially joining Arsenal

By
Nithyanand
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Stephan Lichsteiner

Stephan Lichtsteiner will always have a place in the history books at Arsenal as he is the first signing to be made in the Unai Emery era.

The full-back was the first player to arrive in this transfer window when he came from Juventus after a very successful seven-year stint in Italy.

The right-back officially signs for the Gunners today, as his contract with Juve expired yesterday and will join the North London club on a free transfer.

The bond between him and the Juventus fans was clear to see when he played there and he also shared a message for them.

This is what he had to say:

“Today is my last official day as Juventino. It was an incredible honour for me to wear this jersey day in and day out for the past 7 years. I hope you will continue your huge success story in the next years. Thank you dear juventini, you‘ll be always in my heart.”

A touch of class from the incoming Swiss player.

Lichtsteiner has been playing for Switzerland in the World Cup where he was hugely impressive in the group stages. This was evident in their first game against Brazil as he managed to keep both Neymar and Marcelo at bay. It certainly left Arsenal fans feeling very excited as he had dealt with such a big threat.

The full-back has been brought in to provide cover for Hector Bellerin as well as being a guiding force for the Spaniard. With the departures of Per Mertesacker and Santi Cazorla, the team is a little short on experience.

Getting a player like Lichtsteiner goes some way in solving that problem. Another aspect of his playing style is his never say die attitude and that will surely be welcome in a squad such as the one that Arsenal have.

It is interesting to see Arsenal move for player who is over the age of 30 such as Lichtsteiner and perhaps that will become a feature of the Unai Emery era. With further signings expected to arrive, the future does sound promising and it will be nice to see players like him make Arsenal winners again.

Arsenal to complete signing of Lucas Torreira by next week

By
Nithyanand
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Lucas Torreira

Arsenal are seemingly very close to confirming a deal for Lucas Torreira. It is expected that it will be finalized in the coming week and the Uruguayan will become a Gunner, according to reports in Daily Mail.

The report states that the deal between the clubs is close to being agreed and the transfer is expected to be announced on Uruguay’s World Cup campaign is finished. This is good news for the club especially after the performances that he has been putting in at the World Cup.

After being on the bench for the first two games, Torreira has started the last two games. He has been hugely impressive in both the games and even did a good job of stifling Cristiano Ronaldo in the Round of 16 match against Portugal.

He was everywhere and was a vital part of a impressive performance by Uruguay. Fans may be worried that another club may swoop in with a bigger offer and take the player away. But, based on what the president of Sampdoria had to say, the player has already left the club.

Here is what he had to say:

“Torreira’s gone for €30m (£26m), I bought him from Pescara when nobody believed in him. We gambled on him and we won, paying just €3m. The money we’re earning is necessary to increase our club’s capital. If we get a big offer for somebody, I will accept it, but we don’t need to sell our players off at bargain prices.”

This should go some way in putting the fears of Arsenal fans to rest. Based on his performances last season and in the World Cup, it is safe to say that he will prove to be as astute signing.

The club has to be appreciated for reacting quickly in the market and ensuring that a deal is already complete. Uruguay will now face France in the quarter-final and Torreira is expected to play a crucial role in that match as well.

It is exciting to think of the way in which a midfield trio of Xhaka, Torreira and Ramsey will be able to perform. We should be seeing some positive news on the transfer, in a few days, and that is good news.

 

Sokratis spotted travelling to London, Arsenal close in on another defender

By
Nithyanand
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Arsenal have already been active in the transfer market with the signings of Stephan Lichtsteiner and Bernd Leno.

A third player is expected to join the club with Greek defender Sokratis coming from Borussia Dortmund.

According to reports in Sport Sto Noto, he was spotted at the Kalamata airport on Saturday evening and was traveling to London on a British Airways flight accompanied by his wife.

The Metro also claim that the defender posted a message on his Instagram page saying goodbye to his hometown.

“Kalamata see you soon,” he said.

The club has delayed the announcement due to the way in which the financial year operates in Germany. A new quarter will begin on the 1st of July so they have had to wait despite having the deal in the bag. The confirmation is expected to arrive soon.

Sokratis was targeted because of his experience as well as being well-known to the Head Of Recruitment, Sven Mislintat. He will add some steel to an Arsenal defense that has often looked overwhelmed. This has become even more of a necessity with the retirement of Per Mertesacker and injury problems of Laurent Koscielny.

It is known that the player had offers from other clubs, but he chose to come to Arsenal. This was also confirmed by his father who said:

“There was interest from United but he would have to wait for July, even if the two clubs (United and Borussia Dortmund) have excellent relations, he chose to go to Arsenal instead.”Papastathopoulos senior said.

This is good news for the club as well as the fans since it shows that Arsenal still has some pulling power when it comes to attracting players. The Unai Emery era has been off to a busy start and the signing of Sokratis is sure to help with the restructuring that will happen to the squad.

At Arsenal, Sokratis will have the opportunity to reunite with his teammates Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. And fans will be hoping that his experience will be able to guide younger defenders such as Calum Chambers and Rob Holding. All that is left for the Gunners to make it official.

 

Arsenal due to complete Sokratis signing, transfer to be finalised next week

By
Sri Aswin
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Arsenal are reportedly on the cusp of announcing the arrival of Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Borussia Dortmund.

The Greece international has been linked with the Gunners since the close of the campaign and it now appears that the move is on the verge of completion.

According to PA Sport, via Sport360, the north London side have agreed on a package worth £17.7m for the former Werder Bremen and the deal is likely to be confirmed in the upcoming week.

Sokratis is likely to become the Gunners’ third recruit of the transfer window after Stephan Lichtsteiner and Bernd Leno and they are expected to be further signings with Lucas Torreira potentially the next to join the club.

The north London side are deemed to be in discussions with Sampdoria regarding the Uruguay international and they remain in pole position to acquire his signature once he returns from the summer World Cup in Russia.

Meanwhile, there is likely to be at least a couple of departures during the ongoing transfer window with the futures of both Joel Campbell and David Ospina presently under question.

Campbell has never really settled with the Gunners since his move from Saprissa in 2011 and after numerous loan spells away from the Emirates, he appears set to part ways with the club.

On the other hand, Ospina has largely played deputy to Petr Cech during his time in the English capital and he now seems certain to secure a fresh challenge after the summer arrival of Leno.

Cech was previously associated with a probable exit with Napoli but he has now clarified his desire to fight for his position under manager Unai Emery.

Arsenal in talks to re-sign young midfielder, after including him in released list

By
Nithyanand
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Arsenal Stadium

Yesterday, Arsenal announced a list of players that were released and were going to leave the club. There were some familiar names but one of them was unexpected to say the least.

Vlad Dragomir was among the names part of that list and that has left many fans feeling a little disappointed.

Dragomir is generally considered to be one of the more exciting names to emerge from the youth teams.

So, it was a little surprising to see his name being part of that list. Despite this news, there may be some good news in the offing. The player’s agent confirmed that the club are looking to renegotiate a deal with him.

According to Evening Standard, this is what he had to say:

“It’s true that the contract with Arsenal is over tomorrow, he said. We are in negotiations with the club, I do not know what list they posted on the official site. It is premature to talk about offers from other teams.”

When Dragomir arrived at the club, it was a real coup for Arsenal given that many clubs were trying to sign the youngster. But, he has not been able to make an impression on the senior team. He was named on the bench for a Europa League group stage game last season. That was the closest he came to the first team.

This shows how difficult it can be to break into the first team as there are many elements that need to be in place for that to happen. The competition that there is for a single spot in the squad is so intense that some people just do not make the cut.

It would be nice to see Dragomir sign a new deal with Arsenal and extend his stay. From what we have seen of him in the youth teams, his ability is quite evident to see. And if that happens, perhaps he can make an impression under new manager Unai Emery. That would be some way to resurrect his career as an Arsenal player.

David Ornstein reveals provides update on Lucas Torreira

By
Sri Aswin
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Lucas Torreira

BBC Sport reporter David Ornstein has revealed that Arsenal are optimistic of securing a move for Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria this summer.

The Uruguay international has been heavily tipped to make his way to the Emirates this month and there have been suggestions that a fee worth £26m has been agreed with his employers.

However, according to Ornstein, the move has not reached anywhere near its conclusion and talks with the midfielder may only progress following his return from the summer World Cup.

Meanwhile, Ornstein highlighted that the Gunners may yet to switch their focus elsewhere, though Even Banega is not said to be a target for Unai Emery’s side.

Arsenal’s pursuit of Torreira has genuinely been delayed due to his participation at the World Cup but it would certainly come as a surprise if he does not head to the Emirates next month.

Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero has most-recently confirmed that the midfielder has already been sold and the transfer value mentioned has gone exactly with what the Gunners are said to have offered.

Moreover, Torreira has also offered a social hint by liking an Instagram post which included the ‘Arsenal‘ hashtag and all of this should point towards him joining the club, barring a disagreement over personal terms.

Torreira made his maiden Uruguay start during the recent 3-0 win over Russia in the group stage of the World Cup but he could potentially drift to the bench for the crunch round of 16 encounter versus Portugal tonight.

Italian media confirm that Arsenal have already agreed Lucas Torreira transfer

By
Nithyanand
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Lucas Torreira

Arsenal and their pursuit of Lucas Torreira has been quite public for some time now. And everyone apart from Arsenal have confirmed to different degrees that the deal is ‘done’ and should be announced soon. Adding further fuel to this story is the reports in Italian media.

Torreira is currently with the Uruguay team in Russia where they have progressed to the Round of 16. He started their final group match after appearing as a substitute in the first two matches.

The midfielder was very impressive in the game against Russia as he showed exactly what the Gunners will be getting when they sign him.

Torreira has the ability to control play through his passing ability and he also possesses an underrated defensive ability. This was clearly seen when he played against Russia as he broke up many attacks and caused them problems through his passing.

The deal to bring the Uruguayan has been inching closer with every passing day with even Sampdoria officials confirming that the £26m star has left the club.

All this has left fans feeling a little impatient as it would be better to see Torreira play in the World Cup knowing that he is an Arsenal player.

The sooner the club is able to bring him, the better it will be. It is essential to get him training with the rest of the players as they will need to understand the ways in each other work. Torreira is expected to partner Granit Xhaka in midfield with Aaron Ramsey said to play a little further forward.

A prospective midfield three of Xhaka, Torreira and Ramsey has left many Arsenal fans excited at seeing a diverse and competent trio. Given the departures of Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla, it goes without saying that Arsenal needed some reinforcements.

The club has been active in the transfer market with the signings of Stephan Lichtsteiner and Bernd Leno. Adding Torreira to this mix will make it an even better window for the fans and for the club.

Joel Campbell’s agent already in talks with Galatasaray, as Arsenal exit looms

By
Nithyanand
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Joel Campbell

He is one of the forgotten men at Arsenal but he may soon be on the move to Turkey. We are of course talking about Joel Campbell who is said to be contemplating a future away from the Gunners as he is in talks with Turkish club Galatasaray, according to reports in Turkish Football.

The player who signed for the club back in 2011 has never really been able to establish himself as an Arsenal player.

A vast majority of his stay in London has been punctuated by many loan spells. But this time, the move will be permanent rather than as a loan.

Any move for the player will be done after the World Cup is over and given that Costa Rica will have no further involvement in the tournament, a deal may be on the cards. The 26-year-old started the final group game of Costa Rica which ended in a draw against Switzerland.

Now more than ever, it is time for Campbell to make a move given that it is going to be almost impossible to break through into the Arsenal team now. While he has impressed in spurts, he has never really been able to command a starting spot. It is a little sad to see his Arsenal career end this way given that he hinted at some promise a few seasons ago.

The best season that Campbell had at the club was in the 15/16 season where he had somewhat of a starring role. But the emergence of other players including Alex Iwobi led his chances becoming lower and lower.

This led to him going to Portugal and then Spain on loan deals. Though he was able to play well there, he did not do enough to convince them to sign him on a permanent basis.

Despite being at the club for many years now, he is still very young. This should allow Arsenal to get a good deal for Campbell and maybe he can finally blossom at another club. He will be one of those players that were not able to make the cut at the club and a move is the best solution for the club as well as him.

Announcement on Monday, Jack Wilshere to join Turkish club Fenerbahce

By
Nithyanand
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Jack Wilshere

It is one exit that many Arsenal fans did not want to see but it has happened. Jack Wilshere is set to join another club in the form of Turkish club Fenerbahce and that will be announced this coming Monday as per reports in Turkish Football.

Wilshere left the Gunners after a long spell as he came to know that his opportunities were going to be reduced after talks were held with new manager Unai Emery.

It is certainly sad to see his career at Arsenal come to an end this way as he is one of those rare players that is Arsenal through and through.

This is what he had to say about his decision to leave the club:

“I can confirm that I will be leaving Arsenal Football Club when my contract expires at the end of June,” Wilshere said on his official Instagram account.

Following a number of extensive conversations with those at the club, and in particular a recent meeting with the new manager, Unai Emery, I felt I was ultimately left with little choice but to make the decision I have due to purely footballing reasons.”

As a result of this, there have been many teams trying to secure his signature but the winner seems to have come from Turkey. The offer from Fenerbahce was too good to refuse for Wilshere as the Englishman has already moved to Turkey to finalize the deal.

The season that just ended was a bit up and down for Wilshere as there were patches where he seemed to be playing like his old self but they were not consistent enough. Despite this, Arsenal were willing to offer him a new contract which he rejected.

Not being given assurances over his playing time proved to be the factor that made Wilshere choose to leave the club. It will be difficult for him to reach the heights of his earlier performances but every Arsenal will be hoping that he does well wherever he goes.

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