Arsenal transfer news: Arsene Wenger eyes Jason Denayer and Mattias Ginter, Gonzalo Higuain to cost £79m
The latest transfer news and speculation surrounding the Emirates
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Arsenal could make a surprise move for Manchester City defender Jason Denayer as well as Borussia Dortmund’s Matthias Ginter as Arsene Wenger looks to target new defensive options for the future, with both players under 22 years of age.
The Gunners are being linked with the double-move to take their tally of summer signings to four, having already landed Switzerland international Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach and Takuma Asano from Japanese side Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Arsenal do appear short on options at the back, with both Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny being hit with injuries last season and Gabriel Paulista failing to impress as a Premier League title-challenging defender.
According to The Sun, Wenger is ready to sanction £22m to be spent on Denayer and Ginter in £10m and £12m deals respectively. It’s added that Arsenal are hoping to capitalise on City’s interest in Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci in the hope that new manager Pep Guardiola will allow Belgium international Denayer to leave.
The 21-year-old is looking to leave City – either temporarily or on a permanent deal – to seek more first-team football, as he endured a nightmare Euro 2016 in which he was at fault for Hal Robson-Kanu’s brilliant goal in Wales’s 3-1 quarter-final win over Belgium.
Wenger is said to have bid for Denayer last summer, but saw a £5m bid rejected and the former Anderlecht academy defender went on to sign a new contract on wages of around £25,000-a-week.
Ginter meanwhile has been on Wenger radar since his days at Freiburg, and the 21-year-old has represented Germany on nine occasions since making his debut shortly before the 2014 World Cup. While Ginter was a part of the Germany side that became world champions that year, he failed to make a single appearance for his country in Brazil and was not selected for the Euro 2016 campaign.
The possible move for Gonzalo Higuain looks increasingly more unlikely after Napoli demanded €94m [£78.5m] after club president Aurelio de Laurentiis confirmed they are not interested in selling the striker and any interested clubs will need to activate his release clause.
The warning is believed to be enough to put Juventus off a move for the Argentine, with the outspoken De Laurentiis claiming there was never any talks between the two Italian clubs.
"There was never any contact between Juventus and Napoli for Higuain," he said.
"[Juventus general manager Giuseppe] Marotta confirmed to me today that Juve had no intentions of meeting his buy-out.
“I asked Marotta if he wanted to discuss the clause, but he assured me that it had not even crossed his mind."
He added: "No club has made an offer, nor has Higuain told us that he wants to leave.
"It is time to stop with this whole world of crap and apologise to the supporters who have been left upset by these reports."
Another centre-back who looks to be on their way to Arsenal is Bolton Wanderers youngster Rob Holding. The 20-year-old is believed to have undergone a medical with the Gunners on Monday evening, according to Bolton News, and it’s claimed that Arsenal’s second offer of £2.5m has been accepted by the League One club.
Holding has represented England Under-21s twice after being drafted into Gareth Southgate’s squad for the Toulon Tournament earlier this year as a replacement for Everton’s Brendan Galloway, and has made 26 league appearances for Bolton after breaking into the first team last season.
One transfer has been confirmed by Arsenal though as Brazilian striker Wellington Silva left the club to rejoin Fluminense after a six-year spell in which he failed to make a single senior appearance. Arsenal were unable to obtain a work permit for Silva in his first five years in London, meaning loan spells with Levante, Alcoyano, Ponferradina, Murcia and Almeria kept him fit before finally receiving clearance to play for Arsenal at the start of last season.
However, Silva instead went on loan to Bolton Wanderers for the season where he was limited to 22 Championship appearances due to a torn hamstring, and he has cut his losses to return to his homeland with Fluminense.
"I am very happy,” Silva said after completing the move. “I want to thank Fluminense for this opportunity after so long to go back, I'm eager to start. I am very anxious, really it is like the first time.
"[My] Desire to return has always existed. When I learned that it was possible I was nervous for 10 days. I am very happy and I have no words to thank. Now I have to train and get on to the field as quickly as possible."
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