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Arsenal transfer news LIVE: Aubameyang to Barcelona, Tottenham battle, Lemar plan hijacked
Arsenal transfer news - Express Sport brings you the latest Arsenal transfer news as Mikel Arteta plots to strengthen his underperforming squad.
Arsenal: Experts discuss Arteta ruling out Aubameyang transfer
Arsenal transfer news live updates
Saturday, January 4
- Arsenal are expected to face competition from a fellow Premier League club for Thomas Lemar’s services
- Mikel Arteta has received a boost in his pursuit of a new defender
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been advised to leave the Emirates
Hakim Ziyech boost
Arsenal transfer target Hakim Ziyech has been told by Ajax that he can leave in the January transfer window.
The Eredivisie side have demanded £43million [€50m] for the winger, after he impressed in the Champions League last season.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been tipped to dip into the transfer market this month.
The Gunners are nine points short of the top four in the Premier League, and the Spaniard will likely have to make some changes to his squad to close the gap.
Arsenal were linked with a move for Ajax’s Ziyech in the summer, but the move failed to materialise.
Now, Arteta has reignited the Gunners’ desire to sign Ziyech, and he’s free to leave this month, according to CalcioMercato.
But, there is also interest from north London rivals Tottenham, added Dutch outlet Voetbal.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan to make move permanent with Roma
Arsenal are in talks with Roma over a deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but have rejected the opening offer to make the loan move permanent.
Arsenal sent the Armenia international to Italy in the summer and hope to move him on and bring some money back into the club.
But Arsenal have turned down the £8.5m that Roma have offered so far and want to recoup a bigger fee - and talks remain ongoing over a deal for this month.
Mkhitaryan joined Arsenal from Manchester United as part of the deal to send Alexis Sanchez the other way.
But he failed to deliver in England at either United or Arsenal and found himself sidelined by Unai Emery.
He has scored three times in eight appearances for Roma and they would like to make the move permanent.
Thomas Lemar blow
Arsenal will have to battle their bitter rivals Tottenham to acquire the services of Atletico Madrid ace Thomas Lemar, it has been claimed.
The Gunners are said to have been weighing up an imminent move for the France international, whom they tried to sign in the summer of 2017.
But according to Foot Mercato, they could be pipped to his signature by Spurs, who are said to be ready to make a bid for the former Monaco man.
Gunners’ pursuit of Jerome Boateng receives a boost
Mikel Arteta’s pursuit of Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng has been boosted by the news the German champions are ready to let the centre-back leave the Allianz Arena for free.
The Spaniard is weighing up a move for the veteran defender to replace the recently-injured Callum Chambers, who will be on the sidelines for the next six to nine months with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
And according to German newspaper Bild, Arteta could acquire Boateng’s services if they pay the entirety of the 31-year-old’s wages. Boating is currently on £196,000-a-week and has 18 months left on his contract with Bayern, who tried to offload him to Juventus last summer.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona talked up
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would be better off leaving Arsenal for Barcelona than staying at the Emirates for another season, according to former Gunners midfielder Stewart Robson.
“It doesn’t make any sense for Arsenal to sell him at the moment because he’s their main goalscorer, he’s the only player that has lived up to his reputation,” Robson told ESPN FC.
“Barcelona, they need a player, I would say, down that left-hand side that can join in with the other front players.
“So I would say for Barcelona it would be a hit, for Arsenal it would be a miss.
“But I’m going to go with, Aubameyang seems to want to go, I’m going to go with a hit.”
Aubameyang's future at the Emirates has been the subject of intense speculation in recent weeks, with multiple reports claiming he's seriously contemplating his future in north London.
The Gabon international, however, quelled such talk after the Gunners' 2-0 win over Manchester United on Wednesday, saying: "The English press like to talk a lot. For now, I'm here. I'm here 100 per cent.”
Arsenal lead race for Juventus defender
Arsenal are reportedly in pole position to sign Juventus defender Merih Demiral, it has been claimed.
The Gunners are on the lookout for defensive reinforcements following Chambers’ season-ending knee injury.
Demiral is said to be on the club’s shortlist of candidates to fill in the former Fulham loanee, with both The Sun and Fotomac claiming the north Londoners are contemplating making a £42.5million bid for his services.
Max Aarons eyed
Arsenal are said to be interested in signing Norwich City youngster Max Aarons this month.
Aarons is currently on the radar of Arsenal’s eternal rivals Tottenham, who are currently the frontrunners to sign the full-back.
However, the Daily Mail claim the north Londoners have also been in contact with the Canaries over a possible deal for the defender, whom they value at £30million.
Eddie Nketiah exit talked up
Former Arsenal defender Nigel Winterburn believes Eddie Nketiah will be sent back out on loan for the second half of the season, despite being recently recalled from his spell at Leeds United.
"He is a terrific talent, and I am looking forward to seeing how he progresses," Winterburn told BBC Radio Leeds.
"He has been talked about very, very highly. My gut feeling is he will probably go out on loan again, but if he does, he needs to be playing. He needs to get that experience."
Dayot Upamecano blow
RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann has hinted the German side don’t want to see Dayot Upamecano, insisting the club must continue to “develop” if they’re to have any chance of challenging Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund for the title.
"We have to develop," he told Bild . "At the moment we are not good enough to become champions.
"Bayern and Dortmund are said to be weaker than they used to be. For us, it would be helpful to beat them from time to time, otherwise it will simply be difficult at the end of the season."
Mikel Arteta to have tight January budget
Arteta’s plans to bring in reinforcements this month could reportedly hamstrung by the Arsenal board.
According to Sky Sports, the Arsenal brass are reluctant to allow the Spaniard to splash the cash this due to the £137million they forked out on five new players last summer.