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Arsenal ‘Willing To Pay Over £42m’ For Midfielder As Roma ‘Return’ For Granit Xhaka

Published

3 years ago

Jun 11, 2022.

Benard Joseph

Arsenal ‘Willing To Pay Over £42m’ For Midfielder As Roma ‘Return’ For Granit Xhaka
Arsenal are plotting to sign a midfielder as they reportedly receive interest in one of their own.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Arsenal are willing to pay over £42million (€50m) for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, according to reports.

The Gunners are also said to be subject to further interest in Granit Xhaka from Jose Mourinho’s Roma.

Arsenal are in the market for at least one midfielder this summer. Leicester star Youri Tielemans is their top target, while Brighton’s Yves Bissouma and Wolves’ Ruben Neves have been linked.

Mohamed Elneny will remain at the Emirates after signing a new contract but Mikel Arteta is still keen to add in the middle of the park. Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport claims Milinkovic-Savic is a player Arsenal are interested in.

The report says the north London club have tried to sign the player in the past and have returned again this summer. Arsenal are willing to pay over £42m, potentially up to £51m (€60m).

However, Lazio are said to want at least £55m (€65m) for the 27-year-old. Milinkovic-Savic is set to enter the final two years of his contract with the Rome-based club.

Newcastle are also said to be interested in the player. However, both the Magpies and Arsenal are not thought to be attractive options for the Serbia international at the present moment.

Arsenal not being in the Champions League could harm their chances of completing a deal. Milinkovic-Savic could be a potential replacement for Xhaka, if he were to leave.

The same outlet claims Roma are again interested in signing the Switzerland international. Roma were keen on Xhaka last summer but were unable to meet the Gunners’ valuation of the player.

Xhaka signed a one-year extension to his Arsenal contract and was a regular under Mikel Arteta last season. But the report says it is a dream of the 29-year-old to play under Mourinho.

Xhaka has been much-maligned during his spell at Arsenal. However, in an interview with The Players’ Tribune earlier this year, outlined his love for the club.

He said: “First, I want to make it very clear that I love Arsenal. I always did, and I still do. I will give everything for this club until the day I leave.

“I also know that some people do not like me. This is part of football and I get it.
“Today I know I made the right decision [to stay], absolutely, because I’m still here.

FURTHER READING

But I can’t pretend that my relationship with the fans will ever be the same, because that moment will always be in my heart.”

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