According to reports out of Germany in the last 48 hours, Arsenal wants to “start their efforts” as soon as possible to sign Man City defender Joao Cancelo.
Who is Arsenal bringing in?
The Gunners are definitely not resting on their laurels after officially completing a deal to sign forward Kai Havertz from Chelsea in a deal worth roughly £65 million.
According to numerous reports, Arsenal is nearing a deal to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United after agreeing to pay a total of £105 million (£100m + £5m in add-ons) for the England international.
Jurrien Timber, an Ajax defender, is also anticipated to move to north London, although it appears that discussions regarding the payment structure are still ongoing.
Both men are reportedly close to being acquired by Arsenal, and if both deals go through, their combined spending during the summer transfer window could exceed £200 million.
As Galatasaray defender Sacha Boey and Cancelo have frequently been linked, the Gunners are expected to sign a new full-back before the start of 2022/2023.
The latter player, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Bayern Munich, is reportedly surplus to requirements at Man City even though he was once an important starter for Pep Guardiola.
German publication Kicker claims that Cancelo is at the top of Mikel Arteta’s wish list, according to a report on Arsenal’s pursuit of him.
The Portuguese international is reportedly seen as the “ideal” solution to Arsenal’s full-back issues, and negotiations to sign him are to start “shortly.”
As Kicker put it:
The Londoners consider him [Cancelo] to be the ideal solution on the defensive flank and want to begin their efforts for the technically excellent footballer as soon as possible. Last season, they had positive experiences with former Man City professionals Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus.
They do, however, add that he might come with a hefty price tag because City is expected to demand a “high” transfer fee given Cancelo’s lengthy contract.
What was said regarding Joao Cancelo?
According to former Blues striker Paul Dickov in 2021, the £250,000 per week defender was crucial to Guardiola up until the previous 12 months.
He has performed superbly. He’s providing assists and scoring goals, and in my opinion, he’s the best full-back in terms of his ability to generate opportunities and his contribution to the team, said Dickov.
“To not be dependent on one player while having some of the best players in the world in their respective positions is remarkable. It’s unusual to be able to finish as well.
