Arsenal are reportedly working on marquee moves for Morgan Rogers and Bradley Barcola this summer, with the two players valued at a combined £236 million. The Gunners are recruiting from a formidable position of strength after securing the Premier League title last season.
Quiet Start to the Window
Mikel Arteta’s side have had a relatively quiet start to the summer window. Piero Hincapie has joined the club permanently from Bayer Leverkusen following his loan spell, while former Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier arrives as backup on a free transfer.
After a title-winning campaign, Arsenal require top-calibre signings if they wish to improve on their starting XI. The Gunners have an interest in Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers and Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, both of whom are reportedly valued in excess of £100 million.
Rogers and Barcola Price Tags
Villa have placed a £130 million price tag on Rogers, who is currently representing England at the World Cup. The 23-year-old helped guide Unai Emery's side to Europa League glory last term, scoring 14 goals and providing 12 assists in all competitions.
France international Bradley Barcola was part of the PSG team that defeated Arsenal in the Champions League final but a lack of consistent game time has led to speculation over his future. PSG do not wish to sell the forward but have reportedly priced him at £116 million, the same fee that Manchester City recently paid for Elliot Anderson.
Berta's Dual-Target Strategy
Despite the eye-watering sums quoted for the two players, the Daily Mail reports that the Gunners are working in tandem on both potential deals. It is claimed that Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is in favour of exploring more than one target at the same time and enjoys working on two projects at once. It remains to be seen whether the club opt to meet the respective asking prices for Rogers and Barcola. The combined £236 million figure would not be far off the total the team spent on their summer signings last year.
Arsenal supporters will hope Berta’s approach to targeting Rogers and Barcola will reap similar rewards. Arteta’s side ended the club’s 22-year wait to lift the Premier League trophy and were close to securing more silverware, losing in the Carabao Cup and Champions League finals.
Interest in Bruno Guimaraes
Meanwhile, the Gunners are also interested in Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes. It was recently claimed that the 28-year-old has agreed a five-year deal with Arsenal. However, the Newcastle Chronicle has dismissed suggestions that the Brazil international would be allowed to leave Newcastle for a reported £50 million fee. It is stated that Newcastle are yet to receive an approach for Guimaraes, who is expected to report back to the club for pre-season later this summer.
Outgoing Transfers
In terms of possible outgoings, Arsenal have agreed a £17 million deal with Besiktas for Leandro Trossard. The winger can now concentrate on his future after Belgium’s quarter-final exit from the World Cup.
