Chelsea made Morgan Rogers the most expensive British player of all-time, parting ways with an eye-watering £117m from Aston Villa, leaving Mikel Arteta's transfer plans in tatters. The move is a massive blow to Premier League champions Arsenal - who had been desperate to land the star. And so with Rogers off the table, Daily Star Sport has a look at six alternatives the Gunners could sign.
Bradley Barcola
Bradley Barcola has consistently been linked with a summer exit, but Liverpool seem to be the frontrunners for his signature as they look to replace Mohamed Salah. Barcola was a standout for France at the World Cup - and would command a huge fee. It's thought it could cost as much as £120m to land him.
Antonio Nusa
If the Gunners are looking to pinch pennies they might turn their attention to RB Leipzig's Antonio Nusa, who showed his class for Norway against England at the World Cup. Nusa came off the bench during that game and could represent the best bang for buck. It's thought he would cost around £50m.
Yan Diomandé
However, Nusa's Leipzig team-mate Yan Diomandé might be higher on Mikel Arteta's priority list. Diomandé has a sky-high potential and has also attracted the interest of top clubs across Europe. But Liverpool are also sniffing around - and have reportedly launched a £86.8m bid. Yet the player may cost as much as £95m, which PSG have indicated they would pay.
Mika Godts
Mika Godts has emerged as a left field option for the Gunners - with the Rogers situation proving that they won’t be suckered into paying inflated fees. Godts, who currently plays for Ajax, notched 29 goal contributions in 32 Eredivisie games last season but missed out on Belgium's World Cup squad. Manchester United are said to have been quoted £65m for him.
Vinicius Jr
While if Arteta truly wants a statement signing, he could turn to Vinicius Jr. The Gunners have been long linked with the Real Madrid superstar and with just one year remaining on his contract, a big decision needs to be made by the player and club. If the Brazilian is not signing a new deal, Los Blancos will surely want to cash in before he leaves on a free next summer. But for now, he's still said to be worth more than £100m.
Marcus Rashford
And if it's an English player the Gunners want - to fulfil their homegrown quota - Marcus Rashford is looking for a Manchester United exit. After impressing at Barcelona last season, he had seemed destined to join them permanently. However, the Catalan giants pulled out of the deal, despite having an option to buy him for just £26m, leaving Rashford in no man's land. He might be open to a move to the champions - and United could accept a £40m bid.
