Arsenal's pursuit of Vinicius Jr has suffered a blow, with Real Madrid confident the Brazilian will sign a new contract and stay at the club. According to Sky Sports, the Spanish giants have no intention of selling him. Daily Star Sport looks at six players Mikel Arteta could target to bolster his forward line.
Bradley Barcola
Barcola has been linked with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain all summer, with Arsenal in the picture. However, The Athletic reported that Arsenal took a back seat due to their pursuit of Vinicius Jr. The Mirror suggests Barcola has 'reached an agreement in principle to join Liverpool'.
Rafael Leao
AC Milan are reportedly set to allow Leao to leave this summer. Reports from Italy suggest Arsenal were offered the chance to sign Leao at the end of May but rejected the opportunity. Leao has spoken about wanting a new challenge: “I need a new challenge. I already won two trophies in Italy and have been there for a while,” he told Portuguese outlet Sport TV. “The league is evolving, but for my style of football, I think the Premier League or La Liga would make more of my talent, as a player.”
Julian Alvarez
Alvarez has been linked to Arsenal, and although he mainly operates as a No.10, Arteta could use him out wide. Spanish outlet AS recently claimed Arsenal could offer £85m plus Viktor Gyokeres for the striker. However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has poured cold water on that potential deal.
Nico Williams
After helping Spain win the World Cup, Williams is again at the centre of a transfer saga. He is often linked with an exit from Athletic Club but has yet to leave. Williams signed a 10-year contract last summer that includes a €90 million (£77 million) release clause.
Mika Godts
The riskiest option could be Godts. Reports from The Athletic suggest Arsenal have been tracking the Dutch youngster. Godts, who plays for Ajax, registered 29 goal contributions in 32 Eredivisie appearances last season but missed out on Belgium's World Cup squad. Manchester United are said to have been quoted £65m for him.
