Arsenal transfer news: Hefty £15m valuation for misfit ends interest, PL rivals issue warning

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Arsenal have reportedly seen Watford drop their interest in Kieran Gibbs due to the club’s £15m valuation of the back-up defender.

The 27-year-old has lost his place in the starting line-up at Arsenal to Nacho Monreal over the past few seasons, as he was limited to just 22 appearances in all competitions last year with restricted minutes too.

In turn, it’s no surprise that he’s part of the group of players that the Gunners are looking to offload this summer, as reported by the Evening Standard, but both the club and the player are seemingly demanding too much.

Arsenal are said to want £15m for the England international, while Gibbs is said to shockingly want to increase his current wages from £60,000-a-week to £80k-a-week at his next club. Those two elements combined, and it seems highly unlikely that he’ll be going anywhere unless demands are watered down.

As for Watford, the report goes on to add that they will switch their focus to George Friend, leaving Arsenal waiting for another interested party to make an offer for Gibbs.

Meanwhile, as per the Stoke Sentinel, Stoke City have issued a hands-off warning to Arsenal over goalkeeper Jack Butland.

It’s been suggested that the Gunners are lining up the England goalkeeper as a long-term replacement for Petr Cech, but their Premier League rivals have made it clear that they have no intention of selling this summer.

From their perspective, it’s a smart move. Butland will hope to have an injury-free season this year and impress, and has the chance to be England’s number one at the World Cup next summer given Joe Hart’s indifferent form. Combine that with Jordan Pickford’s £30m price-tag, and the Stoke star could be on the move for significantly more.

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