Wenger working on three more exciting deals.
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could be set to pull off three more major signings upon returning to the club for pre-season preparation, CaughtOffside understands.
The Gunners have already brought in two big names in Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona and Mathieu Debuchy from Newcastle United, and will hope to get their summer spending out of the way quickly with moves for three more of their main targets to address the key areas of their squad.
In a triple deal worth around £73m, Wenger will complete the signings of a new striker, a winger and a defensive midfielder, giving Arsenal an exciting new-look squad that could be ready to launch a serious assault on the Premier League title and Champions League.
3) Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen)
Arsenal will first look to sign Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender in a deal worth around £20m, with Wenger identifying the German international as a cheaper alternative to Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira, whose wage demands are too high and have seemingly put a halt on any potential move. Bender has been linked with the Gunners before, however, and remains a good alternative for the club in that position. A fee and contract have supposedly been agreed, and the player will arrive in London for a medical next week before being announced as an Arsenal player.
2) Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad)
A further £24m will go on activating the release clause of a truly outstanding talent in Antoine Griezmann. The French international was a stand-out performer in La Liga last season, scoring 20 goals for Real Sociedad and emerging as a transfer target for top clubs all around Europe, including Arsenal’s Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea. Still, the 23-year-old has expressed a desire to work with Arsene Wenger over other managers, which looks to have edged talks in the Gunners’ favour. A few finishing touches on his contract are still to be agreed, but Griezmann is also set to complete his medical at the Emirates Stadium and be unveiled sometime next week.
1) Mario Balotelli (AC Milan)
Arsenal are also hopeful that a move for AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli could be back on, with the Italian international seen posing on social media in front of the club crest. Talks broke down for the former Manchester City star to move to the north London club earlier this summer, but negotiations now look set to resume as Wenger hopes to make the 23-year-old his new signing upfront. Queens Park Rangers forward Loic Remy has also been considered, but Balotelli remains the Frenchman’s first choice to give his side an extremely potent-looking attacking lineup for next season, with a front three of Griezmann-Balotelli-Sanchez looking as good as anything in Europe. Milan’s previous asking price for the controversial front-man has been £29m, and it should still be enough for Arsenal to sign him this time.