Arsenal will hold further talks with Raphinha representatives after sealing the signing of Gabriel Jesus according to reports. The Leeds winger is represented by the former Chelsea Deco player and the Portuguese legend has been offering his client to many of the best clubs in the Premier League.
Arsenal have reportedly agreed a £ 45m deal for Manchester City striker Jesus and have now focused their attention on getting the signature of their international team-mate Raphinha. The Gunners made a formal offer for the width last week, but Leeds turned it down for being too low.
The Yorkshire side are reluctant to part with their key player, who has scored 17 goals in 65 games since joining the club. As a result, Jesse Marsch has been charged a £ 65 million transfer fee to the player’s services.
However, Goal Brazil has reported that this has not discouraged Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who now looks set to return for the international nine international times this week. Club representatives will meet with other Deco and Raphinha agents to find out how to move the deal forward. The Emirates side hopes the transfer fee can be negotiated downward.
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Arsenal will face stiff competition for Raphinha’s signing, with the winger becoming one of the most sought-after players in world football after two impressive seasons at Leeds. He has also performed well after joining the Brazilian national team this season and is therefore arousing interest from all over Europe.
Tottenham and Chelsea, fierce rivals in the Gunners’ Premier League, are of interest, however, it is said that it is the Spanish giants Barcelona who are said to be the Brazilian’s favorite destination, with Raphinha “willing to wait” for the club.
League runners-up are struggling as a result of fair play financial regulations with the club having to drop players before they can make new signings. The Manchester United deal by midfielder Frenkie de Jong could help the club raise the necessary funds, but it may not be enough. It is also believed that Barça are very interested in bringing Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowksi to the Camp Nou and could therefore be forced to choose between the two.
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This would leave the door open for Arsenal to make more additions to their squad. It would by no means be an easy deal to complete if the Catalan team withdraws from the race with Raphinha who is believed to prefer a move to Chelsea over the Gunners if he is forced to remain in England.
Arsenal have already been busy this summer to get the signing of Fabio Vieira del Porto and agreed a deal for Jesus. The club has also opted for Ajax center-back Lisandro Martínez. However, it would be a move for Raphinha that will be the most exciting for the Gooners devotees and the club’s fans will continue to see how his transfer saga unfolds with great interest.
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