Arsenal face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle for the signing of Juventus star Federico Chiesa. Mikel Arteta is looking to add a number of new signings to his squad ahead of next season.
football.london understands the Gunners are prioritising a move for West Ham captain Delcan Rice. However, Arteta wants to sign a new versatile forward and defender ahead of Arsenal's return to the Champions League next term.
The north Londoners are set to move on a number of players with the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Kieran Tierney and Granit Xhaka all expected to leave the Emirates Stadium. Xhaka is on the verge of completing a £13million move to Bayer Leverkusen, while Arsenal are prepared to teminate Pepe's contract one year early to get him off their wage books.
Tierney has been linked with a switch to Newcastle as Eddie Howe looks to bolster his squad with the Magpies joining the Gunners in next season's Champions League. It seems that Newcastle could be set to rival Arsenal for Chiesa's signing this summer - but the north Londoners have now taken a step towards signing the Italian forward.
The Gunners have contacted Juventus for information on the price and the player. The Italians want a price in the region of €60million (£52million), according to SportRepubblica.
Chiesa has the ability to play anywhere across the attack, similar to that of Leandro Trossard who was signed in January. Folarin Balogun is likely to be sold after a successful loan spell in France, whilst Reiss Nelson's future remains uncertain with Arsenal hoping to agree a new contract with the Hale End graduate.
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Should Pepe and Balogun both leave the club, it could raise a good amount of transfer funds to reinvest in Chiesa. The Italian forward has suffered with injury problems in recent years and Juventus are said to be open to selling him this summer.
Arsenal will be hoping Chiesa signs and can compete with Bukayo Saka for a first team spot whilst helping ease the pressure on the England international. Saka played every Premier League fixture of the Gunners' last two seasons and is facing a high risk of burning out - something Chiesa could help solve by offering Arteta a quality back-up option.
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