Arsenal have been given two opportunities to sign a former Tottenham transfer target ahead of the January transfer window. The Gunners are preparing to continue their title fight with Manchester City when the Premier League resumes on Boxing Day.
Sporting director Edu Gaspar strengthened Mikel Arteta's squad during the summer by securing deals for Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, Matt Turner and Marquinhos. Arsenal look set to make more investments in January with a new central midfielder and attacker among the priorities for Edu.
Mykhaylo Mudryk and Cody Gakpo have both been heavily linked with moves to the Emirates Stadium, but now a player who their north London rivals were keen on signing has emerged as a possible option. Spurs remain keen on adding a new playmaker to Antonio Conte's squad, but could now face competition from Arsenal.
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Arsenal have two chances to sign Roma and Italy star Nicolo Zaniolo who was close to making the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over the summer, according to reports. The 23-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the season with his current deal at Roma expiring in six months.
Italian outlet Radio Radio claims there have been no talks over a renewal to the contract in recent months. The club's president Dan Friedkin is still weighing up whether to walk away from talks with the player or accept Zaniolo's demands for a significant increase in salary.
The report also claims Arsenal are interested in Zaniolo and could sign him for a bargain fee of around £21.8million (€25million) between now and the end of the season. The Gunners could also wait and sign the player on a free transfer when his contract expires in July, with Edu putting in the groundwork ahead of the end of the campaign and agreeing a pre-contract agreement with the Italian playmaker.
Spurs would no doubt be in the mix to contact Zaniolo's representatives and become an obstacle in any deal Arsenal may look to agree. The 23-year-old can play as a central midfielder or on the wing, making him a valuable asset to any squad with the potential to develop into a world-class player.
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