Arsenal are unlikely to pursue a deal for Borussia Dortmund sensation Jude Bellingham this summer, according to The Telegraph.
It is claimed that the north Londoners admire Bellingham, although the package that it will take to prise the 19-year-old away from Dortmund will be too much for the Gunners. The report goes on to claim that the talented playmaker will likely command a fee in excess of £100 million, as well as a hefty wage package, making any deal extremely unlikely for the current Premier League leaders.
Mikel Arteta will be trying to sign a different English international this summer instead, with West Ham United captain Declan Rice at the top of the Spaniard's wishlist, football.london understands. The Gunners are keen to strengthen their midfield options at the end of the current campaign, with Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny all aged 29 or older.
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Rice has made it no secret of his desire to play in the UEFA Champions League, a competition that the Gunners have all but qualified for next season, currently sitting 22 points above Newcastle United in fifth place. “One hundred per cent I want to play in the Champions League,” the 24-year-old said last year.
“For the last two or three years I’ve been saying that. I’ve been playing consistently well for my club and I feel like I really want to keep pushing.
"I see my friends here who are playing Champions League and for big trophies. You only get one career and at the end you want to look back at what you’ve won and the biggest games you’ve played in.”
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