Manchester City are seemingly playing hardball with Arsenal as they look to sign Gabriel Jesus this summer.
The Gunners have been in contact with Pep Guardiola's side over a potential deal for the Brazilian but City have slapped a £55million price tag on the striker, according to ESPN, which has put the Gunners off.
Jesus only has one year left on his deal at the Etihad and the north Londoners feel that price is too steep for a player they could feasibly sign as a free agent in 12 months' time. It has been claimed that City would be looking to cash in on Jesus given the fact his contract is winding down, as well as the fact they have signed Erling Haaland for £55m from Borussia Dortmund.
But it seems they are in no rush to balance the books given their valuation of Jesus, which speaks volumes for just how much financial resources are available to the club, especially considering they splashed out £100m for Jack Grealish last summer.
Jesus is said to be keen on a switch to the Emirates as his agent Marcelo Pettinati confirmed that he likes Mikel Arteta's project, but there are six other clubs in the frame. Jesus is assessing his options due to his limited game-time this season, which is likely to be hindered even further with the arrival of Haaland.
Jesus has been given an extended run in the team to finish the Premier League season as City close in on the title, a tactic that has been deployed to increase his value, according to football.london.
The forward is not pushing for an exit, however, and Guardiola will not stand in his way if he demands to leave the club. Arteta is a huge admirer of the 25-year-old having previously worked with him at City but the Gunners could now be forced to look at alternatives.
How much is Gabriel Jesus worth? Let us know in the comment section below
Paulo Dybala is one of them as he leaves Juventus as a free agent this summer. Reports claim that the Argentine is set to sign a three-year deal at Inter Milan worth £115,000-a-week, but Arsenal are also in the frame.
ESPN claims the north Londoners have made contact with Dybala's representatives to find out what personal terms he is seeking. A member of Dybala's entourage has also held meetings in London and Manchester before flying to Spain and Italy for similar talks before coming to a decision on his future.
Manchester United have also been linked with the forward as Erik ten Hag officially starts his role as manager on Monday. The Dutchman is looking for attacking reinforcements with the likes of Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial set to leave the Red Devils in the upcoming window.
