Arsenal and Manchester United might have been trading names of transfer targets this summer with Erik ten Hag's side now looking for their own midfield reinforcements, just as Mikel Arteta scours the market as well.
Although Fabio Viera has been signed to play in the centre of the park, Arteta is keen to add some experience and readymade class to his side in order to keep the positive momentum flowing at the club. With Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko the two standout buys so far, there is still work to be done in strengthening the midfield and attack further this window.
With talks for Youri Tielemans slowing down and the vague possibility that any deal for him is hijacked this summer, before his contract expires in 2023, there is still plenty to be on alert about at the Emirates.
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The Gunners have been looking at Tielemans all summer but haven't been able to make progress with the Belgian and now their list of midfield targets is being eaten into by Manchester United, who have not only been linked with a move for Tielemans, but more recently for Serbian player Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
The Lazio star is able to play as a deeper midfielder or in a more advanced role but he could be going to Manchester this window, despite ten Hag's side agreeing a deal with Juventus for Adrian Rabiot.
With 11 goals in 47 appearances last season he is a goal-threat but also poses physical characteristics that make him a candidate for one of the pivot positions for Arteta. Arsenal haven't been linked with a move for the player since much earlier in the window, partially due to his large £57.5m price tag.
Tielemans offers a cheaper and Premier League proven answer to the midfield issue but with Leicester playing hard-ball over their sales this summer Edu hasn't been able to make up the ground he would have liked to come this point in the window.
With United now challenging for another of the players on Arsenal's shortlist it poses a question as to how deep that list is for the Gunners and how much of a priority the position is. United could well be afforded free-rein in their pursuit of Milinkovic-Savic but it might prompt Arsenal fans to ask why they aren't also gunning for his signature.
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