Arsenal consider shock Martinelli swap deal with opening bid for La Liga player set to fall €30m short
Reports suggest that Arsenal is planning to make a bid of €50 million for Barcelona forward Ansu Fati, as Barcelona is looking to sell him during the upcoming summer transfer window.
Fati’s playing time at Camp Nou has been inconsistent this season, and Barcelona sees him as a player they can offload to generate funds.
Despite scoring three goals in the final two La Liga matches, the 20-year-old had a disappointing season overall. Barcelona’s financial situation necessitates player sales before they can proceed with the signings desired by their manager, Xavi, and Fati is considered expendable despite his significant potential.
A recent report indicates that Barcelona made it clear to Fati during a meeting over the weekend that he either leaves the club or won’t have a place in the team for the next season.
According to Spanish publication Nacional, Arsenal is prepared to offer €50 million for Ansu Fati and is willing to meet his high salary demands.
However, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has no intention of accepting that offer. Laporta is seeking a transfer fee as high as €80 million but would consider closing the deal at around €65 million.
Alternatively, Barcelona is open to including an Arsenal player in the negotiations. They are particularly interested in Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard.
Nacional describes Martinelli’s performances as inconsistent, suggesting that he could be part of the deal. On the other hand, Odegaard is considered “non-transferable” and is not expected to be included in the potential transfer.
To compete for the Premier League title in the upcoming season, Arsenal will need to enhance the depth of their squad. Gunners legend Tony Adams has expressed his belief that this season marked the peak performance for Arsenal, as they made a strong challenge to Manchester City in the title race.
Adams suggests that it may be difficult for Arsenal to replicate or surpass this level of success in the future.
“Mikel Arteta worked wonders to get Arsenal into second place considering the players he had at his disposal,” Adams told The Sun.
“But when a manager has massively over-performed and raised a club’s expectations so high, there’s often a fallout if the level of improvement isn’t maintained the following season.
“And when that happens, he’s often gone by Christmas.”
The Arsenal legend added: “I am not for one minute suggesting that the Gunners are going to be getting rid of Arteta, but I do fear that this could be as good as it gets for them.
“No one expected them to finish so high but the downside to all that is where do they go from here? I hate to sound like a prophet of doom, but I do believe that a lot of this team has already peaked.
“It was possibly the best season that many of them will ever have. I don’t think they’ll get to that level again.
“They’re definitely not going to challenge Manchester City next season and without serious recruitment this summer it will be a struggle for them to finish runners-up again.
“City’s B team is better than any other Premier League side and we know that Newcastle, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea will all be much stronger next time out.”
Arsenal consider shock Martinelli swap deal with opening bid for La Liga player set to fall €30m short