Barcelona have received an offer of cash plus Eddie Nketiah from Arsenal for former Leeds United winger Raphinha, according to reports.
The Gunners are looking to replenish their attack over the summer transfer window and, while their top target remains a new striker, the Gunners could also bring in another winger.
Arsenal have been linked to a number of players who could improve their attack with Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, Wolves’ Pedro Neto and even Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford linked.
Barcelona winger Raphinha is one player who is reportedly available for transfer this summer with the Catalan giants looking to get back the £50m they paid Leeds United for the Brazilian in 2022.
A recent report claimed that Raphinha has rejected the chance to join Newcastle United after the Magpies apparently had an offer accepted for the Brazil international.
It is understood that Raphinha wants to play in the Champions League and with a club that has the ability to win trophies next season.
And now reports in Spain claim Arsenal ‘will not give up easily in their desperate attempts to recruit’ the 27-year-old from Barcelona this summer.
It is claimed that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta ‘has gone from rejecting the possible arrival of the Barça star to becoming obsessed with him, to the point of making him one of his priority targets for the next campaign.’
New Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick ‘does not consider him to be untouchable at all’ while the La Liga club’s president Joan Laporta ‘will consider all offers that come in for Raphinha’.
The Catalan giants are ready to say ‘farewell’ to Raphinha and Arsenal have made an ‘offer’ of €35m (£30m) and Eddie Nketiah with other Arteta ‘discards’ potentially also available for transfer.
It is understood that Barcelona sporting director Deco ‘could be interested in taking on the 25-year-old England international’ but as it stands the Catalans ‘prefer to only get money, without any exchange of cards involved’.
Arsenal seem to be closing in on a deal to sign Bologna and Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori and now La Liga and Serie A insider Matteo Moretto has provided an update on where things stand.
Moretto wrote in his Caught Offside column: “Arsenal have an agreement with Riccardo Calafiori, the clubs are negotiating. Arsenal have presented a first offer, I can’t say for how much but it’s a high offer.
“Arsenal are pushing to get the deal done quickly, in order to get ahead of the other teams that are interested in Calafiori. First and foremost Chelsea, and then a little way behind, Juventus. There’s been an auction for him, and ultimately, Juve cannot reach the figures that the Premier League can offer.
“Arsenal will attempt to speed things through as quickly as they can, Juventus have started looking at other options to strengthen their defence, as evidenced by their offer for Buongiorno, as it looks difficult for them to sign Calafiori.”
While he also brings an update on reported Arsenal target Williams’ potential move to Barcelona, Moretto adds: “A midfielder continues to be a priority for Barcelona, they are still assessing the market to see what the best options out there are.
“We’ve already reported here that Hansi Flick likes Joshua Kimmich, but he is also on Paris Saint-Germain’s shortlist, we’ll see if Barcelona can find a way financially to do it.’
“Then with the left winger, Barcelona have to make sales, work out whether they can go for Nico Williams or not. It’s very clear to me that Barcelona want Nico. It’s very clear, as we’ve said, that Williams has a lot of friends in the Barcelona dressing room, and he would still rather stay in Spain than go abroad, but it will come down to the costs.
“Ultimately, Nico earns a lot, they will ask for a high salary, Athletic Club will ask for his release clause, and the whole deal requires a lot of money. We’ll see if they can do it or not, the feeling I have is that if Barcelona have the option to go for Nico, taking into account the money situation, they will do so, but we’re only in early July too.”