Here are the Arsenal morning headlines for Tuesday, August 18.
Gabriel’s agent sets deadline for transfer amid Arsenal interest
The agent of Gabriel Magalhaes has set a two-week deadline for Napoli to secure the transfer of the Lille centre-back, amid speculation linking him with a move to Arsenal this summer.
The Brazilian defender is on the radar of Mikel Arteta as he aims to strengthen his squad ahead of the 2020/21 season, but competition for the signature of the player is stiff.
Gabriel has, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, been identified by Napoli as a potential replacement for Kalidou Koulibaly, but will only move for the Lille man once the departure of the Senegal international has been confirmed.
This has led to something of a standout between Lille and Napoli, with Arsenal now potentially in pole position to sign Gabriel as a result. The Gunners are reportedly willing to pay £27million for the defender.
Partey alternative target lined up for Arsenal move
Porto midfielder Danilo Pereira has been identified as a potential target for Arsenal should they fail to land Thomas Partey this summer.
The Gunners’ interest in Partey is well known, with the Atletico Madrid midfielder available for £45m due to a release clause in his contract, but still no deal has been done.
According to the Evening Standard, Pereira has been lined up as an alternative target by Arsenal, with an asking price of around £27m slapped on the head of the 28-year-old, making him a more affordable option than Partey.
Pereira has spent the last five years at Porto since making the move from Maritimo in 2015, helping the club to two Portuguese titles in his time there.
Arsenal complete signing of former Huddersfield Town youngster
Arsenal have made their fifth signing of the summer, with former Huddersfield Town youngster Tim Akinola putting pen to paper to join the north London club.
According to The Athletic, the 19-year-old has signed for the Gunners after being released by the Championship club at the end of last season, with the teenager now a part of Arsenal’s under-23 side.
football.london took a closer look at the young central midfielder to throw some light on why Arsenal have signed a player who had only just been released by a club fighting relegation from the Championship.
Arsenal hope Akinola will grow and develop at the club, with the Gunners keen to keep their academy topped up with as much exciting young talent as possible.
