Here are are your morning headlines for Friday, June 26.
Arsenal pull lucrative Willian offer
Arsenal were prepared to pay Chelsea winger Willian up to £250,000 a week to join the Gunners this summer, according to the Mirror.
However, the uncertainty of finances in football after the coronavirus crisis means such a lucrative deal for the 31-year-old is now unlikely.
The report suggests the value of free agents could drop by up to 50% in the current climate with clubs increasingly aware of the financial implications of the pandemic.
Arsenal’s recent announcement that new deals have been given to the likes of David Luiz, Cederic Soares and Pablo Mari indicated the transfer window could be far less exciting than Gunners supporters would have originally hoped.
In addition to Willian, Mikel Arteta’s side have been linked with a move for Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey.
Arsenal ahead in race for Salzburg midfielder
RB Salzburg youngster Dominik Szoboszlai is still of sharp interest in the upcoming transfer market with the 19-year-old attracting attention from a host of top European clubs.
That is according to the Express which claims the prospect is on the radar of numerous clubs including PSG, AC Mlian and Arsenal, whose interest is supposedly "well advanced".
Szoboszlai has received widespread recognition for his performances in the Austrian Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League this season with the 19-year-old featuring in the club’s two group-stage defeats against Liverpool.
With Erling Haaland and Takumi Minamino both departing in January, the Hungary international could be the next one out of the door at Salzburg.
Arteta explains Guendouzi's Saints absence
Mikel Arteta remained guarded around the issue of Matteo Guendouzi when asked why the midfielder was not included in the matchday squad for the win at Southampton on Thursday.
The French star, who was involved in a heated altercation with Neal Maupay in the Gunners' 2-1 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion, was left out of the squad to face Saints with no reports of injury.
But Arteta refused to be drawn on the details of why he left the 21-year-old was omitted.
"It's squad management. Whatever internal issue we have, we deal with it privately. The needs of the team and football club are always the same, put the best players on the football pitch that are 100% focused to win the game," he told Sky Sports.
