Arsenal made a €70m bid for a Barcelona star in January before settling on signing Leandro Trossard, it's been revealed
(Image credit: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Arsenal made a €70 million January transfer window bid to Barcelona, before eventually landing Brighton & Hove Albion star, Leandro Trossard, it's been revealed.
The Gunners spent just £21m on Trossard with the deal potentially rising to just £27m – before committing £20m to Jorginho on deadline day and a similar amount on defender Jakub Kiwior, in what was a busy month for manager Mikel Arteta strengthening his squad.
But though Arsenal didn't spend too much on players individually during the month, they were prepared to pay big for the right profile, allegedly matching Chelsea's £88m offer for Mykhaylo Mudryk. Now, it's been revealed that Barcelona received a massive bid for one of their players, too.
Arsenal were ready to spend £88m on Mykhaylo Mudryk (Image credit: Getty Images)
Spanish outlet Sport has claimed that the north Londoners had a €70m offer for Barça winger Raphinha turned down in the winter transfer window, just mere months after both they and Chelsea missed out on signing the Brazilian from Leeds United.
Raphinha hasn't lived up to the heights of last season at Camp Nou, despite being a regular in Xavi's table-topping team. Arteta is said to be a big fan of the player and Arsenal perhaps tested the Catalans' resolve because of the financial problems that they are currently in.
Despite signing Trossard as a Plan B, the news gives a few clues as to the future of Arsenal's dealings in the transfer market.
Raphinha is primarily a left-footed right-winger in the mould of Bukayo Saka – but Arsenal have instead signed a two-footed left-winger in Trossard who has provided competition to Gabriel Martinelli on the other flank. This perhaps suggests that they could return for a third time to try and prise the former Leeds star to the Emirates, giving them another option on Saka's wing.
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Arsenal returned to Raphinha again in January (Image credit: Getty Images)
The value of the bid is also revealing. Assuming that Arsenal were also prepared to sign another big-money midfielder – €70m bids for Moises Caicedo were turned down – it is safe to assume that the Gunners will have well over £100m to spend this summer, regardless of Champions League qualification.
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
