Arsenal make surprising move for ANOTHER ex-Manchester City player: report

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with defender Oleksandr Zinchenko.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal are on the trail of yet another Manchester City old boy this summer, as manager Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his squad.

Last summer, the Gunners added Gabriel Jesus early in the window, securing the No.9 spot and poaching a versatile attacker from a rival. He was followed later in the window by Oleksandr Zinchenko – and both have been huge hits, having worked with Arteta at Manchester City during his stint as a coach there.

Furthermore, one of Arteta's first signings at the Emirates Stadium was defender Pablo Mari, who had been on the Citizens' books in his youth. Now, Arsenal could be poised to move for yet another star known to City fans.

Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring a hat-trick for Arsenal against Sevilla in the Emirates Cup.

Gabriel Jesus has been a big hit since moving from City to Arsenal (Image credit: Getty Images)

TalkSPORT have reported that the north Londoners are looking to sign Ferran Torres from Barcelona, with the Catalan giants looking to raise capital this summer.

Barça signed Torres as one of Xavi's first moves as boss but now have a wealth of options in attack – and are looking to re-add Lionel Messi to the ranks this summer, too. 

Torres can play off the left but is more likely to provide cover for Bukayo Saka on the right wing, after The Mail broke the news that Hale End graduate Reiss Nelson has turned down a contract extension to keep him at the cub as a backup option.

The Athletic were the first to reveal that the Gunners are interested in Torres as an option back in January. Back then, Arteta and co. opted for Leandro Trossard but are said to be looking for depth in attack still this summer. 

Ferran Torres of Spain during the UEFA Nations League - League Path Group 2 match between Portugal and Spain at Estadio Municipal de Braga on September 27, 2022 in Braga, Portugal.

Ferran Torres is reportedly on Arsenal's radar (Image credit: Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

While Torres may well have been an option at one stage, it is unlikely that he still is. Arsenal are said to want a "physical" striker and with Torres providing more cover on the flanks – something Arsenal have an abundance of right now – there isn't an obvious place for him in the squad.

The 23-year-old is valued at around €30 million by Transfermarkt

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Arsenal are already being linked with a host of big names ahead of a summer back in the Champions League. 

Mason Mount is an option in midfield, with Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic and Bayer Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby rumoured in the attack. Both Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins and Crystal Palace star Wilf Zaha are on the radar, too. Younger stars are interesting the Gunners, too: Vitor Roque might end up at the Emirates, while Flamengo's Matheus Franca is being watched. 

Meanwhile, cult hero Mathieu Flamini has refused to rule out a move to buy Arsenal. 

Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.