Arsenal are looking to bring in a second midfielder, potentially taking their spending up to £400m this summer alone
(Image credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Arsenal are looking to add another £100 million midfielder to their squad – to play with Declan Rice in the centre of the park.
The Gunners are spending big this summer and have agreed a fee with West Ham United to sign their captain Declan Rice for a British record £105m, according to The Athletic'sDavid Ornstein.
This isn't their first big signing of the summer, either. Arsenal have agreed a reported £65m deal for Kai Havertz, too, with the former Chelsea star's unveiling leaked ahead of time. The north Londoners aren't stopping there either, with more moves rumoured.
Kai Havertz poses after signing for Arsenal (Image credit: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Now, Football Transfers'Jacques Talbot reports that Mikel Arteta is a big fan of Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni and will pursue the Frenchman, should moves for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia fail to materialise.
Tchouameni signed for Los Blancos for around €100m last summer but has found first-team action difficult to come by as Toni Kroos has played deepest in midfield with Fede Valverde tucking into midfield from his former right-wing spot in Carlo Ancelotti's setup. With Jude Bellingham joining too, his minutes may be about to get reduced further.
Liverpool are long-time admirers of Tchouameni, too, who could arrive at the Emirates Stadium to replace Thomas Partey, who is rumoured to be wanted across Europe and Saudi Arabia.
The 23-year-old is thought to still be a major part of president Florentino Perez's long-term vision but could well be seen as expendable if it funds a move for Kylian Mbappe. Arsenal, meanwhile, would likely settle for bringing the star in on loan for the season.
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Aurelien Tchouameni has failed to take Real Madrid by storm since joining from Monaco (Image credit: Victor Carretero/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
Football Transfers expect to see Real play a 4-2-3-1 next season with Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga combining in a double-pivot behind new acquisition Bellingham. Kroos and Luka Modric would both feature regularly despite both midfielders now well into their 30s.
Tchouameni is valued by Transfermarkt to be worth €85m.
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.
