Berta has a big summer aheadBerta has a big summer ahead
Berta has a big summer ahead | Getty Images
All the latest news and transfer rumours surrounding Arsenal as they prepare for the summer.
Arsenal are now preparing for their final game of the season, taking on bottom club Southampton as they look to end their campaign with a win. The Gunners secured second place last weekend when they defeated Newcastle United, and it will be interesting to see how much Mikel Arteta rotates, with meaningless games usually a platform for lesser-used players to get their chance.
The Gunners higherups will already be looking ahead to next season, with recruitment key this summer as Arsenal look to win silverware next term having consistently fallen short in recent years. In the meantime, we have rounded up all the latest news and transfer rumours surrounding the Emirates Stadium.
Rodrygo links
Arsenal are being linked with a move for Real Madrid winger Rodrygo. The Brazilian has been with Real Madrid since 2019, making 172 league appearances to date, although the arrival of Kylian Mbappe has meant he has played a little less this season, making 22 league starts.
Rodrygo is still only 24 but he is a hugely experienced player, and with Arsenal in need of a winger, it’s reported that the Gunners could make a move for the wideman. Florian Plettenberg has tweeted: “BREAKING | Understand Arsenal are now seriously considering a transfer for #Rodrygo! Talks have begun behind the scenes. The 24-year-old is a potential departure candidate at Real Madrid. It’s difficult but Arsenal are currently exploring all options for a possible transfer. Deal on.”
Berta ‘green light’
Arsenal sporting chief Andrea Berta is said to have given the ‘green light’ to sign long-term goalkeeper target Joan Garcia. Garcia decided to stay with Espanyol last summer but will likely move on after this campaign.
Garcia has a £25million release clause that will halve if Espanyol suffer relegation from La Liga. Arsenal are said to be moving in to finally get their man, although it’s likely they will at least have to wait until after this weekend’s La Liga final round.
Veteran keeper Wojciech Szczesney said of Garcia last week: "I want to praise Joan Garcia; I think he’s the best goalkeeper in La Liga and has a very big future ahead of him. He’s one of the best goalkeepers in Spain and Europe right now."
Raya praise
Jamie Carragher has praised Arsenal’s signing of David Raya, who has proven a wise signing despite plenty of controversy surrounding the Spaniard’s arrival at the time. "I picked Alisson as the best goalkeeper in the Premier League this season but I was very close to picking David Raya," Carragher said on The Overlap.
"Alisson had that performance against PSG and that was one of the best we’ve seen from a goalkeeper so maybe that stuck in my head. But Raya probably had five or six world-class saves this season. There was one against Aston Villa and Ollie Watkins but it was that long ago that it feels like last season.
"That was one of the best decisions Mikel Arteta made, it was brave because Aaron Ramsdale was a bit of a fans’ favourite but Arsenal were never going to win anything big with him in goal. "That was one of the best decisions Mikel Arteta made, it was brave because Aaron Ramsdale was a bit of a fans’ favourite but Arsenal were never going to win anything big with him in goal.
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