Arsenal will have “to make room” for Ajax defender Jorrel Hato if they want to sign him this summer, according to journalist Graeme Bailey.
Speaking to TBRFootball, Bailey said that the Gunners have a longstanding interest in Hato (who is valued at £40m), but any deal is contingent on two players being sold:
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“Arsenal have been chasing Hato since he was around 14 or 15 years old, so I think there is a bit of confidence there. They want to sell [Oleksandr] Zinchenko to make room for Hato and then we still expect [Jakub] Kiwior to go as well.
“There will be plenty of room in that squad for Hato who is able to play a variety of roles.”
Do Zinchenko and Kiwior have suitors?
With Zinchenko having just a year left on his contract, Mikel Arteta’s side are open to offers for the Ukrainian international. Reports suggest that AC Milan and West Ham may consider making bids.
Kiwior’s situation is slightly different. The centre-back impressed in the absence of Gabriel at the end of last season so Arsenal would probably only let him go for a sizeable sum. Clubs in Italy (including Milan) do hold an interest in the defender, but they may not be able to match his asking price.
Arsenal will have competition for Hato
The longer the Gunners wait to sign the 19-year-old, the greater the chance that the deal could be hijacked. Both Chelsea and Liverpool are known to be keeping tabs on the player.
As Bailey mentions, the London club are still confident that Hato would favour a move to the Emirates, but if they can’t find space for him in their squad, there is a danger that they could miss out on his signature.
In other news, Arsenal have made a bid of around €11m for a midfielder