Arsenal and Manchester City could go to battle for a summer target.placeholder image
Arsenal and Manchester City could go to battle for a summer target. | Getty Images
Arsenal and Manchester City both hope to be crowned Premier League champions this season
With nine matches left to play for most in the Premier League season, it appears increasingly likely that one of Arsenal and Manchester City will be crowned champions come May.
Mikel Arteta is hoping to win his first league title with the Gunners after a trio of second-place finishes, two of which came at the hands of Pep Guardiola’s victorious Cityzens. Arsenal have led the table for the majority of the campaign and remain favourites to get their hands on the famous trophy come the end of the season.
The two clubs also face off in the Carabao Cup final later this month and are also still in both the FA Cup and the Champions League. There will be some major encounters between the title rivals on the pitch before the end of the campaign – and they could also go head-to-head for a major transfer this summer.
Newcastle star targeted by Arsenal and Man City
Newcastle United are facing a difficult summer ahead as they look to keep hold of their most important players. One player who could be in demand in the next transfer window is full-back Tino Livramento, who is a long-term target of Man City.
According to reports by The Telegraph, Arsenal have now joined the race for the 23-year-old as contract talks at St James’ Park continue to stall. Livramento will have two years left on his deal this summer and has ‘not yet shown a willingness’ to sign an extension, as the two best sides in the country at this moment prepare to compete for his signature.
The England international is naturally a right-back but is comfortable playing on both sides of defence. Newcastle reportedly wanted £70m-£80m for his services in previous transfer windows but injury issues may have brought their asking price back down towards £60m for the former Southampton ace, who they signed for £32m in 2023.
Livramento is thought to be happy in the North East and the club would like to keep hold of him, though they recognise the risk of his market value dropping if he does not sign a new deal. The defender has the same agent as Arteta, which might give the Gunners the edge in negotiations.
Arsenal could add new dimension to full-back positions with Livramento signing
Whether or not Arsenal secure the Premier League title this term, it is important that they do not stand still and that they continue to improve their squad this summer. The north London outfit’s lack of big-money sales in recent years has mean that they might need to sell a major star this summer in order to balance the books – with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and even captain Martin Odegaard speculated.
In more direct relation to Livramento, the Gunners are expected to sell Ben White this summer after the 28-year-old has fallen behind Jurrien Timber in the pecking order this season. Signing the younger Livramento might be viewed by the club as an upgrade and stronger competition for the Dutchman, while the Magpies star can also feature at left-back when needed.
Man City are looking to sign a top-class right-back and the position has been viewed as a problem one since Kyle Walker departed the club in 2025. Matheus Nunes has become a makeshift full-back but Livramento has been a dream target for some time, and City will be determined not to be beaten to the punch by their direct title rivals the Gunners – this could be a transfer battle to watch out for.
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