Arsenal transfer supremo Andrea Berta has entered talks to sign a £246m duo this summer, according to club insider Hand of Arsenal.
The Gunners are looking to build upon their Premier League title win and Champions League final appearance last season during the summer window, with Mikel Arteta looking to add more firepower to his attack.
But with a bloated squad, the team first had to make some sales, and they kickstarted the process by agreeing a deal to sell Leandro Trossard to Besiktas. Now, sporting director Berta is understood to be making his moves to bring players in.
Arsenal In Talks for £246m 'Superstar' Duo
Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers representing EnglandIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Caean Couto
According to the reliable Hand of Arsenal, the Gunners' decision to sell Belgium international Trossard was the 'first step' to get the club's transfer plans off the ground.
The deal has now opened up a 'clear spot' on the left-wing in Arteta's squad, and it's understood that Berta has engaged in talks with both Bradley Barcola and Morgan Rogers about bringing them to the Emirates Stadium.
The deals are being worked on simultaneously by the Spaniard, and while there have been no official club-to-club talks between Arsenal and PSG or Aston Villa, it's understood that both players are 'very open to the move' to north London.
Villa have recently slapped a £130m asking price on Rogers, having seen Elliot Anderson sold for £116m by Nottingham Forest, while Paris Saint-Germain have also decided that Barcola's price would be at a similar level to Anderson's if he were to leave the Parc des Princes during this transfer window.
It's highly unlikely that Arsenal would splash the cash to sign both players at those prices, but Berta is pushing both deals along in order to pull the trigger on one further down the line when he gets a deal he wants.
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Arsenal Ready to Go Big
Bradley Barcola FranceAction Images
It's clear that Arsenal want to make a major statement in the transfer window this summer, and both Barcola and Rogers would definitely fit that bill.
The France international, described as a 'superstar', has lit up the World Cup this summer and is a more natural winger option that could fit into the squad seamlessly, while Rogers, who has also been described as a 'superstar', has struggled for game time with England, but he is a Premier League-proven playmaker who would need less adaptation time.
Both options would be excellent additions to the squad, and Berta knows that, hence working on both deals simultaneously to ensure Arsenal are well positioned and don't miss out.
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