Arsenal eye intriguing £41m Gyökeres transfer alternative as Liverpool line up Forest raid
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It’s time for Tuesday’s run-through of the biggest Premier League transfer rumours currently making the media rounds – and before we get onto news for Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea fans, we’ll start with an update on Arsenal’s long-running search for a new striker.
The Gunners were long believed to be admirers of Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres, but decided against a move in the summer due to the spiralling cost of a deal – but should they decide that the Swede is too expensive next year, they have a slightly cheaper alternative in mind, according to Caught Offside.
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Hide AdThey claim that Arsenal have “identified” Atalanta and Italy forward Mateo Retegui as an alternative, with the 25-year-old, who has scored 11 goals in his first 12 league appearances for Atalanta, now emerging as a “plan B” for Mikel Arteta. Given that he only just signed from Genoa, he won’t come cheap – apparently a bid of €50m (£41.4m) would be needed to prise him away from his current club. Which is still a fair bit cheaper than Gyökeres is likely to be…
The 3AM Verdict: It would be surprising if Arsenal didn’t sign a striker of some sort next summer, and Retegui’s form means his stock is certainly rising rapidly. We’ve not seen any corroboration of this story elsewhere, so it may just be supposition, but it’s not especially implausible – after all, even if they do decide to have a crack at Gyökeres, he would be very expensive given the interest and his remarkable form in Portugal.
Liverpool lead chase for Forest man
Onto another story from Caught Offside now – this time around, they’re suggesting that Liverpool have decided to pursue a deal for Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo regardless of whether Virgil van Dijk leaves Anfield at the end of the season or not.
The 22-year-old, who may also be on Chelsea’s radar and has previously been linked to Atlético Madrid, is apparently an “ideal long-term replacement”, with the Reds keen to make a move to avoid missing out to a rival. Gonçal Inácio of Sporting is also under consideration, according to the article.
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Hide AdThe 3AM Verdict: There isn’t much detail in the article, attributed to Caught Offside sources, less still a price tag, which doesn’t give us much to go on, but Forest will likely have a tough time keeping hold of Murillo in the long run – he was already getting attention in the transfer market over the summer, and his development means that interest will hardly have waned.
Chelsea starlet set for exit
Finally, a word from The Daily Mail for Chelsea fans, who may not be too thrilled to discover that yet another home-grown player could be heading away from Stamford Bridge sooner rather than later – in this case, England Under-19 midfielder Kiano Dyer, son of former West Brom winger Lloyd.
The Mail’s report states that a number of English and European sides are chasing his signature with a year left on his current deal and the promise of first-team football. The teams involved aren’t specified but it’s suggested that “scouts from home and abroad” are all over the teenager.
The 3AM Verdict: Chelsea have spent an immense amount of money on young talent from overseas of late, and the inevitable consequence of investing in players like Kendry Páez is that talent already in the team will look to leave. 16-year-old Rio Nguhoma has already left for Liverpool, and something similar could easily happen here with another highly-rated talent.
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