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Arsenal are third in the Premier League after 24 games, trailing leaders Liverpool (54) by two points. Mikel Arteta’s team next face Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday (February 17).
Meanwhile, the Gunners are leading the race to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney. Elsewhere, the north London side have received a boost in their plans to sign Bayern Munich centre-back Matthijs de Ligt this summer.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on February 15, 2024:
Arsenal leading Ivan Toney race
Arsenal are leading the race to sign Ivan Toney this summer, according to Football Insider.
The Englishman’s future has been the talk of town for a while. The player ended up staying at Brentford in the summer after being slapped with an eight-month ban due to illegal betting.
Toney has served his suspension and returned to action in January. He has hit the ground running, scoring three times in four games. The north London side have had their eyes on the 27-year-old for a while and are hoping to go for the kill in the summer.
There’s considerable interest in the Englishman, with Chelsea also eyeing him with interest. However, the Gunners are the favorites to lap him up at the end of the campaign. Brentford are likely to demand at least £80 million for his services.
Gunners receive Matthijs de Ligt boost
Arsenal have received a boost in their plans to sign Matthijs de Ligt. According to acclaimed transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the Dutch defender is unsettled at Bayern Munich and could be on the move in the summer.
The Gunners are looking for the ideal partner to William Saliba at the heart of defence and have their eyes on De Ligt, as per reports. Despite his struggles at the Allianz Arena, the 24-year-old’s stock remains high.
On the Here We Go Podcast, Romano added that Paris Saint-Germain wanted De Ligt in January.
“I think it’s really important what the director of Bayern Munich said today, Christopher Freund while they were preparing for the game against Lazio because he confirmed that Matthijs de Ligt is not happy with the current situation,” said Romano.
He continued:
“Lets see what’s going to happen there in the summer because there is interest from England and not only England, but for example Paris Saint-Germain tried to start a negotiation with Matthijs de Ligt in January.”
He concluded:
“It was not possible because Bayern were not going to sell him in the January window. In the summer, it could be different, so keep an eye on Matthijs de Ligt because his current situation at Bayern is not so easy.”
De Ligt has appeared 16 times across competitions for the Bavarians this season but is behind Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano in the pecking order.
Arsenal face competition for Pedro Neto, says Fabrizio Romano
Arsenal are likely to face competition for the services of Pedro Neto this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Portuguese forward has caught the eye with Wolverhampton Wanderers this season, registering three goals and 10 assists in 18 outings across competitions. His efforts have reportedly turned heads at the Emirates, with Arteta scouting the market for a backup for Bukayo Saka.
Liverpool have also been linked with the 23-year-old by multiple reports. It has also been mentioned that Wolves are ready to let Neto leave for the right price in the summer.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano added that there are no clear favourites in the race for the Portuguese.
“I’m only sure that Wolves’ Pedro Neto will be on the list of many clubs this June, not just Arsenal and Liverpool. The fee for him is not clear so far as Wolves are refusing to indicate a price.
"That will be discussed closer to the summer transfer window. Also, no one is leading the race as things stand, and that will become concrete and clearer around May/June,” wrote Romano.
Neto’s contract with the Midlands club expires in 2027.
