"Alternatives that Arsenal would be willing to go for" - Journalist names player Mikel Arteta could sign if they fail in Pedro Neto pursuit

Arsenal have reportedly identified Villarreal's Yeremy Pino as one of the alternatives if they fail to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto.

As per The Athletic, the Gunners have been in talks with Neto's agent Jorge Mendes for almost a month. They want to complete his signing this summer after Nicolas Pepe joined OGC Nice on loan.

Neto, 22, joined Wolves from Porto in 2019 and has since registered 11 goals and 12 assists in 96 games across competitions. He suffered a major knee injury at the end of the 2020-21 season. That kept him out of large swathes of last season, as he only made 13 appearances across competitions.

However, if they fail to sign Neto, Arsenal have alternatives lined up, one of them being Pino. The Express journalist Ryan Taylor told GiveMeSport:

“So, with Pino, he is one of a few. From what I understand, there are alternatives that Arsenal would be willing to go for if they can’t get Neto. But they don’t want to just sign someone for the sake of it. It has to be a player that is genuinely going to improve their squad and also someone who fits their transfer policy.”

Pino, 19, has played 79 games for Villarreal so far, contributing 15 goals and five assists. However, he could cost around £42 million.

The Gunners, meanwhile, have made five signings so far this summer. They have signed winger Marquinhos, goalkeeper Matt Turner, midfielder Fabio Vieira, striker Gabriel Jesus and left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko.

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Arsenal continue perfect start to Premier League campaign

Mikel Arteta's side beat Fulham 2-1 at the Emirates on Saturday (August 27) to maintain their perfect start to their Premier League campaign.

Aleksandar Mitrovic gave the visitors a second-half lead after a catastrophic mistake from defender Gabriel Magalhaes. However, the Gunners got back on level terms when captain Martin Odegaard scored via a deflection.

Fulham goalkeeper - former Gunners man Bernd Leno - then missed a corner, allowing Magalhaes to finish from close range to redeem himself and secure all three points for the Gunners.

Arsenal are the only team in the Premier League with a perfect record so far. They beat Crystal Palace 1-0, Leicester City 4-2 and Bournemouth before beating Fulham. The Gunners lead holders Manchester City by two points.

The north London side will next face Aston Villa at the Emirates on Wednesday (August 31).