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Arsenal travel to the Philips Stadium on Tuesday (December 12) to face PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League. Mikel Arteta will look to end the group stages with a bang, having already qualified for the knockouts.
Meanwhile, the Gunners are interested in Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha. Elsewhere, the north London side are not in talks to sign Santos striker Marcos Leonardo.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on December 12, 2023:
Arsenal admire Joao Palhinha
Arsenal have genuine admiration for Joao Palhinha, according to transfer insider Ben Jacobs.
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The north London side are keen to add more teeth to their midfield in the winter and have their eyes on the Portuguese. Arteta splashed the cash on Declan Rice this summer, paying West Ham United a reported club record £105 milliom. However, with Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny linked with exits this January, a new midfielder is on the agenda.
Palhinha has been identified as the ideal candidate for the job, given his stunning rise with Fulham. The player was close to joining Bayern Munich this summer, but the move fell at the final hurdle.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs added that the Cottagers' asking price for the 28-year-old could pose a problem for the Gunners.
“He's a player Arsenal really admire, and we know about the Bayern Munich interest as well, but price tag is a problem because Arsenal spent big last summer.
"So a lot is just going to depend on whether or not Arsenal can find the finances within financial fair play during the mid-season or the summer windows to have another big push," said Jacobs.
He continued:
“Of course, going far in the Champions League this season, winning the Premier League getting back into the Champions League and getting prize money will all help them ahead of the summer.
"I think that January is a lot harder, because the price is going to be £65 million plus. And as soon as the price becomes that high, despite Arsenal's admiration and their interest being very genuine, they simply won't be able to move. So this is one to watch in the sense that the Arsenal interest is there.”
Palhinha signed a new contract with Fulham this summer till 2028.
Gunners not in talks for Marcos Leonardo
Arsenal are not in talks to sign Marcos Leonardo, according to reputed transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
The Brazilian striker has enjoyed an impressive season with Santos, although he has failed to save them from relegation. Leonardo has appeared 49 times across competitions for the South American giants, scoring 21 goals and setting up four more. His efforts have turned heads at multiple clubs across Europe.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano said that the 20-year-old will leave Santos in 2024.
"Marcos Leonardo will leave Santos in 2024, for sure, there’s no doubt and it’s not even about the club’s recent relegation; they already decided that months ago.
"There are many links, every week Leonardo is linked with five or six clubs, but it’s still at the early stages with agents meeting clubs. There’s nothing concrete or close with Arsenal so far, despite speculation," wrote Romano.
The Gunners are in the market for a new No. 9, and Leonardo could be their man.
Mikel Arteta not ready to let Jorginho leave
Mikel Arteta will not allow Jorginho to leave the Emirates in the winter, according to Calciomercato.
The Italian midfielder joined the Gunners from Chelsea in January this year and enjoyed a decent second half of last season. However, his game time has been significantly reduced following the arrival of Declan Rice in the summer.
Jorginho has appeared 17 times across competitions this season, starting eight. However, he remains a key figure in the squad for Arteta, who will not consider his departure in the middle of the campaign.
The 31-year-old was expected to return to Serie A in the winter, with a few stray links to Juventus. However, those rumours have gone cold, and it appears that the Italian will see out the season at the Emirtes. Jorginho's contract with the north London side expires in just over six months.
