He has been heavily linked with a move to the Gunners
Unai Emery was appointed as Arsenal’s new manager back in May after Arsene Wenger decided to leave the club after 22 years at the end of the season. He signed a three-year deal worth £15 million.
It has been a busy transfer for the Premier League giants, as the new boss has brought in new five players, reinforcing the particular areas which needed strengthening to compete for major silverware next season.
Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria, Matteo Guendouzi from Lorient, Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen, Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Borussia Dortmund and Stephan Lichtsteiner from Juventus.
With the signing of Torreira and Guendouzi, former PSG boss is close to finalizing his midfield for the upcoming season. Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka have already signed new long term contract extensions.
The English side wants more players before the transfer window closes and has been linked with a move Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes.
The Portugal International joined the Spanish side from Valencia in a deal that could reach £48 million in 2016. He was tipped to emulate Xavi having blossomed in the La Liga in the previous campaigns.
But the 24 year old has endured a nightmare two year spell at the Camp Nou on an individual level, despite the Catalan giants’ cruising towards a La Liga title and reaching the latter stages of the Champions League yet again.
He was expected to be sold last summer but stayed as the La Liga giants couldn’t reach an agreement with Liverpool for Philippe Coutinho. Ernesto Valverde is now expected to cut him loose and he is also keen for an exit as he is frustrated with lack of first team football.
Arsenal have told Barcelona that they will not meet the Catalan club’s €30 million valuation of Gomes, according to RAC1.
Emery’s side, who are said to be the only side interested in signing him, are in no rush to push through a deal and will wait for the Spanish champions to lower their demands.
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