Arsenal Transfer News: Star Striker Among 4 Players Linked In Latest Rumors

With the Premier League announcing a massive 71-percent hike in their domestic television deal to take revenue to £5.136 billion over three seasons from 2016, Arsenal are among the clubs who can look forward to their income rising yet further in the coming years. Arsenal’s budget has already shifted considerably in recent times, as demonstrated by the big money signings of Alexis Sánchez and Mesut Özil in the past two summer transfer windows. It would be no surprise were that pattern to continue in the upcoming close season.

But it appears Arsenal now have little hope of signing Marco Reus. The Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder has been repeatedly linked with the Gunners, as well as several of Europe’s top clubs. The presence of a release clause worth just 25 million euros (£18.5 million) meant a player who scored 23 goals and added 17 assists last season was available for a bargain-price in the summer. But he has now disappointed Arsenal and others, with Dortmund securing a major coup by tying him down to a new long-term contract, despite their Bundesliga relegation struggles.

“We refused to believe all the transfer rumors and always felt there was a good chance that this extraordinary player would commit his future to BVB,” Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said in a statement on the club’s website.

Even before that latest development, acquiring a player in Reus’ position would appear to be a long way down the list of Arsène Wenger’s priorities. Arsenal already possess an array of talent in the attacking midfield slots, to the extent that Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky had to start Saturday’s north London derby on the bench, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain still out injured.

That strength also casts doubt on a rumor linking Arsenal with a transfer for Lyon’s Nabil Fekir. The Sun reports that Arsenal are planning a summer bid for the 21-year-old, who the tabloid suggest is valued at the lofty price of £25 million. Fekir is enjoying a breakthrough season in Ligue 1, scoring eight goals and adding six assists, operating behind in-demand striker Alexandre Lacazette.

A new striker also seems unlikely for the Gunners in the near future, given the presence of Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck and with Yaya Sanogo and Joel Campbell set to return from loan spells at the end of the season. Still Arsenal continue to be named as one of the clubs monitoring Palermo front man Paulo Dybala. Indeed, the Daily Mirror has reported that both the Gunners and Manchester United watched the Argentinean in action over the previous weekend.

Dybala, 21, has come to widespread attention after hitting 11 goals in 21 Serie A matches this season. And it appears that he will be on the move in the summer, with Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini ruing the influence of agents upon his latest star and conceding that it is hard to see him staying. But it would still be a major surprise were Arsenal to bring Dybala to the Emirates Stadium. The likes of Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be interested, while Zamparini has put a 40 million euros (£29.6 million) price tag on his head.

Despite Arsenal signing Brazilian Gabriel Paulista in January, the Daily Mirror suggests that Arsenal are also interested in PSV Eindhoven right-back Santiago Arias. The story carries quotes reported by Dutch publication De Telegraaf, in which he admits he would like to play in England in the future.

“I'm in a great club and I'm very happy,” he said. “I hope to play here for a long time, although I'm certainly open if the opportunity arises in the future to play in England or Germany for example.”

However, what the Mirror doesn’t state is that Arias’ comments came as he signed a new contract tying him to the Dutch club until the summer of 2019. That means he is unlikely to be on the move for some time yet.