Arsenal have fended off Newcastle and agreed terms over a £13.1m move for a LaLiga sensation, though the player now has a tough decision to make after his side accepted an equal bid from a European giant with a stellar reputation.
The Gunners re-established their five-point lead over Man City on Sunday after a pulsating 3-2 victory over Man Utd. Arsenal are chasing their first league title since the invincible season in 2003/04, and the bulk of the credit for their remarkable rise must go to Mikel Arteta and Edu.
Arsenal have bought extremely well in the market of late, while Arteta continues to work wonders with those who were already on the books.
His hand has already been strengthened this month through the arrival of ex-Brighton forward, Leandro Trossard.
The Belgian debuted off the bench on Sunday when replacing Gabriel Martinelli and provides his manager with a readymade and Premier League-proven option in attack.
Polish centre-half Jakub Kiwior will soon follow Trossard into the Emirates. Fabrizio Romano reported the 22-year-old will be officially unveiled later today (Monday) and a five-and-a-half year deal running until 2028 will be penned.
Italian side Spezia will receive an initial £17.5m which could ultimately rise to £22m through add-ons. The left-footer will provide vital cover to regular starter Gabriel Magalhaes.
But while those two moves are with the present in mind, the Athletic report a deal very much for the future is now taking centre stage.
Arsenal strike Ivan Fresneda agreement, as big decision looms
They stated Arsenal have ‘agreed terms’ over a £13.1m move for Real Valladolid’s Ivan Fresneda.
The 18-year-old right-back was also on Newcastle’s radar, though the Magpies have been successfully fended off.
However, the capture is not straightforward after it was claimed German giant Borussia Dortmund have also struck the same agreement with Valladolid. As such, the decision on who to join now rests solely with Fresneda.
Whichever club he chooses, the outlet reported Fresneda will return to Valladolid on an immediate six-month loan anyway.
Fresneda has established himself as a regular starter for Valladolid this term despite his tender age and has been lauded for his technical abilities on the ball.
He’s the epitome of the modern-day full-back being as potent going forward as he is solid at the back. Whichever of Arsenal or Dortmund he chooses will be pulling off a major coup.
On that front, his decision isn’t an easy one to make.
Arsenal are on course to become Premier League champions and look all but guaranteed of playing in next season’s Champions League already. Dortmund, meanwhile, currently lay sixth in the Bundesliga.
However, few clubs come with a better reputation for developing young players than Dortmund. The likes of Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham all became bona fide superstars in just a few short years at the club.
Thankfully, we shouldn’t have long to wait before finding out who the Spaniard has chosen. Indeed, the Athletic concluded his decision will be revealed at some stage on Monday.
