Arsenal have been in touch with Barcelona winger Ansu Fati about a potential move to the Emirates this summer, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has told GiveMeSport.
The Gunners signed Leandro Trossard from Brighton last month, but it appears that Mikel Arteta wants to strengthen his attack further.
Arsenal transfer news – Ansu Fati
Jacobs recently revealed in his CaughtOffside column that clubs from the Premier League are interested in signing Fati.
They face having to pay a huge fee for the 20-year-old, though, with Jacobs also claiming that Barcelona could demand up to €100m (around £89m) for him.
It is a high price tag, but it may not deter Arsenal, who were prepared to pay big money for Mykhailo Mudryk before his move to Chelsea in the January transfer window.
Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin told The Athletic that the Gunners’ final offer for the £89m star was actually similar to Chelsea’s.
What has Ben Jacobs said about Ansu Fati and Arsenal?
Jacobs has informed GMS that Arsenal have made contact on the player’s side as they try to gauge whether Fati would be interested in a move to the Premier League this summer.
On the Barcelona star, the journalist said: “At the moment, Barcelona think that his development is with them. He’s down the list in terms of the order of players that Barcelona would like to sell to bring in income and ultimately to reduce their wage bill, so it’s going to take quite a large number from a Premier League club.
“Arsenal have made a little bit of contact on the player’s side to try and see what his desire is and if he’s open to the Premier League.”
Will Ansu Fati be Arsenal’s priority in the summer?
Fati is a talented player and, at just 20 years of age, he is only going to get better.
“Ansu has been very good. I have seen him at 100%; these two weeks have done him very well. He has been extraordinary in training,” his manager Xavi said earlier this season (via GOAL). “Ansu has proposed to be important, and I’m convinced that he will be.”
However, Arsenal look to have other names at the top of their shopping list ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to The Times, the north London club have made West Ham captain Declan Rice their No.1 target, so it appears that a midfielder like the England international will be prioritised over signing an attacker, such as Fati.
