Report: Arsenal midfielder is close to securing a move to a new club, with Arsenal setting a large asking price for Eddie Nketiah…

Arsenal is on the verge of finalizing the transfer of a midfielder to a new club, with Arsenal setting a significant asking price for Eddie Nketiah.

The club is actively looking to offload talented young players who may struggle to secure a spot in the starting lineup under Mikel Arteta’s ambitious project to transform Arsenal into perennial Premier League title contenders.

Arsenal’s next target for signing is Mikel Merino.

In addition, Arsenal is nearing the completion of Emile Smith-Rowe’s transfer to Fulham for a substantial fee of 35 million pounds, marking one of the most financially successful departures in the club’s history.

Following the recent acquisition of star defender Riccardo Calafiori, who gained fame during Euro 2024, Arsenal is now focusing on securing Mikel Merino from Arteta’s former club Real Sociedad as a crucial midfield addition alongside Declan Rice, a blockbuster signing from 2023.

Arsenal is seeking 50 million for Eddie Nketiah.

Arsenal is looking to offload backup striker Eddie Nketiah for a sum that could facilitate the signing of Merino from LaLiga. However, their initial asking price might be too high.

As per La Provence, Marseille and their new coach Roberto De Zerbi are facing difficulties in acquiring Nketiah as their new No. 9 due to Arsenal’s demand of 50 million euros for the player.

Marseille has a soft spot for their former Arsenal players.

Nketiah is a skilled striker who could potentially start for Marseille and fill the void left by former Arsenal player Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.

Nevertheless, it seems unlikely that OM will be able to afford such a hefty price tag for a player.

Marseille has found success in signing former Arsenal players like Auba and Alexis Sanchez.

Although Nketiah may not have the same pedigree as these players, he is still in his prime as he prepares to make the move to Ligue 1.

Arsenal should consider finding a replacement for Nketiah as they already have Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz in the center forward position.

The club is looking to secure a true No. 9 this summer, with some fans hoping for a Victor Osimhen signing.

To make this happen, Arsenal may need to lower their asking price for Nketiah, but setting a high bar could help them negotiate a fee similar to what they received for Smith-Rowe from Fulham.

After spending eight years at Arsenal, Mohamed Elneny was among the senior players let go by the club this sum mer.

Elneny’s departure from Arsenal was a logical decision, as he had been playing a minimal role under Mikel Arteta, spending most of his time on the sidelines during his final year at the Emirates Stadium.

Elneny’s playing time for Arsenal in the 2023/24 season was limited to just six appearances, with only one start, accumulating a total of 96 minutes on the pitch.

He even lost his place in the Egypt national team, despite being a regular fixture in the squad regardless of his playing time at Arsenal.

Despite being well-liked by both fans and teammates, it was evident that Elneny needed to seek a new opportunity where he could have a more consistent impact on the field.

It appears that he may have finally found the right club to achieve that goal.

According to The Guardian’s Will Unwin, Elneny is on the verge of transferring to Al Jazira, a team based in the UAE. The move would be a free transfer signing.

Al Jazira competes in the UAE Pro League and finished in eighth place in the 2023/24 season. If Elneny joins the team, he may have the opportunity to play alongside Karim Rekik, the older brother of Arsenal defender Omar, who also joined Al Jazira in 2023.

Although the move has not been officially confirmed, it is expected to be relatively straightforward to finalize, given Elneny’s free agent status.

The 32-year-old midfielder is likely hoping that his new club will help him secure a return to the Egypt national team in the near future.