Contact made: Arsenal make surprise move to sign £300,000-a-week star – report…

Contact established: Arsenal makes an unexpected attempt to acquire a star earning £300,000 per week – report

According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Arsenal has made an unexpected inquiry regarding Al-Nassr defender Aymeric Laporte.

The Gunners are reportedly one of several European clubs expressing initial interest in the former Manchester City player, alongside his previous club Athletic Bilbao, as well as Marseille, Inter Milan, and Aston Villa.

Laporte may return to Europe after spending two years in Saudi Arabia, where he receives a weekly salary of £397,000.

Al-Nassr is said to be looking to recover at least part of the €27.5m (£23.6m) they invested in the Champions League winner during the summer of 2023.

During his five-year tenure at the Etihad Stadium, Laporte contributed to Manchester City’s 12 major trophies, including the treble in the 2022/23 season, which was his last year with the club.

The 31-year-old defender made a total of 180 appearances for City, netting 12 goals and providing four assists, while also lifting the Premier League title six times.

Since joining Al-Nassr, he has been a regular starter, but faced an injury-plagued 2024/25 season, making only 30 appearances across all competitions and scoring five goals.

Last summer, Arsenal strengthened their defense by signing Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna on a five-year contract.

They have also recently extended Gabriel Magalhaes’ contract, ensuring his stay at the Emirates until the summer of 2029.

The Gunners have yet to reveal their first summer signing, but are anticipated to announce the arrivals of Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga soon.

Zubimendi is set to join from Real Sociedad for a reported fee of €60m (£51m), while Kepa’s £5m release clause in his Chelsea contract is expected to be triggered.

Arsenal is also believed to be pursuing a primary striker, with Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko among their leading candidates.