Report: Arsenal has made a move to sign a £42m South American player as Arteta pursues an ambitious transfer deal…

Arsenal have reportedly submitted a bid to sign a £42m South American star, with Mikel Arteta aiming for an ambitious move.

Reports suggest that Arsenal have put forward an offer to secure the services of a £42m South American talent as Arteta looks to make an ambitious signing.

According to reports from Spain via Football London, Arsenal has submitted a player plus cash proposal to Barcelona for winger Raphinha in an attempt to secure the talented South American.

The offer reportedly includes £30 million along with Eddie Nketiah, but Barcelona is said to prefer a straight cash deal without any player exchanges.

Despite Arsenal considering Nketiah surplus to requirements and not as a potential long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona values Raphinha at approximately £42 million.

Therefore, Arsenal may need to raise their cash offer in order to reach an agreement.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea made efforts to acquire Raphinha from Leeds United during the summer of 2022, however, he declined both offers and chose to transfer to Barcelona for a fee of £55 million.

Is it possible that Raphinha will finally make a move to North London after reigniting their interest?

It is possible that Raphinha could depart from Barcelona this summer due to the club’s financial struggles.

Barcelona may need to consider selling players, including Raphinha, in order to retain their young talents like Pedri, Gavi, Lamine Yamal, and Pau Cubarsí.

Laia Cervelló Herrero and Omar Garrick reported in the Athletic in February that Barcelona’s wage bill will be reduced again for the upcoming season, making it difficult to sign new players without first making sales.

New head coach Hansi Flick does not see Raphinha as indispensable, and club president Joan Laporta will consider all offers for the player.

In his two seasons at Barça, the Brazilian has scored 20 goals in 89 appearances, but has struggled to secure a starting position. With the emergence of 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, this trend is likely to continue.

Raphinha’s first choice is to remain in Catalonia, but circumstances may force him to reconsider.

Would Raphinha be a valuable addition to Arsenal’s squad?

Given that Arsenal already has Bukayo Saka, it would be intriguing if they invested heavily in acquiring another left-footed right-winger like Raphinha.

While they do require a backup for Saka, who played 3,865 minutes last season (82.1% of Arsenal’s total minutes), Reiss Nelson, his current understudy, only managed 641 minutes of play, starting just once in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta has expressed his desire to enhance the attacking prowess of his team, a role that Raphinha could fulfill, albeit at a significant financial cost.