Welcome to the heights (or depths) of the summer silly season, as the major international tournaments are now over. It’s all preseason friendlies and transfer window talk for the next month, until the season begins. Let’s take a look at the latest narratives churning in the Arsenal transfer rumor mill.
In case you missed it, Arsenal have announced the arrival Albert Sambi Lokonga, and here is footage of his first training session with his new club.
? A first look at Lokonga
The latest from Colney ?
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 21, 2021
With his being signed, sealed and delivered, the next target in the crosshairs, according to the Daily Mail, is 24-year-old Leicester City midfielder James Maddison. The Foxes star has been linked with Arsenal before, but it would supposedly take a bid well above £50 million out the door to even make this a real possibility.
The Mail discusses potential player plus cash swap deals that could make this happen, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, 23, and Reiss Nelson, 21, as possible pieces to be in the package going the other way.
Maddison is highly sought after, as he’s enjoyed a lot of success since moving over from Norwich City for just over £20m.
He is a big reason why Leicester have been able to sustain a quality level these past few seasons, and he even earned a cap with Three Lions.
Finally, Arsenal are determined to obtain Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, reports talkSPORT. They have already had two bids for the Blades No. 1 rejected, so they’re ready to go with a £30m bid now, hoping that will be enough to get this over the line.
Ramsdale became the man in between the sticks at Bramall Lane last season following Dean Henderson’s return to Manchester United.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.