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.
We start with FC Barcelona right back Sergino Dest, who is part of the the USMNT’s emerging golden generation. With the USA playing their reserves and kids in the Gold Cup, Dest is currently away from the national team and focused on the upcoming season with the Catalan club.
And that is exactly where he wants to stay, according to ESPN, who claim Dest has turned down overtures from Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund, in order to stay put where he is.
Dest moved over from Ajax for an initial €20 million last September.
Next we go back to a narrative that has recently emerged- the pursuit of Leicester City midfielder James Maddison. Prising him away from the Foxes will be a massive challenge, to say the least, and it would probably require a lot of money, plus a player or two.
A report in Sky Sports suggests that it will take an offer of at least £70 million to even get to the bargaining table on this one. The 24-year-old English international and stellar playmaker is under contract until 2024.
It’s no secret that Arsenal have made midfield makeover their number one priority this summer, and perhaps the best solution would be to go back to the future, and revisit an old friend.
Martin Odegaard was very impressive while on loan with the Gunners from Real Madrid, and the Spanish giants are looking to sell the talented Norwegian, in order to ease the stress of their current financial situation.
Odegaard could be had for £50 million according to the same Sky report, and although he is under contract until 2023, this is probably a more realistic move.
We’ll just have to see, a lot can happen between now and transfer window deadline day.
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.
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