Arsenal are reportedly prepared to sign Paris Saint-Germain outcast Georginio Wijnaldum, who is expected to cost around €20 million.
According to a report from Fichajes, Arsenal have intensified their pursuit of Georginio Wijnaldum. Along with Newcastle United, they are hoping to snap up the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder in January, with the Dutch international himself open to returning to the Premier League.
The Dutchman is unhappy with his life in Paris and is believed to be keen on seeking a move elsewhere. Although PSG are not too thrilled with the idea of offloading their star player in January, an offer of somewhere between €15 million and €20 million should be enough to seal the deal.
A former Champions League and Premier League winner with Liverpool, Wijnaldum was one of the most in-demand players in the market last summer. After a successful spell at Anfield, the midfielder was available as a free agent. He was closely linked with a move to Barcelona as well before ultimately opting for a switch to Paris Saint-Germain.
Unfortunately for the Dutch international, the move has turned out to be a disaster as the player has struggled to settle into life in France. He has produced a myriad of poor performances, most recently in the draw with Lyon on Sunday. In 17 matches, the 31-year-old has netted only one goal, falling behind Marco Verratti, Idrissa Gueye and even Ander Herrera in the pecking order.
Wijnaldum’s struggles have not deterred his admirers, though, with Arsenal keen on securing the services of the Dutchman. It appears Mikel Arteta values his experience highly and wants him to accompany Thomas Partey in the double-pivot during the second half of the campaign.
The Gunners have been linked with a handful of central midfielders already, including Danilo of Palmeiras. They are even willing to fork out €20 million for the Brazilian, but the player is unlikely to be offloaded in the January transfer window. It has prompted Arsenal to set their sights on Wijnaldum, although the Londoners are set to face serious competition from Newcastle United.
Having already signed a top player in Kieran Trippier this month, the Magpies are prepared to flex their financial muscle once again by bringing back Wijnaldum to St. James’ Park. The player himself is reportedly keen on a return potential to Tyneside, so it will be interesting to see how this transfer saga transpires over the coming few weeks.