Today’s transfer news revolves around two big Premier League players looking to leave their clubs, while Arsenal have reportedly beaten Liverpool to one of their top transfer targets.
Arsenal have reportedly become favorites to sign Bundesliga midfielder Granit Xhaka, who was earlier being linked with a move to Liverpool. Everton hitman Romelu Lukaku, who has scored with 18 goals in the league this season, has expressed his desire to play in Europe next season while Yaya Toure is on the verge of exiting Manchester City before the arrival of Guardiola in the summer.
Xhaka set to bolster Arsenal’s midfield
Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, who has previously been linked with a move to Liverpool, is on the verge of signing for their Premier League rivals Arsenal. The 23-year-old could be leaving his current club Borussia Monchengladbach and move to Arsenal for 45 million euros, according to German publication Bild.
Xhaka has been a vital cog in the ‘Gladbach team in the past couple of seasons. He is considered to be an effective holding midfielder who can dictate play from the centre of the park and at the age of 23, represents an investment that could pay huge dividends in the future. However if he were to join Arsenal, then Xhaka would have a lot of competition for a starting role with the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Francis Coquelin, Mohamed Elneny and Santi Cazorla in contention for a central midfield berth.
Yaya Toure wants no part in Guardiola’s Manchester City
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has had a chequered past with Manchester City’s incoming manager Pep Guardiola. The Ivorian’s agent, who had stated a couple of months ago that the Toure would probably be moving away in the summer, has now come out and revealed that discussions over a potential transfer have already begun.
“From this moment we start to discuss with different clubs about Yaya going there in the summer,” said his agent Dimitri Seluk, according to the Sun.
“City don’t do anything concrete. Yaya has given everything for the club and we don’t feel that this situation is the right way to show how much they appreciate him.”
Bayern Munich, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing Toure.
While age is slowly catching with the 32 year old Manchester City midfielder, Toure is still an influential figure in the middle of the park for club and country. Since his move away from Barcelona in 2010, Yaya Toure has played a huge role in establishing Manchester City as a force to be reckoned with in England and Europe. He had some big moments for City this season as well, scoring the winning goal in their League Cup final penalty shoot-out against Liverpool.
The Ivorian still has a year to go on his contract though, and could come for a bargain price if a club is interested in luring him away from the Etihad Stadium.
Lukaku is ready for Europe’s top clubs
Romelu Lukaku is enjoying a break-out season with Everton in 2015-16. The Belgian is third on the Premier League’s top scorers list with 18 goals, just one shy of second placed Jamie Vardy and three behind Harry Kane. While Everton have expressed their intention of holding on to their star striker, his ambitions may lure him away from Merseyside to move elsewhere in search of Champions League football.
His agent Mino Raiola recently added to the speculation by suggesting that Lukaku is definitely on his way out this summer.
“He’ll keep getting stronger,” said Raiola, according to Football Italia.
“Everything depends on his work and on luck. He’s already ready to play in Europe’s best teams.”
The 22-year-old has developed into one of the most fearsome strikers in the Premier League with Everton. His contract extends till 2019 though, and should Everton decide to sell him then the transfer fee could very well eclipse the modest 35 million pounds that transfermarkt rates him at.
