Arsenal and Manchester City could consider a swap deal involving Joao Cancelo and Kieran Tierney ahead of the summer window.
According to Steve Kay on Football Transfers, Arsenal and Manchester City are pondering a swap deal involving Kieran Tierney and Joao Cancelo. Both clubs remain interested in the opposition player, but the calculations could cause complications, although the idea may solve problems at both clubs.
Arsenal will enter the transfer market with a complex plan to sign key personnel to strengthen their squad. Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar are eager to execute their plan to perfection. But it will require intricate thinking on the priority areas of the team.
Focusing on the defence, Arsenal are keen to sign a right-sided centre-back, a right-back and possibly a left-back if Kieran Tierney leaves. The latter seems possible, given that Arteta cannot assure the Scottish international about regular game time.
In his report, Steve Kay formulates a plan that could see Arsenal make a masterstroke signing to cover all three requirements. Widespread reports pointed towards a key interest in Joao Cancelo. The 28-year-old PL winner will unlikely remain a part of Manchester City.
Steve Kay insists Arsenal view Cancelo as their starting right-back for next season and think of Ben White as a natural centre-back. The Englishman has played the entire season as a right-back, while Cancelo was surprisingly shipped off to Bayern Munich on loan in January.
If Cancelo were to arrive, Ben White could become the cover or competition for William Saliba at centre back. Moreover, the Portuguese international could also play in the left-back position. He could also consolidate his place in the squad as a key starter under Arteta. With that, Arsenal can focus their funds and efforts more on signing Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo.
Previous stories have claimed that Manchester City will not sell any more of their stars to Arsenal. Those reports emerged following the unprecedented success of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus. With that in mind, the Gunners may find it hard to convince the Premier League champions of the 28-year-old.
The report now suggests Arsenal and Manchester City could ponder a swap deal involving Cancelo and Tierney. The 25-year-old Scottish left-back could leave the Gunners if the club cannot guarantee regular game time.
Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing Tierney. Guardiola is keen on a versatile defensive option that can fit in at left-back and in central defence. The 25-year-old ticks most of those boxes and could open the doors for a move. Newcastle United were also keen on the left back, but talk of a move has cooled off in the last few weeks.
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Manchester City’s reported £60 million valuation could pose problems. Whether Arsenal also values the 28-year-old PL winner similarly remains the question. Meanwhile, they would want somewhere between £35-40 million for Tierney per current market standards.
Surely Arteta and Edu are aware of Cancelo’s reported attitude problems? Arsenal can’t afford to waste time and money on stroppy players with gobby girlfriends. Swerve.