Forward pulls U-turn over joining Arsenal with "verbal agreement" reached

Arsenal are reportedly working to recruit some high-profile targets behind-the-scenes, and a significant update has now dropped on one of them, courtesy of a Sky Sports reporter this morning.

Arsenal identify new winger and striker as priority targets

Two items at the very top of sporting director Andrea Berta’s to-do list over the coming months are signing a new winger and striker.

Related

Arsenal confirm “very popular” 22-year-old has now joined another club

He’s officially left north London.

Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus during the second half of 2024/2025 left Mikel Arteta desperately short of options up front, whilst adding further weight to the opinions of many critics that the addition of a prolific centre-forward is long overdue.

Mikel Merino did pretty well to cover the aforementioned duo as an emergency striker, but Berta and the recruitment team are eager to ensure that Arteta won’t be left in a similarly precarious position next season, when they’ll be looking to mount a far more successful Premier League title challenge.

Arsenal’s need for more goals is evident by their numbers from last term, with Arteta’s side scoring just 69 in total across their top flight campaign, a far cry beneath the 91 and 88 they’d managed in the two seasons prior.

Berta has laid the groundwork over deals for both Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, according to the BBC and reporter Sami Mokbel, but it appears the latter centre-forward is taking priority right now.

Arsenal are believed to be advancing in talks for Sesko, with Leipzig demanding around £70 million for their star striker as the Gunners look to find middle ground in negotiations.

Arteta and co also want to add further quality out-wide.

Leandro Trossard is about to enter the final year of his contract, while Bukayo Saka’s three-month injury lay-off midway through last season highlighted the need for Berta to bring in an alternative to the England international.

Leroy Sane pulls U-turn over joining Arsenal after Galatasaray agreement

One of their widely reported top targets is out-of-contract Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane.

Man City once valued the 70-cap Germany international at around £137 million during his time at Eastlands, but he’s now set to leave Bavaria for zero transfer cost.

According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal held talks with Sane as far back as April, and more recent reports from this week, via CaughtOffside, claim that the 29-year-old has spoken to Arteta about a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Sane apparently had an offer to join Arsenal on the table, and was thought to be very keen to work with Arteta again and join the Gunners (CaughtOffside).

A contract extension at Bayern was still on the cards as well, until very recently, with the ex-Premier League star informing Vincent Kompany’s side that he won’t be signing a new deal after all.

Now set to leave on a free, while Sane was believed to favour a move to Arsenal, he’s now apparently pulled a U-turn.

Instead, Turkish Süper Lig champions Galatasaray are closing in on a deal for Sane, according to Sky Germany’s Plettenberg in a “breaking” update this morning.

Sane’s top-level experience and proven record of goals and assists from the last few seasons arguably make him one of the bargains of the summer, but he’s still very pricey in terms of salary.

Reports suggest that the former Schalke sensation is demanding a big “mega-money” contract, with Galatasaray seemingly set to pay him big-money.

Sane is close to the twilight phase of his career at nearly 30, and they have other high-profile wide targets to turn to as alternatives – ones which could prove better value for salary in the long run.