Arsenal have been put on red alert as a £140million double transfer move gets the green light, with former Gunners star Emmanuel Petit urging owner Stan Kroenke to approve the deals. The north London club have yet to make any new signings this summer besides the permanent acquisition of Piero Hincapie, but business is expected to accelerate this month as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his squad for a Premier League title defence and Champions League campaign.
Arsenal target Dario Osorio as 'next Alexis Sanchez'
The Gunners are looking to strengthen their attacking options and have set their sights on Midtjylland winger Dario Osorio. The 22-year-old Chilean has been described as the 'next Alexis Sanchez' and played a key role in the Danish Cup victory last season, scoring eight goals and providing 10 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions. His contract runs until June 2030, but reports from ADN Deportes, via Sport Witness, claim he could be available for between £10.3million and £12.9million.
Arsenal face competition from Benfica, with newly-appointed boss Marco Silva a known admirer from his time at Fulham. Midtjylland sporting director Kristian Kjaer confirmed the interest, saying: "We know Arsenal have been interested in Osorio, but we also know other Premier League clubs have been the same. In my opinion, the Premier League suits him very well because he has a very hard-working mentality. His defensive transitions are incredible, his top speed is incredible. He’s a left-footed right winger who can go to either side of his direct opponent. He has everything. In Chile, he’s considered the next Alexis Sánchez. I think he can make a difference in the Premier League."
Midfield revamp: Bruno Guimaraes and Ayyoub Bouaddi
Arteta has also earmarked the midfield as a key area for improvement. Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes, valued at £80million, has been a long-term target since his Lyon days, while Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi, with a reported £60million price tag, has been linked following discussions between Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta and the midfielder's representatives.
Ex-Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit has backed the double swoop, speaking to Jackpot City Casino: "Bruno Guimaraes is a good player. If you add Ayyoub Bouaddi as well, there are some great options out there for Arsenal. But as I said, they need to clear some positions first, which means they have to sell some players. We will see at the end of the transfer market who comes after they sell players. If they buy more midfield players, they already have Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, and Martin Odegaard. They probably need one or two more, but you have to keep everyone happy and manage the rotation of the team. When you need to add quality, you need to keep possession of the ball. We didn't see that against Paris Saint-Germain. They have been the best team in the world for the last two seasons and have the greatest midfield players in terms of possession. But players like Guimaraes can hold the ball."
Kroenke urged to approve £140m investment
Petit's comments put pressure on Stan Kroenke to green-light the £140million combined outlay for Guimaraes and Bouaddi, plus the potential Osorio deal. Arsenal have been relatively quiet in the transfer market so far, but with the new season approaching, Arteta is expected to push for reinforcements to compete on all fronts.
