Arsenal
Arsenal target £50m double swoop as Arteta continues summer spending spree
Arsenal are targeting a £50m double swoop on Sheffield United to sign goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and midfielder Sander Berge this summer
Arsenal are targeting a £50m double swoop on Sheffield United to sign goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and midfielder Sander Berge this summer, according to reports via The Sun.
Mikel Arteta has already splashed out over £70m on the signings of Ben White, Nuno Tavares and Albert Lokonga but the Gunners boss knows he needs to further strengthen if Arsenal are to compete for European places next season.
A new goalkeeper is on the agenda as Mat Ryan needs to be replaced after his loan spell came to an end. Bernd Leno’s long-term future is also uncertain as he has two years left on his contract and has indicated he won’t sign an extension.
Leno isn’t expected to be sold this summer but Arsenal need a reliable second goalkeeper to compete with the German this coming campaign with a view to taking over as No.1 in 2022/23 and Ramsdale has been touted as a target.
Arsenal have been strongly linked with the England stopper in recent weeks with talkSPORT reporting in late July that the Gunners were set to table an improved offer worth up to £30m having seen a lower offer rejected by the Blades.
The Sun are now citing a report from The Star that claims Arsenal are continuing their pursuit of Ramsdale and are determined to sign the 23-year-old but have no intention of meeting Sheffield United’s £40m asking price.
Instead, The Sun says Arsenal are eyeing a £50m double swoop on the Blades to sign Ramsdale and team mate Sander Berge in the hope that the large injection of cash will tempt the Championship club into a deal.
Arsenal have also been tipped to sign another central midfielder this summer with Dani Ceballos back at Real Madrid following his loan spell last season while Matteo Guendouzi has joined Marseille.
It looks like Granit Xhaka will be staying at the Emirates despite being heavily linked with a move to Roma but Arsenal are still being tipped to sign another midfielder and Berge was linked earlier in the summer.
The report suggests that Arsenal have now renewed their interest in signing the 23-year-old Norwegian international and could look to land him as part of a double swoop involving Ramsdale this month.
Sheffield United are in a strong negotiating position as neither Ramsdale nor Berge are expected to force a move away from Bramall Lane so it remains to be seen whether a £50m bid from Arsenal would be enough to get a deal done.
