Arsenal Risk Missing Out Again As Gustavo Agent Talks-up Napoli Move

With the summer transfer window in full swing, there is plenty of gossip doing the rounds in the newspapers so we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest transfer rumours. Today, could Arsenal lose Luiz Gustavo to Napoli?

Arsenal could be set to miss out on another top transfer target with Luiz Gustavo’s agent talking up a move to Italian outfit Napoli, according to the Express.

Gustavo is expected to leave Bayern Munich this summer following the arrival of Thiago Alcantara from Barcelona with new boss Pep Guardiola apparently not seeing the Brazilian in his first team plans next season.

The 26-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to north London in recent days with reports earlier in the week claiming the Gunners were on the verge of sealing a record deal. The player also admitted he was keen on a move to the Emirates as he looked to secure regular first team football ahead of next summers World Cup. He said:

“My contract with Bayern runs until 2015, but it is very important that I play first-team football to keep getting called up for the national team.

“I am in a delicate situation at Bayern, and this needs sorting out. I have personal and professional reasons to move. I have heard about the Arsenal interest. It’s a big club we’re talking about here, so of course I’d like to play for them.”

“Arsenal play a very attractive brand of football and are in the Champions League,” he added. “They also have a very clever manager in Arsene Wenger. Even when Bayern beat them in the last Champions League, you could see they are not pushovers.”

[source: ESPN]

However, the Express claim Napoli have made a late move to hijack Arsenal’s deal and Gustavo’s agent has now talked-up a move to the Italians, saying it’s not a club he could turn down and confirmed Bayern have set the players asking price at €18m.

“The way I see the situation, Napoli are not a club you can turn down,”

“Luiz Gustavo is a very important player who would suit any club in Italy, not just Napoli.

“However, the Partenopei already have three midfielders of a good quality, so they’d have to sell one.

“I can say the stories claiming Luiz Gustavo has a clause worth €18m in his contract is absolutely false.

“There is no clause and that sum is simply the asking price Bayern have decided on. He is clearly on the market after Pep Guardiola’s arrival.” Gustavo’s agent is quoted as saying in the Express

It would be a huge blow if we were to miss out on another top player like Gustavo especially to Napoli after the Serie A club snatched Gonzalo Higuain from under our noses last month.

Gustavo would be an ideal purchase as he would fill a defensive midfield void that has been glaringly obvious for a couple of years now and he can also fill in at the back if needed, so it’s a no-brainer.

Hopefully we can get this one done but time is running out and we need at least 4 players in before the window shuts in 19 days time, or i fear we’re going to be in for another disappointing season.

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