Arsenal Ready To Tie-Up €9m Deal But Remain ‘Hopeful’ Sagna Will Snub Man City Move

As we approach the opening of the summer window clubs will be intensifying their efforts in the transfer market so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip. Today, Arsenal line-up Serge Aurier as Bacary Sagna’s replacement.

Arsenal haven’t given up hope of persuading Bacary Sagna to stay at the club but Arsene Wenger has lined-up a €9m deal for Serge Aurier just in case the Frenchman does complete his proposed move to Manchester City, according to reports today.

Sagna’s contract at the Emirates expires next month and reports have suggested he’s on the verge of moving to Man City after failing to agree terms with the Gunners over an extension, with some newspapers even claiming that the defender has already agreed a £140,000-a-week deal with Manuel Pellegrini’s men.

The 31-year-old was in tears during Sunday’s victory parade in North London as he celebrated Arsenal winning the FA Cup with his team mates and fans, and the Telegraph claim Arsene Wenger remains hopeful that the euphoria surrounding their success could yet persuading the defender to snub a lucrative contract from City to extend his six-year stay at the Emirates.

However, it seems the Gunners boss has put contingency plans in place with the Daily Star reporting that a €9m (£7m) deal to sign Toulouse right-back Serge Aurier is in the pipeline and will be completed should Sagna end up walking away on a free.

Aurier has been a hugely impressive figure in France this past season with his adventurous displays earning him a place in the Ligue 1 team of the year for 2013/14.

The 21-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal for some time and admitted back in April that he wouldn’t be able to refuse should Arsene Wenger come calling as it would be a ‘dream’ for him to play for the Gunners.

“You can’t refuse an offer from Arsenal.

“It would be a dream.” Aurier is quoted as saying by the Star

Aurier is a strong, fast and powerful right-back who is also capable of playing in the center of defence when needed, so he sounds like the idea replacement for Sagna in many respects.

It does seem only a matter of time before the former Auxerre man completes his move to Man City and although Arsenal fans will be disappointed to see him leave, they should be excited if Aurier does indeed come in as a replacement as the Ivorian is an excellent prospect.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Man City transfer news

Sagna is expected to resolve his future one way or the other in the coming days as he’s due to link up with the France squad on Friday and would ideally like things sorted by that point, so we shouldn’t have to wait too much longer before we see what his decision will be.