Arsenal In Talks Over Shrewd Deal That Could See €30m Attacker Sign For Just €18m

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 are linked with Carlos Vela and Antoine Griezmann.

Arsenal are in talks with Real Sociedad over the futures of Carlos Vela and Antoine Greizmann and it looks like one of the attackers could end up moving to north London this summer, according to reports in Spain.

We’ve been linked with a move for Griezmann in recent months after sending scouts to keep a close eye on his progress last season, and they would have been impressed by what they saw as the winger score 16 goals in 36 games to help Sociedad to a seventh placed finish in the La Liga table.

We’ve also been linked with Griezmann’s team mate Carlos Vela, with the Mexican tipped to make a return to the Emirates just two years after we sold him for €3m euro’s after a disappointing six-year stay in North London that saw him make just 62 appearances for the club.

Arsenal inserted several clause’s in the 25-year-old’s contract when he was sold that means not only are we in line to make 50% of any sell-on fee but we can also buy him back for just €4m. Vela recently claimed we “wouldn’t be very intelligent” if we didn’t activate the clause this summer after watching him score an impressive 21 goals and provide 13 assist in 52 games last year, but it remains to be seen whether Arsene Wenger feels he’s ready to do the business in the Premier League yet.

However, Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo claims today that Arsenal are already in talks with Sociedad about both attackers and an interesting proposal has been put forward that could see Vela stay in Spain and Griezmann move to the Emirates in a cut-price deal.

The newspaper states that Sociedad want to remove the buy-back clause in Vela’s contract but can’t afford the €12m that Arsenal are demanding, so it’s been suggested that we use that money as part-payment for Greizmann.

The 23-year-old Frenchman has a €30m buy-out clause so if we remove Vela’s buy-back clause – which we value at €12m – then theoretically we could sign Greizmann for the remaining €18m. Which would be an absolute steal for a player of his ability.

It’s certainly an interesting deal and it looks like a win-win-win for Arsenal. If Wenger wants Vela back then we get a top quality attacker for just €4m. If we don’t want him and Sociedad sell, then we get 50% of his fee, which would reportedly be in the region of €30m – so €15m net to Arsenal. And in the third scenario, we could sign Griezmann for just €18m.

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I was a huge fan of Vela’s when he was at Arsenal but he just couldn’t cut it in English football and I’m not sure that’s changed, so my preference would be for Greizmann to come to the club. He’s a real talent and would give us plenty of options and add some much-needed pace in attack next season.