Arsenal Make Lucrative Contract Offer To £18m-Rated Spurs Target

The summer transfer window is now open for business and it’s expected to be a busy few weeks as managers strengthen their squads ahead of next season, so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip. Today, Arsenal have made their move for Spurs target Morgan Schneiderlin.

Arsenal have stepped up their interest in Morgan Schneiderlin and hope their lucrative contract offer will persuade the midfielder to snub interest from Tottenham Hotspur, according to reports today.

Arsene Wenger has been widely tipped to bring in a defensive midfielder this summer and it’s understood the Frenchman has now made Schneiderlin his No.1 target after struggling to make any headway in his pursuit of Sami Khedira or Lars Bender.

Tottenham have also been strongly linked with the French international this summer with new boss Mauricio Pochettino supposedly keen on being reunited with the 24-year-old having worked together at Southampton last season.

However, it appears the Gunners have stepped up their interest in Schneiderlin with Goal claiming today they have now put forward a lucrative contract package to the midfielder through intermediary agents and hope the deal, combined with the chance to play Champions League football, will lure the player to the Emirates.

This news comes shortly after reports speculated that Arsenal officials had opened preliminary talks with Southampton over a deal Schneiderlin, with Arsenal understood to be willing to pay £15m and the Saints holding out for £18m.

As the the two clubs are just £3m apart in their valuations, a deal seems likely, but Tottenham are yet to show their hand and it remains to be seen whether they’ll be willing to match Southampton’s asking price.

So as it stands, Arsenal are arguably in the driving seat as they have made contact with Southampton and have put forward a lucrative salary offer to the player, while the possibility of playing top level European football is also going to be an extremely appealing proposition for the midfielder.

However, Schneiderlin fuelled speculation of a move to White Hart Lane last month after praising former coach Pochettino in an interview with Goal. He said:

“With the quality Tottenham have, Mauricio Pochettino will get the best out of each player.

“He came in and made Southampton play and now Tottenham have a great future.

“He improved me very much. He improved the whole squad and improved me as a player. He’s a great coach and good man.”

Schneiderlin clearly rates the Argentinean as a manager so he’ll have a tough decision to make if both Arsenal and Tottenham manage to agree deals with Southampton, and it is likely to just come down to whether the player wants to link-up again with his former boss, or play in the Champions League and earn more money at Arsenal.

The Gunners are in need of an anchorman to act as a long-term replacement for Mikel Arteta, and there weren’t many better holding midfielders in the Premier League than Schneiderlin last season. His stats were hugely impressive and he’d no doubt be the perfect foil for the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere next season if Wenger could lure him to the Emirates.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Spurs transfer news

Spurs on the other hand seem well-stocked in the middle of the park with Etienne Capoue, Sandro, Nabil Bentaleb, Mousa Dembele and Paulinho all on the books already, so Pochettino may have to sell one of his current crop in order to make room for the possible arrival of Schneiderlin.