Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners set to battle with Spurs for £50m Premier League defender this summer
What's the story?
Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have both been scouting the same defender, and after it was revealed that Spurs were lining up a £50m bid for the 26-year-old, the Gunners also made their presence known, indicating that they'd be willing to compete with their bitter rivals for the England international this summer.
In case you didn't know...
The defender in question is Michael Keane, who plays as a centre-back for Everton. He started out his career with Manchester United, being promoted to the senior side back in 2011. But at the time, he wasn't deemed good enough for the Red Devils and was sold in 2015 to Burnley for £2m.
However, two years on from that move, he was signed by Everton for a whopping £25m. With two seeming to be the magic number here, Arsenal and Spurs want to splash out £50m this summer, which would be a record amount spent on a defender for both clubs.
The heart of the matter
Both Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery have expressed their desire to bolster their defences this summer, and whilst there are several top players on their shortlist, it's Michael Keane who seems to be the priority for the London-based clubs.
Spurs' main defender Toby Alderweireld only has a single year left on his contract, and many believe that he'll have left the club by the end of this summer, so Pochettino is eager to find a solid replacement who can plug the gap left by the Belgian powerhouse.
Similarly, Arsenal's Shrokdran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny have their futures at the club shrouded in mystery, with many fans of the club expecting the pair to be sold before the 2019/20 campaign begins.
Arsenal and Spurs had scouts present at Everton's 2-0 victory over West Ham, undoubtedly watching over Keane as he kept a clean sheet for the Toffees.
Rumour Ratings: 5/10
The Mirror are the source for this rumour and it has to be taken with a pinch of salt. The English publication have got a lot of rumours spot on but at the same time have some bogus claims as well.
What next?
Only time will tell which club will come out on top in the battle for Michael Keane, and there isn't a great deal to separate the teams, either, so it will simply be who can offer the most cash.