Arsenal Transfer News Roundup: Gunners face competition for Ivan Fresneda; club urged to induct Folarin Balogun into squad, and more - May 8, 2023
Arsenal remain in the Premier League title race after a 2-0 win over Newcastle United on Sunday. Mikel Arteta's side next face Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday (May 14) in the league.
Meanwhile, the Gunners face competition from Borussia Dortmund for the services of Ivan Fresneda. Elsewhere, the north London side have been urged to include Folarin Balogun into the squad for next season.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on May 8, 2023:
Arsenal face competition for Ivan Fresneda
Arsenal face competition from Borussia Dortmund for the signature of Ivan Fresneda, according to transfer insider Christian Falk.
The 18-year-old has exploded into the scene at Real Valladolid this season, registering 22 appearances across competitions. The Gunners have identified the Spaniard as the perfect candidate to solve their right-back conundrum.
Arteta has Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu for the role, but neither is expected to be long-term options. Fresneda could be a superb addition to the north London side, who face competition from the Bundesliga for the 18-year-old.
However, in his column for Caught Offside, Falk added that Dortmund might have to offload Thomas Meunier to get their man.
"Real Valladolid’s brilliant 18-year-old, Ivan Fresneda, who has a market value of €10m, has become an option for Dortmund. The right-back has a contract with the Spaniards until 2025, so he would cost around €20m; however, Arsenal are also pushing for his signature and could spend significantly more money," wrote Falk.
He continued:
"If Dortmund do want to bring the player to the Bundesliga, in order to have enough money for him, they’ll need to sell Thomas Meunier. The 31-year-old Belgian has a contract until 2024 but is only third-choice full-back and is also very injury-prone. No wonder that sports director Sebastian Kehl would like to save on his annual €7m salary, while also commanding a small fee for his services."
Arsenal could shift Ben White back to the centre-back position if they sign Fresneda this summer.
Gunners urged to induct Folarin Balogun into squad
Journalist Dean Jones reckons Folarin Balogun must be afforded a chance to prove himself at Arsenal.
The English striker has been outstanding on loan at Reims this season, amassing 19 goals and three assists in 35 games across competitions. However, he's linked with a move away from the Emirates, even though the Gunners are reportedly looking to bolster their attack at the end of the season.
Arteta is said to have identified Lois Openda as a target ahead of the summer. However, speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that Balogun deserves a run in the first team next season.
"I don't know enough about this exact player (Lois Openda) to get a gauge on whether he's a better option than Balogun. Obviously, I'll look into that more as we go down towards the end of the season," said Jones.
He added:
"But, you would think that if you're going to go down this road, would it not be a good idea to go with Balogun first? He's got a good record - you have to say he deserves at least a shot at winning this over. So yeah, I would suggest that Balogun at least deserves a conversation before they go ahead with anything like that."
Balogun could prove to be a valuable cover for Gabriel Jesus at Arsenal and could even go toe-to-toe with the Brazilian for a first-team place
Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to push for league title
Mikel Arteta has urged his Arsenal team to keep pushing for the Premier League title. The Gunners remain in the title challenge with a handful of games remaining but need Manchester City to drop points.
Speaking after Sunday's win, Arteta said that his team cannot lose focus in the final phase of the title race.
"We are there; now, we want to keep digging. The prize is there, not too far. The only thing we can do is keep insisting and don't turn our backs and lose the focus on something else; be determined every single day. Let's keep going and see what happens," said Arteta.
The north London side are a point behind the Cityzens, who have played a game less.