Arsenal Transfer News Roundup: Gunners prioritising Declan Rice move; Nuno Tavares wants Emirates return, and more - February 25, 2023

Arsenal will host Leicester City at the Emirates on Saturday (February 25) in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta's men are atop tje standings after 23 games, while their opponents are 14th.

Meanwhile, the Gunners are prioritising a move for Declan Rice this summer. Elsewhere, Nuno Tavares wants to return to the Emirates at the end of his loan spell with Marseille.

On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on February 25, 2023:

Arsenal prioritising Declan Rice move

Arsenal are prioritising a move for Declan Rice, according to The Athletic via Football London.

The Gunners are looking to bolster their midfield this summer and are interested in Jude Bellingham. However, his £150 million price tag makes a transfer highly unlikely, forcing the club to put all their efforts into securing Rice.

Declan Rice will join Arsenal with a five-year deal agreed upon. Rice will be paid £ 200,000 a week at the Emirates Stadium according to sources. #afc

📲- youtu.be/yGkvxA4nqXU https://t.co/OtoQ7TFe7I

Arteta is a long-term admirer of the West Ham United man, who is in the final 18 months of his contract with the Hammers. The 24-year-old is unlikely to sign an extension with West Ham, and a move to the Emirates could be on the cards.

Nuno Tavares wants Emirates return

Nuno Tavares has caught the eye at the Stade Velodrome.

Nuno Tavares wants to return to the Emirates at the end of his loan deal with Marseille.

The Portuguese moved to the Stade Velodrome last summer on loan for the season and has been quite impressive. The Ligue 1 giants don't have the option to sign him permanently but remain interested in extending his stay.

🗣️ Nuno Tavares : “Everyone knows that I have 2 years left on my contract with Arsenal. I will finish the season here, achieve the objectives with OM & then I will return to Arsenal. I can't say anything more.” #afc https://t.co/894MySQo38

However, speaking to the club's website as relayed by Sport Witness, Tavares said he will return to his parent club at the end of the season.

"Everyone knows that I still have two years left with Arsenal on my contract. We’ll finish the season. I’m here until the end of the season to reach our objectives with Marseille. I can’t tell you much more," said Tavares.

He added:

“I feel very good here, with these players, this manager. We get along really well. At the end of the season, I will return to Arsenal. I can’t say much more."

The 23-year-old has registered six goals from 27 games across competitions this season for Marseille.

Jonathan Johnson updates on Folarin Balogun future

Folarin Balogun could be on the move this summer.

Journalist Jonathan Johnson reckons Folarin Balogun will not be short of options this summer. The Arsenal striker is on loan at Reims this season and has topped the Ligue 1 goalscoring charts alongside Jonathan David and Kylian Mbappe (15 goals).

In his column for Caught Offside, Johnson said that quite a few clubs in the Premier League are interested in the 21-year-old.

"With the Premier League clubs looking at Balogun at the moment, my understanding is it’s clubs outside of the top six who are pushing to break into the top six. Those clubs interested are looking at the current attacking options that Mikel Arteta has available to him such as Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, which might suggest there’s an opportunity there," wrote Johnson.

He continued:

“Reims have also expressed an interest in keeping him on, as he’s doing extremely well under Will Still, but it could be that, financially, the deal is out of reach for Reims, so that could leave the player with a decision to make this summer, whether to go and fight for his place in the Arsenal team or whether to go somewhere else if someone tries to acquire him."

Arteta on Folarin Balogun development: “I’m so happy for him. He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career”. ⚪️🔴 #AFC

“He’s really ambitious, really committed and our decision process was long as he had many proposals last summer”. https://t.co/t8uBDP6tkG

Johnson also believes clubs from the Bundesliga could knock on Balogun's door this summer.

"He’s been very impressive, and I think a number of clubs in, say, the Bundesliga will be very interested in him. You look at players like Randal Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram and Alassane Plea, and they’re in that kind of mould, so I think there’ll be a lot of interest in him this summer," wrote Johnson.

Johnson added:

"Arsenal, being the parent club, will have a significant say over his future, but I think he’s one to watch. I think, given the way Arteta tends to handle the loanees at Arsenal, he’ll at least want to have a close look at Balogun before making a decision on him in the summer.”

The Englishman has registered 16 goals and two assists from 25 games across competitions this season for Reims.