Arsenal Transfer News Roundup: Gunners retain Mohammed Kudus interest; club confident of Bitello move, and more - July 30, 2023
Arsenal have been quite busy in the summer so far. Manager Mikel Arteta has brought in Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber but is not done yet with his recruitment.
Meanwhile, the Gunners have retained their interest in Ajax striker Mohammed Kudus. Elsewhere, the north London side are confident of securing a move for Gremio midfielder Bitello this summer.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on July 30, 2023:
Arsenal retain Mohammed Kudus interest
Arsenal have retained an interest in Mohammed Kudus, according to acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Ghanaian is expected to leave Ajax this summer and clubs are lining up to secure his services. Arteta has invested heavily in the squad but remains keen for reinforcements.
Kudus could be a fabulous choice for the Spanish manager and would fit in like a glove at the Emirates. However, Romano told Give Me Sport that the north London side will need to offload players before they make further additions.
“At the moment, there is still no bid or direct conversation with Ajax yet, so we can't speak about the negotiation yet. There is an interest, but I think for Arsenal now, the priority is to get rid of some players.
"They signed many players, many important players, at the beginning of the summer transfer window. So, it's important now to focus on the outgoings and then we will see,” said Romano.
Kudus is also wanted at Chelsea.
Gunners confident of Bitello move
Arsenal are confident of securing a move for Bitello this summer, according to 90 Min.
The Brazilian midfielder has emerged as a target for Arteta, who has invested a fortune in Declan Rice this month. Sporting director Edu is pushing for a move for his compatriot, who is highly rated at Gremio. The 23-year-old has been operating in the first team for the last two seasons but has already turned heads at clubs across Europe.
Monaco, Porto and Zenit Saint Petersburg are all interested in Bitello, who could be available for £8.5 million. The Gunners are overseeing a midfield revamp and reckon the Brazilian would add value to their squad. The north London side have sent representatives to Brazil and established contact with the player’s entourage.
Arsenal believe they're leading the race for the 23-year-old, but there are multiple clubs talking to the player at the moment.
Declan Rice confident of improving under Mikel Arteta
Declan Rice reckons he could improve tenfold under Arteta. The English midfielder left West Ham United this summer to join Arsenal on a blockbuster move.
Arteta’s presence at the Emirates helm reportedly convinced the player to make the switch, despite interest from Manchester City. The 24-year-old is expected to become an automatic starter for the Spanish manager next season.
Rice told The Athletic that he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to team up with Arteta and play in the UEFA Champions League next season.
“I am not going to learn it (Mikel Arteta’s methods) in two weeks — it is going to take some time — but once I have got it, once I add the stuff he wants to my game along with my qualities. Hopefully I can improve tenfold. Let’s see where it takes me,” said Rice.
He continued:
“Mikel is like a complete opposite end (to the managers he worked with at West Ham) in terms of the way he sees football and the way he wants to play.
"When an opportunity arises that you can play Champions League football, compete for the title, work with Mikel, I’m sure the fans understand you get one career and you need to try and maximise that.”
Rice’s arrival has seen Arteta sanction Granit Xhaka’s departure to Bayer Leverkusen.