"Arsenal will make a second midfield signing" – Journalist details Gunners transfer plan as they look to finalize Declan Rice deal
Arsenal are expected to rope in Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia after Declan Rice's signing in the ongoing summer transfer window.
The Gunners are keen to revamp their midfield ahead of the upcoming campaign. They have already sold Granit Xhaka to Bayer Leverkusen for £21 million and are also likely to sell Thomas Partey in the near future.
Despite reportedly snapping up Rice in a deal worth up to £105 million from West Ham United, the north London outfit are keeping tabs on Lavia. They view the star as a replacement for Partey, as per reports.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Ryan Taylor shed light on Lavia's future at the Saints amid interest from Arsenal and Liverpool. He said:
"As we already know, Liverpool were there and my understanding of Lavia is that his price tag needs to drop soon. I don't think any of the parties are ready to pay £45-£50 million for him, particularly after Southampton's relegation. I do believe Arsenal will make a second midfield signing and I do also expect Partey to make way."
Lavia, 19, has emerged as an in-demand midfield talent of late. Since arriving from Manchester City for an initial £10 million last summer, he has featured in 34 games across competitions for Southampton so far, with 26 of them coming in the Premier League.
Partey, on the other hand, is in the final two years of his contract at the Gunners as his future continues to be a topic of speculation. He has reportedly drawn attention from Saudi Arabian teams and Juventus.
Partey began his Arsenal career on a bright note and has played well on most occasions when called upon. However, his performances piped down towards the flag end of last season. With the player turning 30 last month, Arsenal could potentially be looking to phase him out and replace him with an younger option at the club.
Apart from the aforementioned Rice, Arsenal are also set to sign Ajax star Jurrien Timber for around £40 million in the coming days, as per journalist Chris Wheatley. Earlier last month, they signed Kai Havertz in a permanent switch worth up to £65 million from city rivals Chelsea.
Granit Xhaka comments on leaving Arsenal
Speaking to Keystone-SDA, Granit Xhaka shed light on the reason for leaving the Gunners for Bayer Leverkusen this summer. He revealed:
"There was some speculation that my wife was no longer happy in England. That is not at all true. The fact is that as a person I am always interested in new challenges. After seven years, the time has come for something completely new. During the talks with Simon Rolfes and Xabi Alonso, I felt that the long-term project at Leverkusen was worthwhile and that it was 100% in line with me."
Xhaka, 30, lifted two FA Cup trophies during his seven-year stint at the Emirates Stadium. He scored 23 goals and provided 29 assists in 297 appearances across competitions for the 13-time English champions.
A left-footed holding midfielder, the Swiss is set to provide competition to Exequiel Palacios, Robert Andrich and Kerem Demirbay at his side. He had an excellent final season at the Emirates, registering nine goals and seven assists in 47 games for the Gunners.