Arsenal and Tottenham offered chance to sign 27-year-old PSG star, but Premier League rivals now lead race to sign him: Reports
Arsenal and their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur have been offered the opportunity to sign Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder Carlos Soler.
According to HITC, these are not the only clubs interested in the Spanish player (via CaughtOffSide). Premier League club Aston Villa, who are set to play the UEFA Champions League next season, are leading the race for Soler's signature.
The 27-year-old has failed to cement a position in the starting XI for the Parisians and has started just 11 Ligue 1 matches this campaign. Overall, he's made 23 league appearances, bagging a goal and two assists.
The Gunners may be looking for a slightly different profile as compared to Soler's. Rather than a number eight, Mikel Arteta's men will be looking to sign another defensive midfielder as a long-term partner for Declan Rice.
Thomas Partey has proved to be injury-prone, which has required Jorginho to fill in for the Ghana international. Hence, it seems unlikely that Soler would play a key role even if he does arrive at the Emirates in the upcoming transfer window.
Meanwhile, Spurs may be looking to upgrade on the likes of Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. Given the limited competition in these areas, Soler may be better off joining Tottenham instead of their north London rivals.
Arsenal have stepped up in their efforts to sign midfield target in summer transfer window - Reports
Arsenal have reportedly stepped up in their efforts to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi in the summer transfer window. According to TBR Football, it is the club's manager, Mikel Arteta, who is attempting to convince the Spanish midfielder to join the Emirates (via CaughtOffSide).
Zubimendi is primarily a number six but can also play in the box-to-box role if needed. However, he's not the only name on the Gunners' list, as they're believed to have added Benfica midfielder Joao Neves to the wishlist as well.
So far in his senior club career, Zubimendi has made 188 appearances across competitions, bagging eight goals and seven assists. A move to north London would earn the 25-year-old the opportunity to compete for the Premier League and Champions League titles next season.
Currently, Arsenal are two points behind league-leaders Manchester City heading into the final day of the season. They crashed out of the Champions League in the final eight after losing to Bayern Munich.