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November 24th , 2024

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ARSENAL PLOTTING MOVE FOR ?40M WONDERKID DUBBED THE 'NEXT GABRIEL MARTINELLI'

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Arsenal are interested in signing teenage player Vitor Roque this summer, according to reports.



Arsenal's title hopes have been dented in recent weeks, after three consecutive draws lost their precious position to second-placed Manchester City.


The Gunners are leading Man City by five important points, although Pep Guardiola has two games left in his hand.


The title will be decided at the Etihad on Wednesday when the two teams face off in a blockbuster clash.





But whether Arsenal win the title or not, Mikel Arteta will be keen to add depth to his squad ahead of next season's packed Champions League schedule, with a place in the top four almost certain. One of the names mentioned when moving to Emirates was 18-year-old striker Roque, who has established himself as one of the most exciting talents in the world.


Arsenal prepare decision for 'next Martinelli'



Roque has enjoyed a stellar season with Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense, catching the eye of Europe's top clubs.


Barcelona, ??Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester United are all said to be monitoring the Brazil international.



Meanwhile, the Gunners are said to have sent a number of scouts to watch Roque and are considering a big move for him this summer.


The north London club have been given a boost after Roque revealed his desire to play in the Premier League. 


And now Chelsea could be out of the race, with the Blues having to raise funds if they want to meet Financial Fair Play guidelines, Football Insider claims.



The report also states that Athletico Paranaense values ??the striker between £35-40m, which could knock Chelsea out of negotiations and pave the way for Arsenal to sign him.


Indeed, the Gunners recruitment department believes Roque can 'follow in Martinelli's footsteps' and see Chelsea's financial situation as the perfect opportunity to 'snatch the deal'. 


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Kalidou Koulibaly is unhappy with his situation at Chelsea even before the end of his first season with the club and could ask to leave in the summer, according to a report.



Chelsea signed Koulibaly from Napoli last summer after years of being linked with a move to the Premier League. In Serie A, he established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the world. However, things have come crashing down surprisingly for him in the UK.


As a result, one has the feeling that Chelsea could cut their losses on Koulibaly after just one season. And according to La Gazzetta Dello Sport, a return to Italian football could be in the plans.


According to the Italian press, Juventus has contacted Koulibaly. Last summer he said he 'couldn't' join them out of 'faith' and 'respect' for Napoli. But he may have changed his mind.



Indeed, Koulibaly is "unhappy" at Chelsea. As a result, he may have to think more seriously about any exits he previously ruled out.


For Juventus to get Koulibaly, Chelsea may have to accept a loan offer, possibly with an option to buy outright. The La Gazzetta report compares the potential formula to the one Chelsea used to get Romelu Lukaku back to Inter Milan last summer.


When everything was stable, the recruitment of Koulibaly was just an idea in Juventus' mind. But since they plan to strengthen their defence, it probably won't take long for them to get more serious with the Senegal international. After all, Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri has liked Koulibaly for quite some time. In fact, he also made it his defensive target last summer.



This year, Allegri still considers Koulibaly the ideal central defender for Gleison Bremer. He will have to hope the 31-year-old likes Juventus as his destination and that Chelsea can cooperate.


Could Koulibaly leave Chelsea? Since joining Chelsea, Koulibaly has made 31 appearances for the club in all competitions. He is still a regular starter in the Premier League, but not as dominant as he was at Napoli.


There are plenty of other centre-backs available for Chelsea, including January signing Benoit Badiashile and another reinforcement last summer, Wesley Fofana.



But the Blues will have to retain some experience in defence. Therefore, they will have to pay attention to their depth in this position. But if Koulibaly wasn't as pleased as the report made it to be, there was no point in them keeping him.


Koulibaly's contract in west London is said to run until 2026 with the option to extend for a further year.  

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