8.15am Arsenal news LIVE: Tagliafico £20m transfer to push Saka to wing, Kluivert-Mkhitaryan exchange – The Sun

ARSENAL fans are eager to hear more news of Project Restart after Gunners stars returned to training yesterday.

It looks set to be a busy summer at the Emirates, with the Gunners reportedly stepping up their pursuit of Nicolas Tagliafico.

Follow all the latest updates from North London below…

  • GUNNER GET HIM

    Arsenal are favourites to land Feyenoord starlet Orkun Kokcu as replacement for Mesut Ozil this summer, beating Chelsea to the punch.

    Mikel Arteta is set to spend between around £23million on the Dutch-born attacking midfielder, 19, say reports in Spain.

    Mundo Deportivo claim Kokcu would be a like-for-like replacement for Ozil, whose time at the Emirates appears to be over after another turbulent season in North London.

    Frank Lampard's Blues had been linked with the No10, along with Spanish sides Sevilla and Real Betis – with Serie A giants Roma and Atalanta also keen.

    Feyenoord don't want to sell Kokcu and, earlier this season, were determined to stave off the advances of Europe's biggest and richest clubs.

    But the impact of coronavirus may have forced their hand, with £20m seemingly enough to secure the attacking midfielder.

  • GOOD MORNING GUNNERS FANS

    The Premier League confirmed there were six positive coronavirus tests from three Premier League clubs this week.

    A total of 748 players and staff were checked and the six individuals will self-isolate for seven days.

    Arsenal stars were snapped arriving at work as they look to get back to business.

    The Gunners became the first Premier League side to return to training at the end of April, as players worked on different pitches and had their own footballs to avoid any threat of cross-contamination.

    But boss Mikel Arteta, was joined by David Luiz and Hetor Bellerin as they arrived for training in a larger number with players returning back to England.

    On the transfer front, reports yesterday linked Arsenal with moves for Benfica star Rafa Silva as well as Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby.

    Arteta is also eyeing up a move for Layvin Kurwaza.

    The PSG left-back will be a free agent in the summer but Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are also interested.

    And finally, speculation was rife yesterday surrounding a new contract for Bukayo Saka after the Gunners put up no fewer than FOUR Instagram posts about the flying wide man, 18.

  • SHOW US YOUR SHIRTS

    The Gunners have been encouraging their supporters to show off their replica jerseys on Twitter this evening.

    They asked: “Who was the first player you got on the back of an Arsenal shirt and why did you choose them?”

    Unsurprisingly, there were a fair few responses with Ian Wright and Thierry Henry, naturally, featuring heavily.

    Here are some of the best replies, including from their very own Leah Williamson!

  • MUNICH MAYHEM

    Ashley Cole revealed Didier Drogba’s Champions League final equaliser is a “blur”.

    The Ivorian powered in a bullet header with two minutes to go against Bayern Munich in 2012 before going on to slot home the winning penalty in the shootout.

    Cole – who left Arsenal for Chelsea in 2006 – told Football Journalism at the University of Derby: “The Drogba goal was a blur really.

    “I was physically and mentally drained but after the goal went in I was ready to go again and knew we would win.”

  • BUK THE TREND

    Is there a new contract on the way for Bukayo Saka?

    If not, are the Gunners doing all they can to show much they love their academy graduate!

    They have put not one, not two, not three… but FOUR Instagram posts about the flying wide man today!

    Here they are for you….

    View this post on Instagram

    ? Just getting started #Saka #Arsenal

    A post shared by Arsenal Official (@arsenal) on

  • ONE CLUB MISSING

    As per reports, it is understood the six positive tests from 748 were from 19 Premier League clubs.

    The final side, as yet unnamed, are understood to have conducted their checks today.

    So those results will be included in an overall total later this week.

  • 'NO SPECIFIC DETAILS'

    More on the news of those six positive test results – and the Premier League have issued the following statement.

    They said: “The Premier League can today confirm that, on Sunday 17 May and Monday 18 May, 748 players and club staff were tested for Covid-19.

    “Of these, six have tested positive from three clubs. Players or club staff who have tested positive will now self-isolate for a period of seven days.

    “The Premier League is providing this aggregated information for the purposes of competition integrity and oversight.

    “No specific details as to clubs or individuals will be provided by the Premier League due to legal and operational requirements.”

  • SIX POSITIVE

    The Premier League has announced six players from three clubs have tested positive for coronavirus as doubts over Project Restart continue.

    Top-flight bosses had pencilled in a return date of Friday June 12 for the first match back from the lockdown.

    The League confirmed there have been six positive test results from 748 players and staff.

    Those individuals will now self-isolate for 14 days.

  • GUNNING TO GET GOING

    Arsenal stars were snapped arriving at work as they look to get back to business.

    The Gunners became the first Premier League side to return to training at the end of April, as players worked on different pitches and had their own footballs to avoid any threat of cross-contamination.

    But boss Mikel Arteta, was joined by David Luiz and Hetor Bellerin as they arrived for training in a larger number with players returning back to England.

    Under the new measures individual training is allowed while groups of no more than five players are permitted per pitch, with training times staggered.

  • MES THE MAN

    Mesut Ozil and Arsenal have enjoyed plenty of success in the FA Cup in recent years, winning the tournament in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    And the club ended their nine-year wait for silverware six years ago this week.

    It would prove to be a successful summer for Ozil who then won the World Cup with Germany in Brazil.

  • MOUS THE MAN

    Arsenal are ramping up their interest in Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, according to reports.

    And the winger's signing could represent a change in how Arsenal attack under Mikel Arteta.

    Le10Sport say the Gunners will look to land the 20-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain star this summer despite funds being depleted due to the coronavirus crisis.

    Leverkusen's Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund are also keen on him.

    With five goals in 27 appearances in all competitions, Diaby has chipped in nicely as the back-up man to Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea target Kai Havertz.

    And he supplied two assists in Monday's 4-1 win over Werder Bremen.

  • LAY HIM DOWN

    Arsenal face competition from Atletico Madrid and Barcelona for PSG full-back Layvin Kurzawa.

    Boss Mikel Arteta is bound to bring in some defenders in the summer with question marks over many of the current crop.

    And according to Teamtalk, Kurzawa is one of the names on the shortlist.

    Hi contract is up in the summer, and he is expected to be looking for around £100,000-a-week.

  • SILVA LINING

    Arsenal are reportedly chasing Benfica's Rafa Silva.

    Newspaper Correio da Manhã says that the Portuguese giants however will not let the player leave easily.

    And Arsenal may have to meet the player's release clause, which is believe to be £75m.

    The winger has nine goals and six assists for Benfica this season.

  • LINE THEM UP

    Arsenal are set for a busy summer transfer window with Mikel Arteta tasked with returning the Gunners to their former glory.

    The Premier League side are in danger of missing out on Champions League football for the fourth consecutive campaign, making it harder for them to attract their key targets.

    And with a number of players are set to depart the Emirates at the end of the season, with funds said to be limited, the North Londoners could turn to bringing youngsters to the club.

    SunSport thinks this could be a potential starting XI next season.

    What do you think Gunners fans?

  • FIRE SALE

    Arsenal have blown their chances of getting £100million for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

    That's the opinion for ex-Gunner Jeremie Aliardiere who thinks the club should have acted sooner with the Gabon striker.

    Speaking to Goal the Frenchman said: “Arsenal are in the worst position you can imagine again because you’ve got a top quality player who assures you of 20-25 Premier League goals a season who is one year away from leaving on a free.

    “Or, he gets sold to Barcelona or Real Madrid and for what? How much can you expect for him now? Nothing compared to what if you’d sold him last summer.

    “They could have asked for £100 million.”

  • 'AMAZED IF NOT'

    Jamie Carragher has warned a Premier League star is bound to test positive for Covid-19.

    Tests will be carried out on players today after clubs agreed a return to training.

    Former Liverpool and England star Carragher – now a pundit with Sky Sports – said: “I’ll be absolutely amazed if no one tests positive for Covid-19 up and down this country. I fully expect that to happen.

    “I think the results come out this afternoon and it is something we should not get massively hysterical about if it does happen.

    “I think it will happen and that player then has to isolate. But that’s bound to happen.

    “It’s happened in other countries and it will happen in the Premier League.”

  • LUK WHO'S TALKING

    Former Arsenal star Lukasz Podolski has blasted his former club for their recent failure to qualify for the Champions League

    Speaking to Sky Sports, Podolski said: “The potential of what the club has, it has not been good enough.

    “I think they know it themselves.

    “They have the potential, the history, the facilities and I think they have the money as well.

    “A club like Arsenal has to play every year for the Champions League. Of course, the Premier League is hard and even against the smaller teams.

    “It’s not like other leagues with two or three teams fighting for the title.”

  • GUNNER GET HIM

    Arsenal are favourites to land Feyenoord starlet Orkun Kokcu as replacement for Mesut Ozil this summer, beating Chelsea to the punch.

    Mikel Arteta is set to spend between around £23million on the Dutch-born attacking midfielder, 19, say reports in Spain.

    Mundo Deportivo claim Kokcu would be a like-for-like replacement for Ozil, whose time at the Emirates appears to be over after another turbulent season in North London.

    Frank Lampard's Blues had been linked with the No10, along with Spanish sides Sevilla and Real Betis – with Serie A giants Roma and Atalanta also keen.

    Feyenoord don't want to sell Kokcu and, earlier this season, were determined to stave off the advances of Europe's biggest and richest clubs.

    But the impact of coronavirus may have forced their hand, with £20m seemingly enough to secure the attacking midfielder.

  • GUNNER GOTTA SELL

    Arsenal MUST sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to former Gunner striker Jeremie Aliardiere.

    The Londoners' captain has just a year left on his current deal, and is no closer to signing a new contract.

    And Aliadiere, who won the Premier League with Arsenal in 2004, believes the club should cash in

    Speaking to Goal, the Frenchman said: “They've got to sell him, 100 per cent.

    “Arsenal can’t keep losing players on a free. To be honest, I still can’t believe we’ve again got a top player, our captain, going into the summer only having one year left on his contract.

    “For me, it has to be sorted when he gets to two years. Last summer he should have signed a deal or been sold. Because when you get down to one year left, in a player’s mind there is a difference.

    “If I was Aubameyang and I knew I only had one year left, I would sacrifice one year of my career to go on a free and get paid a ridiculous amount of money and have all the clubs in the world chasing me. Who wouldn’t?”

  • KING HENRY

  • MKHI TAKE

    Arsenal exile Henrikh Mkhitaryan has hinted he wants to make his loan at Roma permament.

    The Armenian failed to make the grade at The Emirates since he joined from Manchester United in a swap deal with Alexis Sanchez.

    And he now admits to feeling more at home with Roma in Serie A.

    Speaking in a program made for the Italian embassy in Armenia, he said: “Since the first day I arrived here in Rome, I feel very good in the club, in the city, and of course it would be nice to stay here.

    “The main target will be the Champions League, other wins and titles.

    “People underestimate Serie A, the Italian league, but it’s more than interesting to play here. The league is getting better and better, and last year’s transfers speak for themselves.”

  • MORNING, ARSENAL FANS

    Ahead of their return to training, the Gunners have been busy lining up their targets ahead of the summer transfer window.

    Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Borussia Monchengladbach defender Nico Elvedi at the end of the season.

    The 23-year-old Swiss star looks set to leave the German club in the summer after an impressive campaign.

    He could be available for £25million – and Arsenal are allegedly prepared to splash the cash.

    Meanwhile, Arsenal are believed to have joined the race to sign Amiens striker Serhou Guirassy.

    The 24-year-old is in-demand, having scored nine goals in 23 games this season.

    Amiens have been controversially relegated from Ligue 1 and the Gunners are prepared to offer him an escape route.

    But it's not all good news for the north London giants.

    Ryan Fraser is set to snub a free transfer to Arsenal as he wants to join Tottenham instead.

    The Bournemouth ace's contract expires this summer and despite prolonged interest from the Gunners, now looks set for a move to their bitter rivals instead.

  • HAV A CHANCE

    Arsenal have been linked to Kai Havertz – but Bayer Leverkusen Jens Nowotny claims Jurgen Klopp can turn him into a world-class player.

    His comments came after the German midfielder put in a man-of-the-match performance with two goals in a 4-1 win over Werder Bremen.

    He told Goal and Spox: “To fulfil his potential, the next step is very, very important. He has to ask himself questions.

    “Are there clubs where he can develop if there is a possible change?

    “Or are there only clubs where he has to arrive and function as a finished player?

    “On the one hand, you need coaches like Klopp, Guardiola or Mourinho, who can take him further.”

  • CLUB ON

    Arsenal are reportedly set to raid Club Brugge for star striker Emmanuel Dennis.

    The Mail claims the Gunners have lined up a £22million bid for the Nigerian ace as they prepare for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s exit this summer.

    The Gabon forward is out of contract in 2021 and unlikely to sign a new deal.

    Arsenal are ready to cash in when the next transfer window opens.

    And it’s believed Arteta already has a replacement lined up in Dennis.

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