DEAL CONFIRMED: Arsenal have directly told £50 million forward they'd pay his full price tag to sign him in next 24hours

Arsenal have directly communicated to a highly-rated forward that they'd pay his full £50 million price tag to sign him for manager Mikel Arteta.

Edu and Arteta targeting new forward for Arsenal

Sporting director Edu remains in the market to sign a new attacker for the north Londoners this summer, as the club look to challenge Man City for the third-successive season and hopefully beat Pep Guardiola to the Premier League title.

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£25 million player who Arteta personally wants is ready to join Arsenal

Arsenal are in widely reported talks to sign Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, but they're also looking to bring in a right-winger who can rotate with star player Bukayo Saka out wide.

The Gunners have been linked with a few interesting names, with Arsenal monitoring a lesser-known player in Edon Zhegrova as one option. Bigger names like Wolves winger Pedro Neto are rumoured to be on Arsenal's radar too, as Arteta seeks strength in depth behind Saka.

Arsenal's top scorers in all competitions last season

Goals

Bukayo Saka

Leandro Trossard

Kai Havertz

Martin Odegaard

Gabriel Jesus

The England international racked up 20 goals and 14 assists in all competitions last term, but there are few star alternatives who can do the job in his stead, especially if injury were to befall Saka at any point.

Arsenal were offered Man United winger Jadon Sancho, according to some reports in Italy, but Arteta and co didn't entertain the Red Devils' advances. Alongside the likes of Neto, an electric winger who Arsenal are apparently interested in is Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams

The 21-year-old, who's dazzled at Euro 2024 with Spain so far, helping them reach the semi-finals, registered a very impressive 19 assists in all competitions for Bilbao last season.

Spanish media claim that Arsenal are bidding with Chelsea to sign Williams, who is also of serious interest to La Liga heavyweights Barcelona. The winger earns a reported £200,000-per-week at his current club, and a salary equal to or above that figure would make Williams one of Arsenal's highest earners.

They've apparently made that crystal clear in contact with the forward, and so have Arne Slot's Liverpool. However, both sides appear set to be disappointed by his response, as HITC also claim Williams favours a Barca move over the Premier League as things stand.

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"Nico Williams would be a spectacular signing for us at Barcelona, it’d be incredible," said Spanish star Pedri in an interview with newspaper Mundo Deportivo. "He’s a player who is already showing what he’s capable of. I hope he can join us."

“I’ve been telling Nico Williams to come to Chelsea, but everything depends on him," the defender told Catalan daily Sport. "He’s young and has a lot of experience. I think he will be a great player.”