My Arsenal Blog

Arsenal are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing Rodrigo Becao from Udinese in January.

Standing 6’3” tall, Becao is a centre-back of formidable frame who has so far played nine Serie A matches this season for Le Zebrette, nailing a goal and an assist apiece.

Having risen through the youth ranks at EC Bahia, Becao spent a year on loan at CSKA Moscow before moving to Udine for a reported fee of €1.6 million in 2019. Three years and 108 Serie A appearances later, Transfermarkt has him valued at €10m at the age of 26. He is currently out of action with a muscular injury he picked up in the goalless draw against Lazio on October 16.  .......Read more here.....

Pablo Mari has revealed he is happy at Udinese and he wants to stay with the Serie A side past the expiration date on the loan agreement which had him move there from Arsenal in January.

The 28-year-old defender could be a valuable member of Mikel Arteta’s squad if he wouldn’t mind being a rotational option, behind Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White in the pecking order. His ability to play right-back could also be valuable.

However, it’s pretty clear that Mari has no intention of playing second fiddle to anyone.  .......Read more here.....

Arsenal have reached an agreement with Udinese over a loan move for Pablo Mari for the remaining part of the 2021-22 season, according to Fabrizio Romano and Gianluca Di Marzio. The official confirmation is yet to come, however, from either club.

The 28-year-old defender has fallen firmly down the pecking order when it comes to the back line manager Mikel Arteta prefers to name, staring in the back of Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes.

Having joined the Gunners in January 2020 on an initial six-month loan which was later made permanent, Mari has represented Arsenal on just 22 occasions in all competitions in two years. He’s appeared in two Premier League matches and one in the Carabao Cup this season.  .......Read more here.....

Folarin Balogun has joined Middlesbrough on loan for the rest of the season, the club have officially confirmed.

The future of the 20-year-old striker was quite uncertain for a large part of 2020-21, but towards the end of the season he signed a new contract. Balogun could well be given a proper chance in the first-team squad next term, with Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah set to depart and the fate of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang yet to be decided.

Balogun has truly impressed for the Under-23 side this season, scoring 15 goals in 14 appearances across the Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy.  .......Read more here.....

The Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla has this week shared some bad news with his fans, confirming that he will need another intervention to his Achilles injury.

The Gunners star has endured torrid time over the past year which saw him go under the knife nine times. The experienced Spanish international was forced to push the return date even further with the latest update on his fitness status and Arsenal are said to be beginning to lose faith.

Cazorla’s contract is set to expire next summer and Gunners appear to have already started looking for a replacement.  .......Read more here.....

AC Milan are reportedly ready to make a bid for Udinese midfielder Jakub Jankto, according to Calciomercato via talkSPORT. The Serie A giants are said to be in the market for a central midfielder and have long been an admirer of Jankto. Milan could make an official approach when the January transfer window opens.

Arsenal and Everton have also been linked with the 21-year-old, who last season scored and created nine goals in 24 Serie A starts, and has contributed two goals in five appearances this campaign. The Gunners have long needed to strengthen their midfield, but Jankto may be unlikely to dethrone the likes of Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey currently.  .......Read more here.....

Agent Beppe Riso believes Arsenal and two other European clubs are interested in his client Jakub Jankto of Udinese. The highly-rated midfielder enjoyed a breakthrough season for the Serie A side in 2016/17 and now has speculation surrounding his future.

Riso tipped him for Premier League football in the future, but also stressed how important it is to focus on developing with Udinese. Speaking to Sport Italia, he said: “Arsenal like him, he’s a lover of English football, and he’s also liked by Juve, Inter and other teams,” reports FourFourTwo.  .......Read more here.....

After a season of an extensive scouting process, Arsenal are ready to get back in the race for the highly-rated Udinese midfielder Jakub Jankto, according to reports.

The Czech Republic Under-21 international spent last season on loan at Ascoli in Serie B, but is back with Udinese for the current campaign in the Italian top flight with the manager Guiseppe Iachini prepared to give the talented midfielder a chance to shine for the first-team.

The 20-year-old’s natural position is on the left, but he can operate in a variety of positions in the centre of the park.  .......Read more here.....

According to Udinese club president Franco Soldati, Arsenal have made a bid for Colombian international Duvan Zapata, who is currently on-loan in Udine from Serie A rivals Napoli.

Zapata’s loan deal is not due to end until next summer, but Soldati claims that other clubs have attempted to sign the striker in his loan period.

Offers from elsewhere

Soldati told Radio Kiss Kiss: ‘There is a clause that allows Napoli to recall him early from the two-year loan,’  .......Read more here.....