Boyhood Arsenal fan ready to snub Mourinho for Emirates switch
A Holland international midfielder is boyhood Arsenal and would be tempted by a switch to The Emirates, despite talks of a switch to Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
AZ Alkmaar skipper Teun Koopmeiners is the player in question, with the Gunners, Roma and French outfit Rennes all linked with the player. Arsenal are in need of central midfielders, with Granit Xhaka closing in on a switch to the Italian capital.
De Telegraaf states that Koopmeiners is viewed as the perfect replacement for Xhaka, who impressed at Euro 2020 but has largely been a disappointment for the Gunners.
Koopmeiners, who has previously been linked with Leeds and Liverpool, is renowned for his passing range and versatility to play a number of positions. He is also regarded as better all-round player than his Swiss counterpart.
Set-pieces are also his forte, with Koopmeiners contributed an incredible 33 goals and added 10 assists from a deep-lying defensive midfield role in the past two seasons.
The 23-year-old is unlikely to remain with Alkmaar until the end of the summer transfer window. And De Telegraaf reports that Arsenal are in play for his signature.
However, just a few weeks ago, Koopmeiners stated that he was closing in on a switch to Roma. He said: “Talks with the Giallorossi (Roma) are going in the right direction.
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That means the Gunners will have to act quickly to get their man, as Arteta looks to bolster his side.
Koopmeiners is not the only midfielder linked Arsenal. The likes of Ruben Neves, Sambi Lokonga and Manuel Locatelli have all been tipped to join the club.
Indeed, Lokonga is already said to have agreed his shirt number at the Emirates ahead of a deal.
As for Koopmeiners, the Dutch star is expected to cost in the region of £18million. That is a fee that Roma are likely to balk at, giving the north London side the advantage.
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