Arsenal could get second chance of signing as new midfielder bid expected
Arsenal have been offered another chance to sign Amadou Diawara as Roma’s attempts to sign Granit Xhaka gain more traction, according to reports.
Xhaka has looked likely to leave Arsenal all summer after becoming Jose Mourinho’s top target at Roma. The former Tottenham boss wanted a deal done before Euro 2020, but his new club were unable to in time. Switzerland international Xhaka went on to excel at the Euros, perhaps forcing Arsenal to rethink their plans.
The 28-year-old has struggled for consistency during his time in north London. Therefore, they were believed to be willing to sell for the right price. However, if he can replicate what he did on the European stage, he could still be useful for them.
If anything, his exploits over the summer will have made them stick to their asking price, which is higher than what Roma have offered so far. It has since been speculated that the Italian side may offer a player in return to meet the valuation.
Diawara has regularly been mentioned as the possible makeweight. Arsenal have been keen on the Guinea international for a while, stretching back to last summer. But an inconsistent 2020-21 season may have put some doubt in their minds.
Still, Diawara made a positive initial impression when he first joined Roma from Napoli. So, perhaps another change of scenery could benefit him. In that case, he could be an interesting option for Arsenal.
According to Il Romanista, the offer of Diawara as part of a bid for Xhaka is still on the table. The Giallorossi believe Diawara is worth €12m, so he would go some way to meeting Arsenal’s requests.
Roma ready to raise Xhaka offer
Whether he is eventually included in the deal or not, Roma want to complete the signing of Xhaka by the end of this week to give him enough time in pre-season. To that end, Calciomercato claim a new bid of €18m is about to arrive. It would more than halve the distance between the most recent offer of €15m and Arsenal’s hopes for €20m.
Another report from Leggo also concurs that the Serie A side want to finalise the deal before the end of the week. Whether Arsenal accept their latest offer by then remains to be seen.
Xhaka is certainly hoping they do. He has long since agreed personal terms with Roma and has made his desire clear to Arsenal. In fact, Calciomercato claim he is willing to cut his holidays short to seal the transfer.
Therefore, it may only be a matter of time before his Arsenal exit goes through – if, that is, they are happy with the latest offer.
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