Arsenal could swap Hale End product for Mikel Arteta’s ‘complete’ £50m transfer target

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Arsenal may now offer Hale End graduate Charlie Patino to Juventus so Mikel Arteta can agree a transfer to Emirates Stadium for Dusan Vlahovic in the January window.

The Spaniard is desperate for the Gunners to add to his attack in the winter market. Arsenal have fallen away from the top of the Premier League table in recent weeks and saw their FA Cup campaign end in the third round. The Champions League last 16 also awaits in February.

Arsenal crashed out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle to top-flight table-toppers Liverpool last Sunday. Arteta’s team also sit five points behind the Anfield natives after 20 Premier League games. Bukayo Saka is also their top scorer with nine goals, with six coming in the top-flight.

Arsenal consider a player-plus-cash transfer with Patino for Vlahovic

One striker Arteta particularly appreciates as Arsenal target attacking transfers is Vlahovic of Juventus. Reports by TV Play note that the Gunners boss has never hidden his admiration of the 23-year-old. He is also a ‘very concrete’ target for Arsenal in the January transfer sales.

Arsenal had tried to sign Vlahovic from ACF Fiorentina before he agreed to move to Juventus in January 2022. But any deal to sign him this January will require Arteta to sacrifice a player to afford a deal. So, Arsenal are considering offering Juventus Patino’s transfer for Vlahovic.

Juventus are interested in Patino, and even scouted him on loan with Swansea City in the FA Cup against Morecambe on Saturday. The Bianconeri see the Arsenal academy product as a medium-to-long-term investment. Juve are also confident that Patino will only improve, too.

Juventus are open to a player-plus-cash transfer in the January sales

The proposed swap move would see Arsenal offer Patino and a large cash sum for Vlahovic’s transfer from Juventus. Vlahovic, who Lecce technical director Pantaleo Corvino has dubbed ‘complete’, has scored seven and assisted two goals in his 17 Serie A appearances this term.

Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill also recently noted that Juventus value Vlahovic at £50m amidst transfer interest from Arsenal. But the Serie A side would consider a player-plus-cash proposal given their own financial issues. So, the Patino swap might get Arsenal the Serbian.