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Arsenal ‘close’ to agreeing deal to sign Serie A midfielder [Mirror]

By mac14 on April 7, 2017

According to a report in the Mirror, Arsenal are closing in on a deal to sign Udinese midfielder Jakub Jankto as Arsene Wenger looks to refresh his midfield options this summer.

The boss is still to resolve his own future but he’s still pressing ahead with his summer transfer plans and a new defensive midfielder appears to be one of several things on his agenda.

Jankto emerged as a target last month with reports suggesting that we were monitoring his situation after scouts were left impressed by his performances in Serie A this season.

However, the Mirror are now citing a report from Tuttomercatoweb that claims we’ve moved ‘closer’ to agreeing a deal to sign Jankto as Wenger looks to pair him alongside Granit Xhaka next season.

No potential transfer fee is mentioned in the report but the 21-year-old has done little to dampen the speculation over a summer move after recently admitting he wants to try a new league soon.

Jankto is quoted as saying by the Mirror:

“I want to play abroad, to try some new experience. I’m curious, I want to know other things, I certainly do not see myself in Italy too long, certainly not up to 25 years.”

A defensive midfielder should be a priority for whoever is in charge this summer as we don’t have enough protection in front of the back four and Francis Coquelin is simply not up to the task.

Granit Xhaka needs someone alongside him to do the dirty work and while Jankto sounds like he is a promising player with a bright future ahead of him, I’m personally not convinced he’s the answer to our problems right now.

He lacks the experience we need and I hope we aim for more established names this summer to turn the squad in to genuine title challengers next season. We don’t have time to wait for Jankto to develop and fulfill his potential so unless he comes in as a back-up, then I won’t be worried if this proposed deal doesn’t go through.