Don't Miss

Arsenal ready to launch £22m bid following talks with agent in London

By mac14 on June 25, 2019

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Arsenal preparing a £22m bid to sign Torino star Armando Izzo as Unai Emery looks to strengthen his options at centre-back this summer.

We were woeful at the back once again last season as we shipped 51 goals in the Premier League – 70 in all competitions – and our inability to keep clean sheets was a major reason we failed to finish in the top four.

Hopefully we can find a buyer for Shkodran Mustafi this summer as he’s a total liability while Laurent Koscielny has been linked with a move as he’s about to enter the final year of his contract and is unlikely to sign an extension.

Arsenal desperately need a commanding centre-back to marshal the defence next season and Izzo has emerged as a potential target recently with TuttoMercatoWeb reporting that the players agent, Paolo Palermo, held talks with Arsenal in London last week.

It looks like we’re ready to formalise our interest in the Italian international as Gianluca Di Marzio claims Arsenal are prepared to test Torino’s resolve with a £22m [€25m] bid to sign Izzo this summer.

The 27-year-old only moved to Torino from Genoa last summer and he was excellent in his debut season at the club as he helped Walter Mazzarri’s team finish seventh in Serie A with one of the best defensive records in the division.

It seems his impressive form has now attracted interest from Arsenal but a deal isn’t going to be straightforward as Gianluca Di Marzio claims Everton are also prepared to bid £22m for Izzo while Torino are determined to hang on to the defender.

The Sky Sports News reporter says Torino president Urbano Cairo has told Izzo’s agent they aren’t willing to sell the centre-back this summer and instead they want to offer him a new contract.

Arsenal trying to thrash out deal to sign French star

Izzo’s current deal has three years left to run so the Italian’s are under no pressure to sell this summer but the player could yet force their hand by refusing to sign an extension in light of Arsenal’s interest.

If the centre-back makes it clear he wants to leave then Torino may opt to cash-in rather than keep hold of an unsettled player and Arsenal should be confident of beating Everton to his signature.