Arsenal are being backed to sign the Bayern Munich star, who has privately made his feelings clear about a move to the Gunners.
Arsenal continue quadruple charge after win against Brighton
It wasn’t a very good result, but it hardly needs to be when they are seven points clear at the top of the Premier League with eight games left.
Arsenal traveled to the Amex on Wednesday night without William Saliba and Martin Odegaard, but were on the back foot for long periods as they were booed off the pitch by an increasingly furious Brighton crowd.
Brighton had the most possession, created the better chances and you can’t complain if you felt they deserved something from this game. they got nothing.
Instead, Bukayo Saka scored within nine minutes.
He received the ball from Julian Timber on the edge of the area, took aim, and his shot deflected off Carlos Baleva and went between the legs of Bad Verbruggen. Only a third of Saka’s 300th appearance for Arsenal has passed and the outcome is effectively sealed.
While Man City dropped two points against Nottingham Forest at the Etihad, Mikel Arteta’s side persevered, soaked up the pressure and at times rode on a stroke of luck to pick up three more precious points.
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On paper, it’s another unconvincing victory. It could be another decisive night from a title contention standpoint.
Arteta will now have to rotate and manage his squad carefully as matches will be intense and fast-paced. The FA Cup fifth round tie will be played away at Mansfield Town on Saturday, but this trip will give minutes to peripheral players and keep the dream of a quadruple title alive.
Then comes the small matter of the Champions League last-16 first leg at Bayer Leverkusen next Wednesday before the Premier League resumes.
It’s a schedule that demands depth, and it’s a club Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka is keeping an eye on.
Leon Goretzka dreams of joining Arsenal this summer
According to Bayern in-form insider Christian Falk, Arsenal are currently leading the race to sign Goretzka this summer – and importantly, the player himself wants to sign him.
Falk reports that despite reports of an approach at the time, Arsenal did not submit a formal bid in January, but made it clear to Goretzka’s camp officials that they were monitoring the player’s situation and were open to a return.
Atlético Madrid have already held very concrete talks with the German international, with their sporting director visiting Munich in person, but Goretzka’s heart is set in the Premier League, with Arsenal at the top of his list.
“He wants to play for Arsenal,” Falk wrote in the Q&A.
“In my heart I feel this is the perfect next club.”
Falk goes on to paint a picture of a player who is fully aware of how well this move suits his style. Goretzka has reportedly been a long-time admirer of English football and believes the intensity and physicality of the Premier League suits his style of play.
“I heard he loves the Premier League and his style of play is well-suited to English football,” Falk continued.
“But he is not focused on one club and only one club this summer. If Arsenal are there, he will be happy to sit down at the table and listen to offers. Tottenham are also interested and that could be an option, but Spurs are not as attractive an option as Arsenal at the moment. Arsenal are playing very well at the moment and they are in the Champions League.”
The 31-year-old is nearing the end of his Bayern career, but the prospect of competing for major honors in new surroundings is a huge draw.
It remains to be seen whether Arteta will make the move official, but Goretzka has been hailed as a “machine” (Sami Khedira) with “exemplary behavior” and attitude behind the scenes.
An experienced back-to-back winner of his ilk would only be a further boon to Arteta’s already stellar dressing room, with reports claiming the soon-to-be free agent is willing to take a huge pay cut from around £300,000 a week to £106,000 a week to facilitate his next move.
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