Arsenal turn attention to Juventus midfielder McKennie to bolster title bid

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 23 Jan 2023 16:31 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal are set to target Weston McKennie of Juventus as their attention turns to strengthening the midfield following the signing of Leandro Trossard.

The Gunners were expected to only sign a forward this window after prioritising a deal for Mykhailo Mudryk, but the 22-year-old's decision to join Chelsea prompted Arsenal to move for Trossard instead.

Mudryk was set to cost Arsenal in excess of £80 million but, with Trossard arriving for just £27m, the door has been opened to move for other signings, with the midfield targets now being considered.

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McKennie had previously been linked with moves to Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Fulham but Italian outlet Gazzetta claims Arsenal could ‘make inroads’ on the 24-year-old.

The report even suggests Juventus could reinvest any money received from McKennie into Real Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda, however the 18-year-old is believed to be close to a move to either Dortmund or, coincidentally, Arsenal.

McKennie’s contract expires in 2025 and Juve are open to selling the player they paid €12m for in 2021 after a loan spell, with the Italian side unconvinced by his suitability to Serie A and the club ready to cash in after being embroiled in a financial scandal.

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Arsenal are ready to pull out all the stops in order to secure their first league title in nearly 20 years after going five points clear at the top of the Premier League following the 3-2 win over Manchester United.

The Gunners - who also have a game in hand - were previously anticipating a fairly quiet window and had only made plans to sign Mudryk but they are now open to strengthening in other areas.

Depth in midfield has always been a concern for Mikel Arteta, with injuries to key players such as Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey this season leaving Arsenal short-staffed at times in the middle of the park.

A move for Polish defender Jakub Kiwior is also thought to be close after Arsenal agreed a £21m fee with Spezia for the 22-year-old and he is now set to travel to north London for a medical.

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The club are also hoping to beat a host of European sides to the signing of Fresneda for a fee of around €15m as a long-term option at right-back, with the Spaniard imminently set to decide between a move to Arsenal or Dortmund after agreeing personal terms with both sides.Arsenal