Arsenal transfer stalls as clubs 'oceans apart' on valuation of striker

Tom Weber

Updated: 27 Jul 2024 18:59 BST
4 min read

Arsenal and Olympique Marseille are 'oceans apart' on their valuation of Eddie Nketiah, according to multiple reports.

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The Gunners are looking to move squad players on in a bid to 'upgrade' their side, with Mikel Arteta recently insisting that 'perfection' is needed to win the Premier League in the Man City era.

"Perfection in this league requires different standards to relate that word to winning the Premier League. That's what we need to do, we need to upgrade everything we're doing and improve in every area. That's what we're trying to do."

As such, Riccardo Calafiori is being signed, while talks with Mikel Merino have also progressed to the point where FootballTransfers was able to reveal that personal terms have been agreed. Another area which Arteta has been keen to bolster is the striker position.

Though FootballTransfers understands that Gabriel Jesus is fitter than ever and that Arsenal are happy with him, the Gunners would not turn their nose up at a potential opportunity on the market.

Nketiah deal stalls

However, for a striker incoming to materialise, Eddie Nketiah will have to be offloaded first. Olympique Marseille recently registered an interest in the player and talks with his camp proceeded smoothly.

Personal terms were not a problem, but negotiations have now hit a roadblock. On Friday, Sky Sports reported that Arsenal and Marseille are still 'oceans apart' on their valuation of the striker and that the deal was currently on standby while the Ligue 1 side were deliberating whether to make an improved bid.

Similar information has now been relayed by French outlet La Provence, which claims that Arsenal have no intention to sell Nketiah on the cheap.

The report also appeared to suggest that assertions of an agreement on player terms were premature, though it did acknowledge that Marseille and the striker are close to reaching an accord.

However, Marseille are at serious risk of being priced out of a move for Nketiah unless they show themselves willing to cough up substantially more money.