A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Gary Lineker voices a warning about their Premier League title bid as Bayern Munich plot a transfer raid on Emirates Stadium.
Bayern Munich eye Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko’s transfer for Vincent Kompany
Bayern Munich are considering reuniting Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko and Vincent Kompany in the summer transfer window. That is according to the Mirror, which reports that Der FCB are closely eying the 27-year-old after hiring Kompany to replace Thomas Tuchel.
Kompany knows Zinchenko well from their spells at Manchester City and Bayern Munich can see a chance to target his transfer. The Ukraine hero fell out of favour at Emirates Stadium in 2023/24 under Mikel Arteta, who started Zinchenko in 20 of his 27 Premier League matches.
Takehiro Tomiyasu also ended the campaign as Arteta’s first-choice at left-back. So, Bayern Munich are following Zinchenko’s situation at Arsenal in case they can target his transfer for Kompany. The Bavarian giant hired the ex-Burnley boss as their head coach on Wednesday.
Read more about Bayern Munich’s interest in Zinchenko’s summer transfer, here.
Gary Lineker feels Arsenal’s 24/25 Premier League title bid hinges on the transfer window
Gary Lineker feels Arsenal ‘might’ overcome Manchester City to win the Premier League title next season. The Match of the Day host is confident the Gunners can at least go ‘very close’ to lifting their first title since 2003/04. But their bid hinges on the summer transfer window.
Arsenal finished a second successive season as the runners-up in 2023/24. They ran Man City to the last day as Mikel Arteta’s side, ultimately, failed to win the title by just two points. The north London giants enduring two more defeats than the Citizens proved the difference.
Arteta has impressed Lineker with how he has made Arsenal a title-contending team with an array of young talents, too. Only three clubs registered a lower average age this season than the Gunners’ 25.1. Now, Lineker feels their constant growth might deliver the top-flight title.
“Yeah, I think they might [win the Premier League title next season],” Lineker told The Rest Is Football. “[But it] depends on who they bring in.
“I think Arteta has done a brilliant job. You can see gradual improvement season-in, season-out. [They have a] young team, they buy into what he believes in and they are improving. They are definitely on the right track and I think they will go very close again next season.”
Read more about what Lineker has said about Arsenal’s 24/25 title hopes, here.
Perry Groves thinks Arsenal can sell Aaron Ramsdale for ‘£45-50m’
Highbury hero Perry Groves thinks Arsenal can demand ‘£45-50m’ to sell Aaron Ramsdale in the summer transfer window. He also expects Mikel Arteta will let the 26-year-old leave and avoid stalling the England goalkeeper’s career, with David Raya now the Gunners’ clear No1.
Raya ousted Ramsdale to start between the sticks at Emirates Stadium after the September international break. Arteta would also recall the Chesterton-born shot-stopper for just their Premier League games against Brentford with Raya ineligible to face his parent side on loan.
Reports by the Daily Mail note that Newcastle United are interested in exploiting Ramsdale’s situation at Arsenal by targeting his transfer. But the Magpies are loath to pay the Gunners’ asking price of at least £30m. Yet Groves says Arsenal can demand even more for Ramsdale.
Groves explained on talkSPORT: “It will be £45-50m and, to be fair, I don’t think Arteta will want to keep him on the bench. Do you know what I mean? I think he would think, ‘I don’t want to hold your career back’.
“I think there will be just an understanding where it’s going to be, ‘Raya is my No1 [and] you are my No2. You have done brilliantly for the club. You have never let the club down [and] the fans love you. But you have got to go on and you have got to be playing’.”
Read more about what Groves has said about Ramsdale’s value to Arsenal, here.