Arsenal not interested in signing £60M star - reports

Arsenal have reportedly withdrawn their interest in Leicester City playmaker James Maddison. The Gunners are unwilling to match Leicester's valuation of the England midfielder and are now looking at alternative targets.

As per The Athletic, Arsenal have pulled the plug on their move for Maddison. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was keen on signing the Englishman to bolster the club's midfield, but Leicester City's asking price of £60 million proved to be too high.

It’s time for another @TheAthleticUK Arsenal transfer update:🚨 Odegaard remains top target🚨 Aouar back in the frame as alternative🚨 Maddison not under serious consideration at this time🚨 Barca’s Neto is a target as GK2🚨 Striker hopes dwindlinghttps://t.co/oJDUaX77wX

— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) August 12, 2021

Arsenal reportedly tried to negotiate various 'player plus cash' deals, but the FA Cup champions were unwilling to budge.

The Athletic claims Arsenal are still keen on signing a midfielder, with Real Madrid's Martin Odegaard and Lyon's Houssem Aouar now their prime targets.

Martin Ødegaard is still Arsenal's top target. Houssem Aouar is now back in the frame as a potential alternative. James Maddison not under serious consideration right now. Barcelona's Neto is a possible target as a no. 2 goalkeeper.(Via: The Athletic) pic.twitter.com/IXRQN25lE7

— Transferchanger (@TransferChanger) August 12, 2021

---

Arsenal urged to seal James Maddison signing

Arsenal are now set to step up their pursuit of other targets, but former Gunners full-back Nigel Winterburn has urged them to stay focussed on signing James Maddison. The former England international believes the Leicester City star is the ideal player for the Gunners as he will add creativity to their midfield.

"I don't think we need any more holding players, but an attacking, creative midfielder should be one on the radar," Winterburn told Metro [via FreeSuperTips]. "Maddison keeps getting mentioned, but it's a bit frustrating that we've been linked with these players for a long period of time, and nothing has happened."

"You start to doubt whether one of those types of players will end up coming. We need a creative player to inject some vision into the game going forward and by the players being linked it looks as if Arteta feels we need it too."

"'I've said for the past year and a half that Arsenal needed to gradually change their squad and it looks to me as if they're starting to make that overhaul."

Arsenal kick off their Premier League campaign on Friday with a trip to newly-promoted Brentford.