Arsenal Transfer News Roundup: Gunners not in talks for Jorrel Hato; club want Premier League duo, and more - February 19, 2024

Arsenal will shift their focus to the UEFA Champions League, where they face FC Porto in the Round of 16 first leg on Wednesday (February 21). Mikel Arteta's team are coming off a 5-0 Premier League win over Burnley at the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Gunners are not in talks to sign Ajax defender Jorrel Hato. Elsewhere, the north London club are eager to sign two Premier League attackers. On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on February 19, 2024.

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Arsenal not in talks for Jorrel Hato

Jorrel Hato has admirers at the Emirates.

Arsenal are not in talks to sign Jorrel Hato, according to acclaimed transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

The 17-year-old defender is the latest talent to emerge out of Ajax’s academy, and his efforts have turned heads at the Emirates. The Gunners have targeted talented young players recently, and Hato could be a fine addition.

However, in his column for Caught Offside, Romano said that the Dutchman is set to sign a new deal with the Eredivisie side instead.

"I’ve mentioned interest from Arsenal in Jorrel Hato multiple times because they’ve been scouting him for months, but it’s also the same for other European top clubs.

"Hato is also set to sign new deal at Ajax very soon, it’s a matter of final details; and it will include NO release clause, from what I’m told," wrote Romano.

Hato has appeared 32 times across competitions for Ajax this season, all of which have been starts.

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Gunners want Premier League duo

Ivan Toney could leave the Gtech Community Stadium in the summer.

Arsenal are convinced by Pedro Neto and Ivan Toney, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Portuguese forward has been impressive for Wolverhampton Wanderers this season, registering three goals and 11 assists in 19 outings across competitions. Toney, meanwhile, has hit the ground running since returning to action in January after an eight-month ban due to involvement in illegal betting.

The English striker has four goals from five outings for Brentford and has played every minute of those games. Both players are expected to be on the move at the end of the season, and the Gunners are plotting to bring them to the Emirates.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT that the north London side believe that the two men would be valuable additions to their squad.

"It was an ideal fixture for them to take in those two players. Both of them have been on the radar over the past year, and it was an opportunity to check exactly where each player is at this stage of the season," said Jones.

He continued:

"To be honest, I think it's beyond the stage of gauging how good either player is. Arsenal are totally convinced that either of them or both of them could work well at the Emirates. There are not really any doubts around that."

Neto and Toney could cost a total of more than £150 million this summer.

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Two English clubs eyeing Emile Smith Rowe

Emile Smith Rowe’s time at the Emirates could be coming to an end.

Newcastle United and Aston Villa are interested in Emile Smith Rowe, according to Football Insider.

The English midfielder is a peripheral figure at Arsenal, having made only 15 appearances this season, starting thrice. Injuries and intense competition for places has hurt the player’s development, and it now appears that his future could lie away from the club.

Despite his struggles, the 23-year-old is not short of options, though. The Villans are Smith Rowe’s long-term admirers, with their boss Unai Emery keen to be reunited with his former player.

The Magpies, meanwhile, are also looking to shore up their midfield and have their eyes on the Englishman. The Gunners are considering his exit ahead of the summer but are yet to make a final decision.