Mikel Arteta wants to sign Barcelona star, while Arsenal management eye Newcastle United forward

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is reportedly interested in signing Barcelona star Ferran Torres. Meanwhile, the club's management prefers to go for Newcastle United ace Anthony Gordon.

Ferran Torres has been a revelation for Barcelona this season, contributing 19 goals and seven assists in 45 appearances across competitions. The Spaniard most notably stepped up when Robert Lewandowski was sidelined due to an injury in the latter half of the season. However, Anthony Gordon is also a promising name in the Premier League, having scored nine times in 41 outings for the Magpies across tournaments.

According to TBR Football journalist Graeme Bailey, Mikel Arteta is keen on securing Barcelona star Ferran Torres' services for Arsenal. He has previously coached the forward during his time as assistant coach at Manchester City.

"Firstly with Ferran Torres’ situation — Mikel Arteta loves Torres from his time at City and he knows how City highly rated him. Arteta knows what Torres could bring to Arsenal but he’s not the only manager who likes him. Villa like Torres and so does Unai Emery," Bailey said.

However, Ferran Torres is reportedly not interested in leaving the Catalan outfit.

"But my information is that Torres still has no intention of leaving Barcelona. Hansi Flick has used him quite a bit this season, but even when he hasn’t been playing in the past, he didn’t want to leave Barca. Now he’s 25 years old, he’s still getting in the Spain team and he’s played over 25 La Liga games this season, half from the bench, half starting," Bailey added.

According to The I Paper, Arsenal's management considers Anthony Gordon a more suitable signing, who could be available for a reported £80 million. The Gunners have suffered this season due to major injuries to Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. Therefore, signing a forward will be their priority this summer. Gordon could be more keen on making the switch compared to Ferran Torres, although Arteta's preference would lie with the Spaniard.

Arsenal handed transfer boost as Barcelona president Joan Laporta makes stance clear about signing Nico Williams

Arsenal received a major boost in their pursuit of Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who was also on Barcelona's radar. The Catalan side's President, Joan Laporta, recently spoke to the Catalan TV channel TV3 about their summer transfer plans. He claimed the Catalans are no longer interested in Williams.

"He [Nico] was one of the candidates when we were evaluating [Dani] Olmo and Nico. We have a good profile of this player, who is an excellent player, but I think at this moment they are evaluating other options," Laporta said (via Football London).

With La Blaugrana seemingly out of the way, Arsenal can pursue Nico Williams' signing by activating his reported £58 million release clause. Chelsea and Real Madrid have also been linked to the winger, but the Gunners appear to be leading the race.

Sporting director Andrea Berta reportedly has a free run in pursuing the Nico Williams deal, while Mikel Arteta is also fond of the Spaniard. The winger could flourish at the Emirates with his departure from Athletic Bilbao certain this summer.

About the author

Pratyasha is a Pop Culture and a European Football writer for Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and has over 3 years of experience in the pop culture industry. Throughout her career, Pratyasha has always emphasized detailed background checks, and believes in verifying all information regardless of how correct it may seem.

Pratyasha is an ardent admirer of Lionel Messi and has followed his journey since she was a kid; he inspires her with his dedication and humility. She has grown up watching, living, and breathing Satyajit Ray's cinema, which she believes is timeless. She loves Taylor Swift’s music and thinks she's a lyrical genius, and also admires Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Deepika Padukone.

When Pratyasha's off the clock, she enjoys reading books and listening to music. During the football season, she is usually busy watching football matches late at night when Barcelona are playing.

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