Arsene Wenger is ready to smash Arsenal's transfer record this week with bids for three of Europe's fastest-rising stars.
The news that the club are thinking big, with moves for Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain, Borussia Dortmund's Ilkay Gundogan and Bayer Leverkusen's Lars Bender, will come as a massive relief to Arsenal fans after trophyless years and summers of losing their own stars.
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis promised 'an escalation in our financial firepower' last week and Wenger is convinced he can transform his team into title contenders.
The Arsenal manager believes that Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement from Manchester United represents an opportunity for the for the club to regain some prestige and challenge for the title and the signing of Argentina striker Higuain is expected to be their most important transfer of the summer at a cost of £20million.
Wenger is also determined to bolster his midfield and his No 1 target is Gundogan, whose holding midfield role was crucial to Borussia Dortmund's impressive run to the Champions League final.
Gundogan scored their penalty equaliser at Wembley, but could not prevent Bayern Munich's 2-1 victory.
He would cost £20m but a bid for Bayer Leverkusen's £17m-rated Bender is also being lined up, in case Arsenal are unable to complete a deal on Gundogan. Any one of the potential fees for Arsenal's three targets would surpass the £15m record transfer paid for Andrey Arshavin in 2009.
Manchester City, meanwhile, are never out of the transfer news and gossip for a second, and the club are looking to spend yet more on attacking talent as they line up a £30m move for Real Madrid wingerAngel Di Maria, according to the Sunday People.
It seems that every Real Madrid star is being linked with a switch away from the Bernabeu at the moment, but The Sun claim that Cristiano Ronaldo is hoping to sign a new deal with the Spanish giants amid speculation that he will move to Manchester United.
Chelsea and United are scrapping over the signature of 22-year-old Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala, with the Sunday People revealing that the Blues hold the advantage now because David Moyes is on holiday. Clearly the new Reds boss does not have his data roaming settings turned on.
New Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is looking to swipe midfielder Xabi Alonso away from former club Real Madrid, if a report in the Sunday Telegraph is to be believed, with the 31-year-old yet to agree a contract extension.
Tottenham are locked in a battle with Dortmund to sign Atletico Mineiro and Brazil winger Bernard, according to the Sunday Mirror, with the 20-year-old a top target of Andre Villas-Boas’s this summer.
New Everton boss Roberto Martinez is to make a £10m offer for Chelsea forward and former Wigan star Victor Moses as the merry-go-round continues.
While Sunderland’s Stephane Sessegnon is headed for Marseille in an £8m move according to the People.
If i hear say arsenal spend dat kind money..
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