TRANSFER BATTLES: Higuain, Illarramendi, Imbulla, Koscielny, Sagna, Lewandowski, Suarez, Paulinho, Matic, Luiz

Arsenal hope to end their nine-year wait to sign Gonzalo Higuain this week by making a club record £22million offer for the striker.

Sportsmail reported that the Argentina international has privately agreed to make the switch to the Emirates Stadium this summer. And the Gunners will this week formalise their interest in the Real Madrid star, who has been told he is free to leave the Bernebeu.

Talks between Arsenal officials and Higuain’s representatives have progressed well and it seems all that is left is for the two clubs to agree a price.

In addition to smashing their transfer current transfer record, the £15million paid to Zenit St Petersburg for Andrey Arshavin, Arsenal are willing to make Higuain their top earner on around £150,000-per-week.



The Gunners have kept close tabs on the 25-year-old forward ever since his breakthrough into River Plate’s first-team in 2004. Arsenal explored the possibility of signing the French-born Argentinian in 2006, but Real Madrid beat them to the punch.

But Wenger’s long wait to work with Higuain now looks set to end this summer.



Meanwhile, The North London club are leading the chase for Spain Under 21 international Asier Illarramendi. The £10million-rated Real Sociedad defensive midfielder has been outstanding all season and has attracted attention from Real Madrid.



Arsenal have also been monitoring Gilbert Imbula but Illaramendi would fit well alongside fellow Basque Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal are set to receive a double defensive boost in the coming weeks with Bacary Sagna and Laurent Koscielny to end doubts over their immediate futures. The French pair have both been targeted by teams across Europe this summer, with bids expected for both.

Sagna, whose deal expires in June 2014, has been embroiled in a long-running contract dispute after the club refused to improve their initial offer of a 12-month extension.

The France international looked likely to leave the club this summer, with Paris St Germain and Anzhi Mackhachkala both in the running to sign the right-back. But it is understood Sagna has told Wenger that he will stay in London for at least another 12 months.

Likewise, Koscielny has also told Gunners chiefs he is committed to the club despite hinting he could leave the club.

The centre-back intimated that he would look to leave the Arsenal if the club did not match his ambition in the transfer market.



Robert Lewandowski will remain with Borussia Dortmund for the coming season, according to quotes attributed to club general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke in German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung.

The Guardian has reprinted the comments in English. "Robert will definitely be playing for Borussia Dortmund next season," Watzke said. "We need this security to be able to plan (for the season)."



Liverpool will demand Luis Suarez provides written confirmation of his intention to leave in an attempt to swiftly resolve the saga over his future.

The Uruguay international, who is currently playing at The Confederations Cup, has given several interviews about his desire to quit Anfield this summer but, as yet, he has not informed Liverpool's senior figures.

If Suarez is going to be sold to Real Madrid, as he desires, Liverpool will expect him to submit an official transfer request, while they would also want to recoup a fee in the region of £50million. As yet, Madrid have not made a formal bid for the 26-year-old.

Manager Brendan Rodgers, whose only signing so far has been Kolo Toure, wants to add goals to his team and Liverpool expect to receive international clearance in the next 24 hours to complete the signing of Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas.



Tottenham are to make a £15million offer for Brazilian midfielder Paulinho to head off competition from Roma and Inter Milan. The move comes as Fenerbahce revive interest in striker Emmanuel Adebayor which could help free up further funds.

Paulinho, 24, full name Jose Paulo Bezerra Maciel Junior, was expected to sign for one of the Italian sides this week amid talk of a pre-contract agreement. However, the Corinthians star is said to prefer a move to the Barclays Premier League.



Tottenham may need to increase their planned bid to land him as his buy-out clause stands at £18m although they have been encouraged that he would be attracted by a move to London.

Speaking in Brazil, deputy director at Corinthians, Duilio Monteiro Alves, said: ‘(Tottenham) is a club that we know who has an interest, but nothing official yet. Of course it will come. We expect it in the coming days.

‘Our intention is to keep him but let’s wait and see; if it’s good for him, good for the Corinthians, we will make a decision.’



Atletico Mineiro’s diminutive midfielder Bernard, 20, is also a target and Internacional’s striker Leandro Damiao remains an option while another Brazilian, 18-year-old Botafogo defender Doria, has been discussed.

Paulinho has acknowledged interest from Roma, Inter and Tottenham but says he will not make a decision until after the Confederations Cup.

His arrival at White Hart Lane will trigger departures as Spurs consider offers for Fulham target Tom Huddlestone and 32-year-old Scott Parker, who is wanted at Sunderland but would need to take a pay cut for the deal to go through.

Jose Mourinho wants former Chelsea youngster Nemanja Matic back at Stamford Bridge, but it’s going to cost the Blues.

Matic was a youth player at Chelsea earlier in his career, but released as a makeweight for an estimated £4m to Benfica in the 2011 deal which brought defender David Luiz to the club.

He had played just two league matches for Chelsea, but having flourished as a playmaker in Portugal, Mourinho now sees the Serbian as a potentially crucial part of his plans, the Daily Star reports.



The paper also adds in their exclusive report that Benfica will sell – but only if Chelsea meet their £38m valuation, meaning the decision to release him could yet cost Chelsea £34m.

Roman Abramovich, however, has been convinced of the merits of the deal, according to Mourinho, and is prepared to back his new manager to bring Matic home.

The Daily Express warns, however, that Monaco are also keen on the midfielder and their financial clout could make it difficult for Chelsea to wrap up a deal.



Chelsea defender David Luiz has told TF1, as cited by ESPN, that he has asked his Brazilian teammates about Paris Saint-Germain.

Luiz, a 26-year-old center-back and defensive midfielder, has been linked with a move away from Chelsea this summer. Rated at £25 million, he is a target for PSG, according to the Daily Mirror.

Luiz is currently on international duty with Brazil at the FIFA Confederations Cup. His teammates Thiago Silva and Lucas Moura play for PSG.



Said Luiz:

'I speak about Paris Saint-Germain and its project with my Brazilian team-mates. The club has done some good work in Ligue 1, and there are some very good players such as Lucas Moura, Thiago Motta, Maxwell, Thiago Silva.'