Bouaddi sets his terms as Arsenal and Liverpool circle
Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi has laid down a condition before he agrees to join Arsenal or Liverpool this summer (8). The 18-year-old, valued at roughly £69m, is one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe. He will not move without guarantees about his role in the first team. That is the deal. Both clubs have held talks, but nothing is signed yet (8).
Barcola incoming, Rogers door shuts
Bradley Barcola is now the name. With Aston Villa refusing to sell Morgan Rogers, Arsenal have switched focus and are set to sign the PSG winger instead (3) (5). Rogers remains a target in the club's thinking, but Villa's stance has forced the change of direction (7).
Alvarez says no, Henry says be careful
Julian Alvarez prefers a move to Barcelona, which effectively kills Arsenal's pursuit of the Atletico Madrid forward (7). And Thierry Henry has warned against any swap deal involving Viktor Gyokeres. "If you're talking about a straight swap, I'd be very careful because you're not just exchanging players, you're changing the identity of your attack," Henry said (4).
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Balogun cash could be coming
Folarin Balogun looks set to leave Monaco, and Arsenal stand to gain. A sell-on clause in the deal that took him to France means your club would pocket a share of any fee, with Monaco reportedly valuing the striker at €50m (5).
Saka in line to start Saturday
Bukayo Saka may start for England against Panama on Saturday after a substitute appearance in the 0–0 draw with Ghana (1). Thomas Tuchel is wary of pushing him too hard, but Saka is in the frame (1). England drew 0–0 with Ghana on Saturday, a match Declan Rice called "tough" against a compact opponent (11).
Rice on his set-piece transformation
Declan Rice has opened up about becoming a dead-ball specialist at Arsenal. "I wouldn't ever take corners or set-pieces, but Nico and the manager at Arsenal saw something in me that others didn't," Rice said. "They said that I can put balls in areas from a dead ball that no-one else can in the team at Arsenal other than Bukayo. From that moment, I really just bought into that." (2)
Martinelli: I prefer the left
Gabriel Martinelli has made his positional preference clear. "I prefer playing on the left, but at Arsenal I've played a lot on the right," he said. "I'll leave it in the manager's hands." (2)
Kyran Thompson could cross the divide
Arsenal are at risk of losing academy talent Kyran Thompson to Tottenham (9). The youngster is yet to commit his future, and Spurs are closing in.
Also on the radar
Arsenal are also looking at Leicester teenager Jeremy Monga (6) and have been linked with a move for World Cup talent Johan Manzambi, with some drawing comparisons to the Gilberto Silva signing two decades ago (10). Meanwhile, Bournemouth have told Arsenal and Manchester United that Alex Scott is not for sale.
Fan reactions
The mood on Reddit this afternoon is split between intrigue and a bit of gallows humour. The Bouaddi story has fans debating whether an 18-year-old gets to set conditions, while news of Javier Alonso joining Andrea Berta's backroom team drew a wave of quiet approval. The Kyran Thompson business stings a bit more. Losing an academy kid to Spurs is never just business. Join the discussion on Thompson here.
