Arsenal make £60m “superstar” a top target

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has signed a new five-year contract extension at the Emirates Stadium. The fact that his head never turned towards chasing suitors from England and abroad is testament to the great job Mikel Arteta has done at the club.

Saka, 23, is one of the Three Lions’ leading stars and one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League, and his connection to Hill End has made him the surefire star of Arsenal’s in-form revival.

Arteta and manager Andrea Berta plan to add more English talent to their ranks, with an eye on one or two Premier League stars in 2026.

Arsenal want to add English talent to the market

Last year, Liverpool and Manchester City took the lead in the race for Crystal Palace defender Mark Guehi, but The Athletic’s David Ornstein recently confirmed that Arsenal are considering boosting their long-term interest.

Although the struggles of Victor Gyukiris and Gabriel Martinelli point to the need for reinforcements in the attacking third, Arteta is rooted in his defensive principles, and is looking to add quality and depth at the back, especially after a string of injuries this season.

But Guehi is not the only Three Lions defender on the radar.

According to reports carried by TEAMtalk, Arsenal are showing interest in signing Tino Liveramento from Newcastle United, and are likely preparing a move at the end of the season, with the full-back considered a key target for the Gunners.

Although it would be great to have the 23-year-old under Arteta’s wing for the latter half of the season, it is unlikely to happen, with Eddie Howe wanting to bolster his inconsistent squad.

Manchester City are also keen on the former Chelsea academy graduate, who would cost suitors at least £60m to pull away from St James’ Park.

Why would Livramento be the ideal signing?

Livramento has been on Arsenal’s radar for a while. Two-footed, immensely athletic and as secure in defense as he is tenacious in attack, he is “one of the best defenders in Europe”, according to reporter Andy Sexsmith.

Through Jurrian Temper, we’ve already seen a desire on Arteta’s part to play out wide on both flanks, and Liveramento will fit in there, having played nine times at right-back this year and eight times on the left.

Livramento’s athleticism and ability to control the ball could see him become a star at Arsenal, and the confidence with which he carries himself could see him become a better signing than Guehi.

Livramento simply has a knack for enhancing the overall tactical flow of his kit. It’s as dynamic as they come. Guehi is also a senior defender, but Arsenal signed Cristian Mosquera from Valencia last summer, and the Spaniard had impressed before suffering injury.

The data-driven platform FBref has already recorded, through statistical comparisons, Gabriel as one of the most comparable players in Europe, so while the desire to sign him is understandable, it is also difficult to imagine him replacing the impressive Brazilian.

And William Saliba, although destined to move to Real Madrid at some point, is not going anywhere anytime soon.

The former Southampton player covers a lot of ground, recovering an average of 5.2 balls in the Premier League this season, and will have the opportunity to nail down a starting spot in the early years of his career.

For Johi, this may be less certain. After all, Arsenal arguably boast the best central defensive partnership in the world.

Undoubtedly a ‘big star’ in the Premier League, according to Newcastle creator Kendall Rowan, Livramento will improve over the coming years, and while Guehi would be a great addition, Newcastle’s ability to perform at an elite level across both defensive wings underscores his potential to become a mainstay for a Premier League title-chasing club like Arsenal.

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