Arsenal transfer news: James Rodriguez, Houssem Aouar, Kasper Dolberg, Christopher Nkunku

As Arsenal gear up to try to overturn a one-goal aggregate deficit tonight against Bate Borisov it’s reported that the Gunners have been dealt a double transfer blow as a result of their Europa League status.

First up, The Sun reports that James Rodriguez has dropped his biggest hint yet that he will return to Real Madrid at the conclusion of his Bayern Munich loan spell.

Arsenal have been linked with the 27-year-old playmaker but apparently the South American is determined to re-establish himself with Real when his two-year loan spell at Bayern expires in June.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The Sun claims that the Gunners are “closely monitoring his situation” but while Bayern boss Niko Kovac isn’t expected to turn Rodriguez’s loan spell into a full-time deal the Colombian would prefer Spain to London.

Aouar prefers Barcelona

The Sun has more bad news for gloomy Gooners with a claim that Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar wants to join Barcelona in the summer.

Arsenal had identified the France Under-21 star as a replacement for Aaron Ramsey next season but French daily L’Equipe reports that “the Catalan giants have made contact with Aouar’s agent in a desperate bid to win his signature”.

The Lyon ace got up close and personal with Barcelona during Tuesday night’s Champions League clash and it’s reported that Aouar is “transfixed” by the idea of joining the Catalans because as a child he worshipped their iconic midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

Dolberg in demand

Manchester United are ready to challenge Arsenal for Ajax frontman Kasper Dolberg, reports the Daily Express.

Taking its cue from Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Express says that Arsenal have been scouting the 21-year-old Dane for a while, as have Napoli. But now United have joined the hunt for a striker who has scored ten goals and provided four assists for Ajax this season.

Nkunku on his way?

Paris Saint-Germain “will not stand in Christopher Nkunku’s way if he wants to join Arsenal” – that’s the bold assertion made by the Daily Mirror.

The paper claims that while the French champions were unimpressed with Arsenal’s early offers for the 21-year-old playmaker, they are ready to sell if the Gunners up their bid.

Apparently Nkunku “fears for his future in Paris” and would jump at the chance of regular first-team football.