Gunners 'open' to using defender in Eze swap deal with Berta 'determined' to get transfer done

Arsenal are weighing up a swap deal for Eberechi Eze with Andrea Berta ‘determined’ to seal the transfer as soon as possible, according to reports.

The Gunners are on the lookout for a new attacking midfielder and at least one winger in the summer transfer window as they look to give Mikel Arteta the tools to compete on all fronts.

Arsenal finished as runners-up in the Premier League for the third season in a row last term and now they will be looking to go one better.

Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi have arrived from Chelsea and Real Sociedad respectively, while Christian Norgaard is expected to complete a deal from Brentford by the end of the week.

Eze has emerged as one of their next targets in recent weeks with former CBS Sports journalist claiming last week that the Crystal Palace star is “keen on a move to Arsenal”.

Jacobs told GiveMeSport: “I need to bring you some good news, and thankfully I can. Eberechi Eze is keen on a move to Arsenal. At the weekend, there was a key meeting between the Eze camp and Arsenal, and in that meeting were senior recruitment and football figures.

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“We’re not talking just about interest, that meeting was about terms. Eze is already aware what Arsenal are prepared to pay and how they see him.”

But Arsenal view him as an attacking midfield addition and not a winger, Jacobs added: “The answer to the second part of that question is they view him as an attacking midfielder. So we’re talking about Eze, plus a left winger, and that will allow Arsenal to be very busy in the next few weeks, because the number nine is coming as well.

“The left wing is quite interesting, because if Arsenal are going to go for a Rordygo or an Anthony Gordon, they’re starting left wingers. So you might find that Arsenal become more inclined to sell a Gabriel Martinelli or even Leandro Trossard, despite the fact that at the moment, they’re holding quite positive talks about a renewal for Trossard.

“But Eze is separate to the case of finding a left winger. He’s viewed as an attacking midfielder, and he liked that pitch, as you would expect, because it’s his preferred position.”

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And The Sun now claim that Arsenal ‘open to including a player in their offer‘ for Eze after the Gunners ‘already agreed on personal terms with the player and are ironing out the final details with his club’.

The report adds: ‘Arsenal chief Berta is determined to get the Eze deal over the line and will try to convince Palace, who might consider accepting a promising defender as part of the deal.

‘While the player being considered as a makeweight in the deal is not known, SunSport understands he is an emerging star who’s played a handful of games for the first team.’

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