Arsenal Transfer News: Hakan Calhanoglu on Barca Rumours, Maxime Gonalons Latest

Arsenal have been dealt a double blow in this week's latest transfer speculation after Hakan Calhanoglu of Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon's Maxime Gonalons each dimmed their prospects of a Gunners switch this summer.

Leverkusen starlet Calhanoglu is currently attracting attention from some of Europe's biggest club's and was this week quoted by German broadcaster TRT (h/t talkSPORT) as admitting the ties with Barcelona are particularly flattering:

"There is no official offer from Barca but I am proud to hear of transfer rumours. My agent takes care of everything. I have career goals, but first we want to beat Atletico Madrid in the Champions League."

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Barca's transfer ban means the Blaugrana wouldn't be permitted to make any move for the 21-year-old until 2016 at the earliest, but it appears talk of their interest has caught Calhanoglu's attention in any case.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is a noted fan of young talent, and according to Metro, Calhanoglu would court a price tag in the region of £20 million, with Lukas Podolski mentioned as a potential sweetener:

Podolski is currently on loan with Inter, but he has struggled to settle in the Italian top flight and may be more open to the idea of moving back to his native Germany this summer.

Turkish international Calhanoglu has quickly made the move through the Bundesliga ranks since moving to Leverkusen from Hamburg last summer, but Bleacher Report's Clark Whitney envisions him leaving the BayArena:

With the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla at the Emirates Stadium, Calhanoglu may find his competition significantly toughened were he to move to north London.

One would be tempted to suggest that competition would be all the greater at the Camp Nou, but Calhanoglu may fancy his chances of taking on the stars of Catalonia.

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Wenger will also be saddened to hear the Emirates may not be a priority destination for Gonalons, who's eager to remain at Lyon as long as the club qualifies for next season's Champions League.

It looks highly likely Lyon will qualify with the club currently leading Ligue 1. Speaking to French magazine Progres (h/t Metro's Will Giles), Gonalons said this week:

"It is necessary that in front of me, there is ambition and a competitive team. In this respect, OL is ambitious. If next year we have the happiness to find the Champions League, I do not see why I leave."

Laurent Cipriani/Associated Press

During the January transfer window, it was repeatedly noted that Arsenal needed reinforcements most at centre-back and in central midfield.

Having signed defender Gabriel Paulista from Villarreal, the search may now begin for engine-room recruits, and Bleacher Report's Andrew Gibney regards Gonalons as being a pivotal part of Lyon's rise this season:

The 26-year-old is one of several Lyon players to have been consistently linked with the Gunners in recent years, now coming upon a new sense of prominence with the Ligue 1 club.

Mikel Arteta may likely slip from prominence at Arsenal in the months to come and leave a void in defensive midfield, with WhoScored.com recently illustrating what a fine stopping presence Gonalons provides:

The France international may well be expected to soon hit his peak at 26 years of age, but Gonalons' commitment would appear rooted in Lyon for the time being.

A summer probe from the Gunners may tempt the Ligue 1 giants into selling, but a title win could convince their target to remain in his current setting.