Arsenal Transfer News: Sami Khedira Decision Made, Latest Paulo Dybala Rumours

Arsenal’s chances of signing Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira look to have been extinguished, with reports claiming he’ll return to the Bundesliga this summer.

The German World Cup winner is poised to leave Los Blancos with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, and in an interview with Sky Sports (h/t Jonathan Green of the Daily Star), Bleacher Report’s Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has confirmed that the midfielder will be going back to his homeland.

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“Not Khedira because his mind is somewhere else,” said Balague when asked if Real Madrid need the German to triumph in big games. “For three days he didn't go to training and there's not actually a reason for it. He has signed for a German team, some say Bayern some say Schalke.”

Here’s a look at what Khedira will add to their respective ranks:

As noted by Green’s piece, a clutch of Premier League sides—including the Gunners, Manchester United and Chelsea—have all apparently been keeping tabs on the 27-year-old, who has fallen down the pecking order at the Santiago Bernabeu. The interest is understandable, for on a free transfer, Khedira would make a wonderful acquisition for almost any side on the continent.

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Alex Chaffer of FourFourTwo thinks that Schalke look the most likely destination for the player at this juncture:

Of all the Premier League teams reportedly interested in this dynamic midfield man, the Gunners should be pursuing him with the most fervor. Arsene Wenger has long been without a quality holding option, and while the team looks to be in fine working order at the moment, it’s still an area of concern moving forward.

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Indeed, Francis Coquelin has shown just how much of a difference a defensively minded player can make in this area of the pitch as of late. As noted by Squawka Football, the Frenchman has given the Gunners an underpinning solidity:

But as well as he has been playing in that position, it’d be naive to think that he’s a long-term solution. Bleacher Report’s Arsenal correspondent James McNicholas thinks that it’s imperative the Gunners spend big in the summer to fully address this area of the team:

Khedira would have been a perfect fit. Not only would he have not cost a penny in transfer fees, but his defensive instincts, ferocity in the tackle and speed in covering the pitch would have added so much to this Arsenal team. He’s a fine utiliser of the ball too, and that’s something that would have surely enamoured him to Wenger.

It seems as though Khedira is poised to return to the Bundesliga, though, and whether he opts for Schalke or Bayern Munich, he’ll be a fine signing. But just because the German has slipped through Arsenal’s clutches doesn’t mean they should halt their search for a midfield destroyer; if anything, it should prompt them into making early enquiries into other potential options.

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Another area of the side Wenger is apparently looking to strengthen is in the forward positions, and according to reports earlier this week, the Gunners will discuss a potential transfer of Paulo Dybala with Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini, according to David Amoyal of Gianlucadimarzio.com.

Here’s a look at why Dybala is attracting so much interest this season:

It looks as though Palermo are already lining up a potential replacement too. That’s according to Amoyal once again, who claims Palermo are already making contingency plans for their star player’s departure by looking at Sampdoria striker Eder, who is apparently their “top choice.”

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As we can see here courtesy of Ted Knutson of StatsBomb, Dybala is a thrilling player to watch:

At the moment, this area of the Arsenal squad isn’t in desperate need of replenishment, and while Dybala is an exciting talent, his purchase shouldn’t be made at the expense of signing a player in the Khedira model.

If the Gunners are willing to splash the cash this summer to bolster all areas of their squad, the Argentine striker has all the requisite qualities to go on and become a superstar. Such is his immense quality, and with Juventus also reportedly interested, according to Amoyal, Arsenal surely face stern competition for Dybala's signature.