Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Arturo Vidal, Kostas Manolas Rumours

Juventus Director General Beppe Marotta has confirmed rumours reported Arsenal transfer target Arturo Vidal has requested a transfer, but the Chile international is set to join Bayern Munich, not the Gunners.

During a press conference (via Football Italia), Marotta told reporters it's the Bianconeri business model only to sell players who specifically ask for a move and did so before Juventus ever met with the Bavarians:

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We’ve always said we won’t sell players unless the players indicate that’s what they want. That’s how it was. [Carlos] Tevez asked to return home to Argentina. [Andrea] Pirlo made some assessments, and decided he wanted a new experience. [Angelo] Ogbonna asked for opportunity and consistency in playing time, and as for Vidal I asked him before I went to meet the Bayern Munich leadership.

He confirmed he wanted a different experience. I’d also emphasise that the player had a contract ending in 2017, while they’re offering him a five-year contract, and that’s very important for his future.

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The midfielder was previously linked with a move to north London after Argentinian journalist Hernan Feler claimed a deal had already been struck. Metro's Will Giles (h/t Sport Witness) picked up the story, and from there, it spread like wildfire:

The rumour always seemed to make little sense, as Feler's claims came during the 2015 Copa America, a tournament Vidal eventually won with Chile. Top players like Vidal usually don't make major career decisions until such a tournament is over and they have a chance to talk to their club.

Arsenal's reported interest in Vidal was no surprise, however. The 28-year-old has established himself as one of the best box-to-box midfielders on the planet in his time with Juventus, and after a rough start to the 2014-15 campaign due to knee surgery, he started hitting his peak form again late in the season.

He was a little overly aggressive in the UEFA Champions League final against Barcelona but highlighted his quality during the group stages of the Copa America, where he led Chile with a number of impressive performances.

Vidal is an underrated passer of the ball and a solid scorer, but his biggest value lies in his physicality, athleticism and defensive contributions. As shared by WhoScored, he has dominated his opponents in Italy the past four seasons:

He may not have been the most perfect fit in north London, where Francis Coquelin has emerged as a solid option playing before the defence and Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere more than hold their own in the centre of the pitch, but given his impressive talent, there's little doubt manager Arsene Wenger would have found a use for him.

Instead, it appears Bayern manager Pep Guardiola will get to figure out what to do with the Chilean, who should greatly boost the Germans' chances of winning this year's Champions League after they lost club legend Bastian Schweinsteiger to Manchester United.

AS Roma Reportedly Reject Bid for Kostas Manolas

Riccardo De Luca/Associated Press

According to the Daily Mirror (h/t the Independent's Konstantinos Lianos), AS Roma have turned down a £5.5 million offer from the Gunners for centre-back Kostas Manolas. The Greece international emerged as one of the top defenders in Serie A last season, replacing Mehdi Benatia in the heart of the Giallorossi defence.

The price cited by the report is a little odd, to say the least, given the fact Roma paid Olympiakos £10.3 million for his services just one year ago, per Lianos. Manolas finished the 2014-15 season in strong form―his value has undoubtedly risen, not dropped.

It's possible the reports are a result of the situation surrounding promising centre-back Alessia Romagnoli, who spent last season out on loan at Sampdoria and is a likely candidate to leave the club. Per Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t beIN Sports' Tancredi Palmeri), the Gunners have already expressed an interest in the Italian, as well:

Roma are rebuilding their squad, and in order to do so, they need cash. Romagnoli's superb talent should make him an untouchable prospect, but the Giallorossi had a solid defence last year, anchored by Manolas, and they can afford to move the youngster.

As explained by Gianluca Di Marzio's David Amoyal, Roma have done a superb job reinvesting funds in the past few years. Whereas most clubs wouldn't even consider selling prized youngsters, the Giallorossi believe they can turn those funds into new talent quite easily:

By making an offer for Manolas, Arsenal could potentially show Roma they're willing to change their focus to another target, one the club doesn't really want to sell. Whether it's a ploy to get to Romagnoli or genuine interest in Manolas doesn't really matter all that much―what matters is the message.

Roma have plenty of depth at the position, so one of their highly rated centre-backs is almost certain to leave. The Gunners would love to get their hands on either Manolas or Romagnoli, so it's not a bad idea to make approaches for both players and see how it plays out. Of the two, the latter has the higher ceiling, so look for Wenger to target Romagnoli, if he can.

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