Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Moussa Sissoko, Leroy Sane Rumours

Newcastle United midfielder Moussa Sissoko is demanding a significant pay rise entering contract negotiations with his club amid reports Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain maintain an interest in the Frenchman.

According to Neil Moxley of the Sunday People (via the Daily Mirror's Aaron Flanagan), the 26-year-old will hold out for £100,000 per week as far as wages go, and he holds plenty of leverage, previously telling reporters he wants to play Champions League football.

Sissoko has been linked with the Gunners for some time now, with the Magpies fearing Arsenal would make a serious offer for his services at the start of 2015, per MailOnline's Craig Hope. At the time, the team was in dire need of a midfield enforcer, as that was seen as the main issue holding the Gunners back in their bid for a Premier League title.

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Bleacher Report's James McNicholas was one of many convinced he would have made a superb addition to the squad, pointing out that he wouldn't be a direct competitor for Francis Coquelin, who was an emerging force at the time.

Coquelin has since established himself as one of the Premier League's top holding midfielders, but Arsenal's midfield remains low on depth. The perpetually injured Jack Wilshere hasn't been on the pitch for some time now, and with Aaron Ramsey―who has mainly played in a wider role―also sidelined, the Gunners are suddenly struggling.

When healthy, both are near locks to start for manager Arsene Wenger's squad, and any move for Sissoko wouldn't change that. The former Toulouse man is an excellent player, but he lacks the creative brilliance that makes Wilshere and Ramsey special.

Sissoko's game is built more around his healthy work rate out on the pitch and his willingness to engage in the ugly battles in midfield. Should he move to the Emirates, he would hand Wenger another versatile piece to work with and something different than most of the midfielders he has at his disposal.

The question is whether Sissoko's desire to play in the Champions League would be great enough to overcome the fact he would no longer be an automatic starter. Coquelin, Santi Cazorla and Wilshere would sit in front of him in the pecking order, with only two spots at the base of the midfield available.

It's highly unlikely struggling Newcastle will commit to Sissoko's massive wage demands, whether the club manages to avoid relegation or not. A transfer could be on the cards at some point in the future, and Arsenal would make sense as a destination, but a move won't happen unless Sissoko understands the Gunners no longer need him as a starter.

Leroy Sane Battle Brewing

Schalke 04 starlet Leroy Sane's stock continues to rise, and as is often the case when a budding superstar makes a big impression, the transfer rumour mill has taken notice. Per the Daily Express' Charles Perrin, the Gunners have been tracking the 19-year-old, and footballer-turned-pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft believes Liverpool will also be looking for a January deal:

The teenager has enjoyed a fine start to the 2015-16 season, scoring four goals and adding three assists in Bundesliga action, per WhoScored.com. He was just called up to Germany's national team as well, a massive testament to his skills given his age and the world champions' wealth of attacking options.

Sane isn't a striker, although he has already shown he can play as one if he has to. He's at his best in a free role, alternating between winger and attacking midfielder and taking on defenders in one-on-one situations.

Football writer Cristian Nyari is a big fan:

It's only natural clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool are following the teenager with a keen interest, but as of right now, a January transfer seems highly unlikely. Sane is still developing as a player and has much to learn still―he's far better off staying in Gelsenkirchen for the foreseeable future, where he gets to grow in an environment he knows.

Schalke have no incentive to sell their star youngster at this point in time, knowing full well his value is likely to rise significantly in the coming years. Bundesliga teams generally manage to keep their homegrown talents in Germany quite well, and Sane's situation looks no different.

Perhaps the youngster will be open to the idea of a foreign move during the summer, but even that looks doubtful at this point. Expect Wenger and his scouts to keep a close eye on the situation but little more than that in the foreseeable future.

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