Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Lorenzo Insigne and Alex Oxlade-Chamerlain Rumours
Lorenzo Insigne has reportedly resumed contract talks to extend his stay with Napoli. Those negotiations could thwart any attempt by Arsenal to sign the winger after the Gunners were linked with the Italy international recently.
Insigne is said to be in discussions with Napoli about a new deal after initial talks faltered due to wage demands, according to Italian publication Il Mattino (h/t James Cambridge of the Daily Express): "The report says negotiations initially broke down due to Insigne's £80,000-a-week wage demands."
The latest reports also revealed one pertinent detail about the negotiations: "But Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis is now reportedly keen to see him pen a new deal, and talks for a contract containing a buy-out clause have begun."
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A buyout clause added to any new contract offered to Insigne might encourage possible suitors they could eventually sign the 25-year-old attacker. However, the Il Mattino report made clear Napoli won't make him available anytime soon: "And Il Mattino say there is no danger of the winger leaving the Serie A club for Arsenal, Barcelona or AC Milan—despite reports."
Arsenal have been named as a particularly keen suitor for Insigne. A recent report from Nicolo Schira of La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Richard Forrester of The Sun) even indicated the Gunners were ready to begin talks with Napoli after having the wide forward scouted.
Insigne would be a terrific signing for the Gunners as a player with the skill, technique, pace and intelligence to pose a major threat from either flank. In particular, the Italian would solve the persistent issues on the left side of Arsenal's front three.
Manager Arsene Wenger hasn't been able to find a player he trusts on that side, despite trying a host of options. Gervinho, Yossi Benayoun, Lukas Podolski, Mesut Ozil, Alex Iwobi and Lucas Perez have all been deployed on the left since 2011.
What Wenger needs is a player who combines creative guile with consistent scoring potential. Insigne fits the bill after finding the net nine times and providing six assists this season, according to WhoScored.com.
The Napoli ace would fit well alongside Alexis Sanchez, who Wenger seems to want to convert to centre-forward full-time. However, with Sanchez and Ozil both set to see their contracts expire in 2018, Insigne would also give the Gunners a player talented enough to replace one or both of their star men should they leave.
Everton and Manchester City Keen on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Insigne may become a priority target if Arsenal lose attacking midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The England international is reportedly wanted by Premier League rivals Everton and Manchester City, per Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror.
Lewis detailed how both City manager Pep Guardiola and Everton boss Ronald Koeman are fans of the player:
"City are already leading the chase for Oxlade-Chamberlain's services. Pep Guardiola was impressed by the playmaker's display in the Champions League against his Bayern Munich team two-and-a-half years ago. But Koeman will have a war chest with which to continue his bid to overhaul of the Everton squad during the close season.
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Oxlade-Chamberlain's tenure with the Gunners appears shaky beyond this season, with his contract set to expire in 2018. In fact, the midfielder's future could be determined by his role in the team.
Specifically, Wenger must decide if he's going to commit to Oxlade-Chamberlain as a winger or as a central-midfield playmaker. The Arsenal chief recently indicated he favours the latter option, according to the Daily Star (h/t Sam Long of the London Evening Standard): "He could perform in big games there and that means his real qualities are there. I always thought so."
Wenger's confidence in Oxlade-Chamberlain's ability to thrive in the middle was likely lifted by watching the 23-year-old boss the game during Arsenal's 5-0 FA Cup win over Southampton in January.
Oxlade-Chamberlain ran the show at St. Mary's Stadium, offering further proof he belongs centrally, according to the Daily Telegraph's Jeremy Wilson. Indeed, the England international's showing in the cup did offer a glimpse of the core talents too often hidden frustratingly out of sight.
In particular, the youngster's accuracy and touch with the ball were a joy to watch. He routinely lofted pinpoint, defence-splitting passes to release pace behind Southampton's defensive line.
The way Oxlade-Chamberlain played quickly and directly provided the perfect foil for speedy strikers Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Perez. A quick release to match lightning runs in behind is the essential combination Wenger has sought for Arsenal all season, one the Gunners lost when Spanish schemer Santi Cazorla went down with injury.
However, not everybody is convinced by Oxlade-Chamberlain in the middle. Former Chelsea man Tony Cascarino wrote in The Times (h/t Charles Perrin of the Daily Express) how the Arsenal man can't always be trusted to be defensively disciplined.
It's a reasonable accusation. However, the bigger worry with Oxlade-Chamberlain concerns his decision-making. While he can see a pass, the midfielder doesn't always execute one with the right timing and weight. He's also guilty of taking a shot when he has a better chance to play a team-mate in.
In fairness to Oxlade-Chamberlain, he is often a willing worker when tracking back, but his confidence sometimes crumbles quickly when he doesn't deliver in the final third.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has been at Arsenal since 2011, and while he's endured some tough times with injuries, the ex-Southampton prospect has also had long enough to make a position his own.
Wenger and the Gunners may be wiser to take advantage of the interest and finally move the player on this summer. By contrast, signing Insigne to add even greater flair to an already-capable forward line would be one of the smartest moves Arsenal could make.
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