Mirror Football brings you two of the latest new stories from the Emirates Stadium ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Bournemouth
Arsenal will turn their attention to facing Bournemouth in the Premier League after a statement 4-1 victory over Aston Villa earlier this week. There is a feeling of restored optimism around the Emirates Stadium that this season’s Premier League trophy is the Gunners’ for the taking.
Arsenal currently lead the table by four points after Manchester City dropped two points at Sunderland in midweek. But Mikel Arteta will be well aware the north Londoners cannot take their eye off the ball at the midway point in the season, with a difficult away trip to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon followed by a home clash with title holders Liverpool next week.
The Gunners lost both fixtures against the Cherries last season, losing 2-1 at home in May and 2-0 away in the previous October after going a man down. Andoni Iraola’s side are in a rut of form but can still cause a major upset on their day.
Away from the pitch, the January transfer window will provide Arteta with the opportunity to bolster his squad should he need to do so, having already outlined his plans for this month. Now, Mirror Football takes a look at two of the biggest stories involving Arsenal in recent days.
Rodrygo pursues Real Madrid exit
Spanish outlet Diario Sport claims Rodrygo wants to leave Real Madrid this January. The highly-rated 24-year-old is claimed to have opened talks with two new agents in an effort to boost his chances of leaving Los Blancos, where he has won two Champions League titles, as soon as possible.
The Brazilian winger’s two most likely destinations are reportedly Arsenal and title rivals Manchester City, who are on the cusp of bringing in Antoine Semenyo already. Liverpool are also claimed to be monitoring Rodrygo’s situation, with the forward finding his minutes reduced this season under new manager Xabi Alonso.
The Gunners were said to have made informal contact over a move for Rodrygo last September when it emerged the player was unhappy with his lesser involvement. Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta eventually turned their attention to bringing in Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze, who can both play on the left flank but prefer to operate elsewhere on the pitch.
Rodrygo is said to be pushing for a January exit against Real Madrid’s wishes, with Alonso keen to keep the 24-year-old until the summer.
Arsenal eye £57m defender
Arsenal are reportedly one of the clubs interested in landing Eintracht Frankfurt defender Nathaniel Brown. Brown, 22, has excelled as a left-back and a left wing-back for the Bundesliga side this season, recording one goal and five assists in all competitions.
BILD reports his performances have caught the eye of several top clubs in Europe, including Arsenal. Frankfurt value the player at £57million and are expecting several offers in the summer.
It is unclear whether the Gunners will move for the German international, however, given they are well stocked in his position with Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie and Myles Lewis-Skelly already. In spite of their quality depth, injuries have still left them short in that position this season, while there is some talk of Arteta seeing Lewis-Skelly’s future in midfield.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
