Arsenal transfer summary: the scorers are considering the Espanyol midfielder

Arsenal are preparing for multiple entries and exits during the next transfer window, regardless of how they chase their European football games.

And a lot of speculation involving the Gunners has come to the sports pages lately, perhaps a sign that Mikel Arteta is starting to focus on the primary goals they need to reach the club in 2020/21 than they have done this season.

At the other end of the ladder, a former Arsenal character could play a role in helping a marginal player find an escape, even if only temporarily.

Arsenal leads the pursuit of Roca

Mikel Arteta remains passionate about Marc Roca, and reports in Spain suggest that Arsenal is in a better position than some of the most distinguished rivals in the race to sign the Espanyol midfielder.

Roca may be available for less than its 40 million euro release clause, thanks to the relegation of Espanyol from La Liga, and the Madrid newspaper La Razon (via HITC) notes that it has recently hired a more internationally focused agency.

Arsenal isn’t the only Premier League club interested in Roca, who reportedly Arteta is the ideal man to associate summer partner Thomas Partey with.

However, according to La Razon, they are in the best position to land their man, despite Everton also being passionate about the 23 year old.

Roca has played 33 times for Espanyol in La Liga this season. The Catalan club is guaranteed to finish at the bottom of the rankings after battling for goals during the campaign.

Mislintat ready to pounce

Former Arsenal recruiting chief Sven Mislintat is ready to help the new VfB Stuttgart club sign the loan from Gunners defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Mavropanos, who was brought to England by Mislintat in January 2018, spent the second half of the 2020 season on loan in the German second row of Nuremberg, helping them survive the demotion from the skin of their teeth.

The 22-year-old central defender is likely to have blocked the course of his first Emirates team in the coming season, thanks to Pablo Mari’s permanent signature and William Saliba’s return on loan.

Now, sport-fm.gr through Sport Testimone, says that the Greek international has already undergone medical intervention in view of a loan transfer to the newly promoted party. Stuttgart suffered an immediate return to the Bundesliga, finishing second behind Arminia Bielefeld.

Stones for the Arsenal?

A move in the Emirates could revitalize John Stones’ career, according to the wise and former English midfielder Jamie Redknapp.

The Manchester City defender has only started 11 league games this season, and only one after the restart, but Redknapp told the Mail that a change of scenery would be fine for the English man.

He says: “Stones is still only 26, the same age as Van Dijk when he joined Liverpool. He is young enough to model, but has only started once in the league under Pep Guardiola since January.

“Arsenal needs a central defender and Mikel Arteta has known Stones since his days in the city. It could be a good choice. “