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New deals for Arsenal stars plus Dominic Solanke links
Conversations between Arsenal and Takehiro Tomiyasu are advancing to the final stages as he looks set to sign a new contract at the Emirates Stadium very soon. There have been many rumours about Tomiyasu possibly moving to Italy with the likes of Milan, Napoli, Roma, but he’s staying – a move was never possible. Probably the most serious option was about Inter in the summer, but Arsenal rejected that one too.
Tomiyasu is part of the Arsenal project and the idea is to extend his contract. There is big optimism as things look to be advancing in that direction. The Japan international has been in fine form this season and he will get a pay rise with his new deal. There will be more talks in the next days and weeks to get it done.
There is also optimism about Ben White, who could be the next one to sign a new deal at Arsenal, as first reported about three months ago.
Staying with Arsenal, there have been further reports about Aaron Ramsdale and a possible departure if a big offer comes in. It’s certainly the case that a big offer can always persuade clubs to sell players, especially if they’re not starters like Ramsdale. But as of now, there is no big proposal on the table, the situation is still quiet. In case they will receive a big proposal, the situation could change.
Some Arsenal fans are also asking me about Dominic Solanke after his fine form. I have no update on his future so far, it’s still quiet. He’s doing great so he could be one to watch, but at the moment I don’t have any concrete updates to speak of. Personally, I really like Solanke but I also think Arsenal need a top, top player in that position should they invest on striker and it’s not easy in January.
Manchester United contract updates
There are also important contract updates at Manchester United, as yesterday morning the club informed the agents of Victor Lindelof that they have triggered the option to extend his contract for one more season. It’s not a new deal, but an extension to the contract he already had, which would have expired in the summer. Now it will expire in 2025, so one more season for Lindelof, who is an important player for Erik ten Hag.
As I previously reported here, Lindelof was on the list of Atletico Madrid and Inter one year ago, and again in the summer there were many important clubs tracking him, but Ten Hag decided to keep him as part of the squad.
The same could happen with Hannibal Mejbri, who will have his contract extended by one more year, and perhaps longer, and then go out on loan. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is another player in line for a new deal, so that’s the current situation with contracts at Man United.
What next for Conor Gallagher amid Tottenham interest?
I wanted to provide an update on Conor Gallagher, an important story. The midfielder is due to be out of contract at Chelsea in 2025, so it’s a kind of dangerous situation, but from what I’m hearing, conversations between Gallagher and Chelsea over a new contract are still there.
It’s not an easy one, nothing is concrete and nothing is done, but the option seems to still be there, so let’s see what will happen. It’s also important to clarify the situation with Tottenham, as I’ve received many questions about this again.
For now, guys, there is no conversation ongoing between Chelsea and Tottenham for Gallagher. Last summer, we know very well that Tottenham wanted the player, and they tried on Deadline Day to agree something with Chelsea, but it didn’t happen because Chelsea decided to say no to those conditions.
The situation now is very much the same – only an important proposal can change the situation, or Chelsea are happy to continue with him. For Mauricio Pochettino he is an important player, and he’s always mentioning this in conversations with the directors at the club.
Tottenham have been interested in Gallagher for some time, and Ange Postecoglou is also a big fan of the player. They remain interested in Gallagher, but they are not negotiating for him today. Let’s see what will happen in the next days and weeks, particularly as it will also be important to know if Spurs will keep Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who has interest from some clubs in Italy. After that we’ll see what’s next for Conor Gallagher.
Another Chelsea story doing the rounds involves new centre-backs, with both Jean-Clair Todibo and Ousmane Diomande being linked. I’m told there’s just some scouting activity, nothing concrete for either of those players yet. There are no talks or negotiations for Diomande so far. Todibo has also been watched but there’s no contact or negotiations as of now. It’s still early, so let’s see what happens in the next weeks.
As for Tottenham, they’ve been one of the clubs scouting Ko Itakura. Itakura would like a Premier League move one day, and Tottenham know him so well but their focus now remains on Radu Dragusin as mentioned for days. Liverpool have also sent their scouts to follow him multiple times in the last year, so let’s see if some club will try to negotiate with Borussia Monchengladbach now or next summer.
The latest on Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi Real Madrid stories
There’s a lot of focus on Kylian Mbappe now that it’s January and he is technically free to negotiate with foreign clubs for a move for next season. Still, I wanted to address some of the latest Real Madrid speculation here.
Unfortunately, despite much being written about Mbappe’s situation, nothing is clear on this story yet. I’m not in the position to give any guarantee on when Mbappe will decide his future. The situation remains the same – Real Madrid are on it, PSG are pushing to sign new deal, and it’s absolutely open. Again, I keep repeating on Mbappe; it’s one to follow day by day. In my view, any predictions now make no sense.
We’re also again seeing plenty of transfer rumours about Mauro Icardi, who is being linked with Real Madrid and some top English clubs. As I reported before, though, there is nothing happening – Icardi is focused on Galatasaray, there are no negotiations for him to go to Real Madrid, there is absolutely nothing between the player or Carlo Ancelotti or other key figures at Real Madrid.