Arsenal are in the race to sign a Borussia Dortmund wonderkid, dubbed the ‘next Jude Bellingham’, but Mikel Arteta will have to overcome a major hurdle
Arsenal will return to Premier League action this week as they look to get their Premier League title defence back on track.
The Gunners saw 17 players called up for international duty and their stars have continued to shine away from north London as supporters eagerly anticipate Mikel Arteta’s side returning to action. The likes of Mikel Merino, Viktor Gyokeres and Bukayo Saka, who netted twice in England’s 7-0 thrashing of Croatia on Saturday, all found the back of the net.
However, while Arteta will be pleased with some of his players hitting form, others have encountered injury worries during the break. Martin Odegaard appears to have bounced back from Bernardo Silva’s reckless tackle on him, though Christos Tzolis and Kai Havertz may face last-minute fitness checks ahead of the reigning champions’ Premier League comeback. Here, the Daily Star Sport looks at the latest news from the Emirates.
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‘Next Jude Bellingham ‘ targeted
Arsenal are reportedly in the running to sign Borussia Dortmund prodigy Justin Ejodamen, who has been dubbed the next Jude Bellingham in the press.
The 15-year-old midfielder’s style of play has drawn comparisons to the Englishman, who joined Dortmund at the age of 17 and has since established himself as one of the world’s top midfielders.
The youngster is already on the radar of some of Europe’s most prestigious clubs, including AC Milan and Juventus, though Barcelona are said to be leading the pursuit. Premier League sides Chelsea and Arsenal are also eyeing the player given his enormous potential.
TEAMtalk reports that Arsenal’s scouting network has been keeping tabs on Ejodamen’s displays and could move to secure his signature should the chance arise down the line. Nevertheless, they’re confronted with a major obstacle.
The midfielder celebrates his 16th birthday in April, following which European Union clubs can snap him up, while English sides must wait until 2029. Dortmund also remain optimistic about retaining the gifted teenager, considering their established track record of nurturing young talent into world-class performers.
Ejodamen presently plays for Italy at youth international level despite his German birth. He’s also qualified to represent Nigeria.
Fabio Vieira breaks silence
Fabio Vieira has spoken candidly about his anxiety during the closing stages of the transfer window, prior to completing his deadline day switch to Hamburg.
The German outfit, where the 26-year-old spent the previous campaign on loan, were hesitant to match the Gunners’ valuation for most of the summer, with both parties refusing to compromise.
Vieira’s inclination for a transfer to Hamburg was always evident, as he was clearly not in Arteta’s plans. He had to bide his time throughout the negotiations, leading to a nail-biting final few days before the deadline.
Ultimately, Arsenal had no choice but to accept a reduced fee of £8.6million, leaving Vieira overjoyed with his desired move.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Vieira said: “The last two or three days in particular were quite intense. I was a bit nervous because I didn’t know if everything would really work out. But in the end, everything went well. Now I’m here and very happy about it.”