Arsenal have now been handed a transfer blow after one of Mikel Arteta’s targets signed a new contract.
The Spaniard was hoping to sign another defender as well as Riccardo Calafiori – who is close to joining the Gunners in a move from Bologna.
So, who have Arsenal now missed out on? Let’s take a look…
Arsenal target Ilya Zabarnyi signs new contract
Ilya Zabarnyi has now opted to sign a new contract with Bournemouth.
It comes after Caught Offside claimed that Arsenal want to sign the Ukraine international this summer as well as Calafiori, as the Spaniard attempts to significantly improve his already-imperious backline.
Zabarnyi has become a standout player in the Premier League ever since his £24m move from Dynamo Kyiv in January 2023, playing 90 minutes in all but one of Bournemouth’s 38 Premier League games last season, helping the Cherries finish 12th while keeping eight clean sheets.
The Bournemouth No.27 – who would have been welcomed to Arsenal by a fellow countryman in Oleksandr Zinchenko – has penned a deal running until July 2029 after his outstanding 2023/24 campaign, his first full season in English football.
Not the worst news for Mikel Arteta
While there is no denying that Zabarnyi is a brilliant footballer, Arsenal simply do not need another central defender in addition to Calafiori.
The Italian will add to a defensive crop which already contains Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Jakub Kiwior and Jurrien Timber when he arrives in north London, while Declan Rice and Thomas Partey can also play in defence if need be.
Therefore, it would have made no sense to spend a huge fee on Zabarnyi, who Caught Offside believe Bournemouth valued at around £40m before his contract extension.
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Hopefully, that money is put to better use by Arteta and Edu, as we believe the defensive department no longer needs any further reinforcements once Calafiori is signed.