Arsenal suffer double transfer blow

Stuart Telford

• 23 Apr 2023 09:10 BST
• 3 min read

Mikel Arteta wants to bolster Arsenal's midfield next summer with Moises Caicedo and Mason Mount among those targeted, but he could end up missing out on both.

The Gunners' first-choice three-man midfield is impressive, with Granit Xhaka looking like a player reborn playing alongside Thomas Partey and club captain Martin Odegaard, but the strength in depth behind them is lacking.

The Gunners had a £70 million bid for Caicedo rejected in by Brighton in January, and the Ecuadorean subsequently signed a new four-year contract at the Amex. And now it seems he has shifted his focus anyway.

READ: Caicedo's Arsenal U-turn after admitting 'dream' transfer

"I like Real Madrid. It's always been my dream to play for Real," he told Cadena SER's Carrusel Deportivo radio show. "I'm doing things very well now, so why not join Madrid one day and win the Champions League. That's my biggest dream."

Mount-ing problems

Mason Mount has been linked with a move to Arsenal from Chelsea, meanwhile, and the England international is fast friends with Jorginho, who made that same move last winter after the Premier League leaders had failed to sign Caicedo.

But Mount is now back playing under the manager that gave him his break at Chelsea in Frank Lampard, and if he does leave, Liverpool legend Stan Collymore thinks he should join Jurgen Klopp's Reds revolution this summer.

READ: Fabrizio Romano reveals Liverpool’s three midfield targets

"I know that Liverpool have been sniffing around Mason and if you're putting two and two together… the suggestion could be that he's going to sign for Liverpool," Collymore told CaughtOffside after Mount deleted his Twitter account.

"…the deal is already done, and as and when he signs for Liverpool and it becomes fact on social media, Chelsea fans will have a pop at him… I think going to Liverpool would be a step up."

Arsenal have also been linked with moves for Leciester's Youri Tielemans and Mount's England teammate Declan Rice, currently of West Ham, in recent months. The former is available on a free at the end of the current campaign.