Arsenal 'prepared to listen to offers' for star pair

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:37 CDT
• 3 min read

Arsenal are ready to cash on a pair of club stalwarts as they look to fund a squad rebuild ahead of next season's assault on the Champions League.

The Gunners have led the Premier League for most of this season, and although champions Manchester City are closing on them, Champions League football for the first time since 2017 looks to be assured.

It is understood that Mikel Arteta wants a bona fide No.9, with the club set to back in for Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic, while Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo are on the shortlist of players who could bolster his midfield options.

READ: Ten players who could transfer to Arsenal this summer

But none of those players will come cheap, and Arsenal are ready to raise funds with player sales.

For sale: Tierney, Xhaka… and Balogun

"Arsenal are prepared to listen to offers for Kieran Tierney and Granit Xhaka this summer," report the Daily Mail. "Striker Folarin Balogun, who has impressed on loan at Reims this season, could also be allowed to depart permanently."

Tierney has fallen behind Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back this season, with Manchester City and Newcastle looking like the most likely destination for the Scotland international, who is valued at €38.6 million by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.

READ: Arsenal face shock transfer raids from PSG and Milan

Former captain Xhaka (€31.7m) has been rejuvenated in Arteta's 4-3-3 this season, contributing five goals and five assists in the Premier League, but the arrivals of Rice or Caicedo would impinge upon his minutes with Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard enjoying their manager's complete trust.

Balogun has hit 18 goals on loan at Will Still's Reims in Ligue 1 this season, with the USA now trying to tempt him to switch his international allegiance from England, but he will find Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah - if not Vlahovic - in his way once he returns to the Emirates.

Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille and RB Leipzig have been credited with an interest in the €19.6m-rated striker.