Arsenal transfer news LIVE: Mayoral shuts down Gunners links, Solanke boost, Everton set Onana price, Zirkzee eyed, Ramsdale to stay

No Mayor of London city

Getafe striker Borja Mayoral has shut down a reported switch to Arsenal after insisting that he is happy in Spain.

Mayoral said on his potential departure to Spanish outlet AS: "It’s news that has surprised me too.

"I haven’t spoken to the club or my agent. I’m very focused on Getafe on a day-to-day basis."

Soak in the Rays

Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has told Mikel Arteta's men to enjoy the winter break and come back recharged.

The talkSPORT pundit told BettingSites.co.uk: "This little break is all about having meetings and getting together with each other and saying: ‘Look, come on, there’s still a long way to go in this season.

"Let’s not throw it away now. We’ve had a decent start.

"We know we’ve had a couple of bad results, West Ham, Fulham and Liverpool, but there’s still a long way to go and let’s regroup, try and get that next win and go again'."

Get away

Arsenal have been told by Getafe they have no intention of selling Borja Mayoral, according to AS.

The striker had been reported to be on Mikel Arteta's wish list as he looks to bolster his attacking strength.

And Mayoral had been tipped as a potential arrival this month.

However, Getafe have issued a hands-off warning to the Gunners for the 26-year-old, who has scored 12 in 19 LaLiga matches this season.

Zirk to do

Bologna sporting director Marco Di Vaio revealed that Joshua Zirkzee has a release clause - but only Bayern Munich can trigger it.

The Dutchman has been linked with a move to Arsenal this month after a stunning season in Serie A.

But a move for the 22-year-old is complicated due to the fact that Bayern have the option to sign him for £34.4million (€40m).

The German giants sold Zirkzee to Bologna in 2022.

"[The release clause is] only valid for Bayern Munich,” Di Vaio said. “We see him every day, we know what he wants and his ideas. He is always involved.

“Now it’s time to develop what we are doing. We can have a future with Thiago Motta. The higher we stay in the table, the more chances we have."

High steaks

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta took a break from football and transfers with a trip to Salt Bae's restaurant in Dubai.

The Gunners are not in action until January 20 as the Premier League stages a mid-season player break.

One round of fixtures is split across two weeks to help clubs manage their workload after a busy Christmas period.

Arsenal have taken the opportunity to undergo a warm-weather training camp in the Middle East.

While there, Arteta visited celebrity chef 'Salt Bae' and got the VIP treatment...

Marquinhos return

Arsenal have confirmed that Marquinhos has returned early from his season-long loan at Nantes.

The 20-year-old made just seven Ligue 1 appearances, providing one assist.

In a statement on Arsenal's website, they confirmed that the winger would be playing for Brazil at the upcoming CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament.

Two South American teams qualify for the Olympics and Marquinhos will be looking to ensure Brazil are one such team.

It's expected that he will join another club on loan, although his participation in that tournament could complicate matters.

Advantage Arsenal?

Arsenal received a possible boost in their pursuit of Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke on Friday.

The Gunners have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old, who has 12 goals in 19 Premier League games this season.

Newcastle were also credited with an interest in Solanke but manager Eddie Howe poured cold water on those reports at his press conference.

The Newcastle boss said: “It’s a frustrating story.

"I love Solanke, I signed him for Bournemouth and rate him very highly.

"But we have not made an inquiry for him and we don’t have the ability to sign a player of that level.”

Arsenal open to January deals

It's been a relatively quiet start to the transfer window for Arsenal, with Financial Fair Play at the forefront of their thoughts.

Therefore, the Telegraph report the Gunners are 'open' to January business but might have to be creative.

But club insiders believes that the squad is well-balanced, and once everyone is fit, they believe it's a strong enough team to compete on multiple fronts.

Of course, injuries to any key players or in certain positions could change things.

Jordan rubbishes Toney claims

Simon Jordan has brutally shutdown any talk of Arsenal signing Ivan Toney this window due to the finances involved.

It's no secret that the Gunners would like to sign the Brentford striker.

However, due to the Bees' perilous position and Toney's insistence on repaying the club, the deal is looking increasingly unlikely.

And the former Crystal Palace owner explained on talkSPORT why from a financial point of view it won't happen.

He said: "I don' think they are going to squeeze it into this year's Financial Fair Play."

Cherry picking

Arsenal have been told to hijack Newcastle's proposed move for Dominic Solanke considering the Magpies' struggles with FFP.

Speaking on the It's All Kicking Off podcast, Chris Sutton said: "Whether Solanke is an upgrade or not, he's a player who I rate highly especially this season, the more I've seen of him.

"I think he's finding himself. He knows his game now. You could have questioned his goalscoring record in the past, but at this moment in time, I think that Newcastle are right to go for him.

"I know Arsenal have got this FFP issue and what have you, whether they can spend big money but I'm surprised Arsenal haven't made some sort of move for him. Maybe they have."

Chamber of secrets

Former Arsenal defender Calum Chambers has been told he can leave Aston Villa this month by ex-Gunners boss Unai Emery.

Chambers, who arrived from Arsenal in a free transfer last January, is yet to play a single minute of Premier League action this season and is set to leave just one year into a three-and-a-half-year deal.

“There are some players here who can leave," Emery said in his press conference this afternoon.

"For example, there are two players — Bertrand Traore and Calum Chambers — who can leave.

“They are two players that are knowing their situation through different circumstances. Maybe there are other players that can leave and that’s not clear.

"And the possibility to sign players in substitute them, we are trying to analyse different characteristics of players.”

Gunner be tempted?

Arsenal have been told to make a move for PSV Eindhoven's Moroccan star Ismael Saibari.

Morocco legend Ali Boussaboun, who spent most of his career in the Dutch Eredivisie, believes Saibari has the profile of a Gunners star.

“Ismael Saibari is great,” Boussaboun told Dutch outlet NU.

“He has beautiful technique, is so strong, and really a team player. And he is so humble that you almost want to hug him.”

“If Saibari does well there (at AFCON), his market value will increase by 10 or 20 million euros,” the 44-year-old adds. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Arsenal pick him up after the season.

“If PSV sells him for less than 60 million euros, they will have failed.”

Bee sting

Sam Allardyce has shared something about Arsenal target Ivan Toney that has really shocked him.

Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast, he said: “Ivan Toney will take the best part of six, eight or 10 games to get up to speed.

“Match practice is everything, you can do as much training as you want but when it comes down to match practice.

“What surprised me the other day is my mate said he was 6 ft 4 or 6 ft 5 but according to the Premier League he’s no bigger than 6 ft 2.”

Hav some of that

talkSPORT’s football correspondent Mark Goldbridge believes the signing of Kai Havertz has affected Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard's form.

“It’s been a bit of a surprise with Arsenal. They were top at Christmas and now they’re fourth. It’s a bit of a reality bite.

“I watched both games against West Ham and Fulham and both games they deserved to lose. For the first time in a long time Arteta actually acknowledged that without blaming decisions that didn’t go their way.

“I’ve never been comfortable with the [Kai] Havertz signing, I don’t think the balance of the midfield is correct I think it’s had an impact on [Martin] Odegaard and I think Arsenal would be a better team if they had a box-to-box number eight next to Declan Rice giving Odegaard the freedom to be the number ten.

“I also think they lack a striker, [Gabriel] Jesus runs hot and cold and [Eddie] Nketiah wouldn’t start for a team like Everton or Crystal Palace, so he’s not a good enough striker to win the league, and I think their fullbacks need improvement.

“Arsenal are technically still very much a work in progress compared to a Man City who are the complete deal.”

Dier straits

Kieron Dyer could have been a part of Arsenal's Invincibles had he not rushed into a decision as a young footballer.

The speedy winger was the talk of English football after progressing through the ranks at Ipswich Town during the late 90s.

After failing to win promotion in the 1998/99 campaign, interest was building in Dyer who told talkSPORT there were other offers on the table when he completed a £6.5million move to Newcastle United.

Speaking to Drive, Dyer explained a move away from his boyhood club was inevitable having come so close to the Premier League in a team with highly-rated players.

Gunners' dry January

Arsenal legend Ray Parlour doubts Mikel Arteta will make any new signings in the January transfer window.

The Gunners great says the club spent too much money in the summer and, while they need to add a top striker to their team, they just can't afford to spend big on any of the names they're being linked with.

And in the case of Ivan Toney, Parlour insists there's no way in-trouble Brentford will let him go this month.

"I don't think they're going to get anyone in this transfer window, I really don't," The Invicibles hero said on this morning's talkSPORT Breakfast.

"I don't think they've got the money. They overspent in the summer on Declan Rice and Kai Havertz and probably didn't get as many players out the of door as they wanted to.

"Arsenal need a goalscorer if they want to win the league, absolutely, but the problem is who is available?

"Why would Brentford want to sell Ivan Toney? They're fourth from bottom!

"Everton are exactly the same with Dominic Calvert-Lewin - they can't afford to lose their best striker, because if they go down it's not guaranteed they'd come straight back up from the Championship, it's a very difficult league.

"No problem in the summer, Brentford might say to Toney, 'You keep us up and then you can go anywhere you want in the summer'.

"But the most important thing for any club is to stay in the Premier League and with the position they're in at the moment, they can't afford to lose their best players."

Joshing around

More on Arsenal's reported interest in Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee.

According to the Daily Mail, a summer move for the 22-year-old is more likely, with the Serie A side valuing him at around £50million.

The report adds that the Gunners are wary of financial restrictions this month and Bologna have no plans to cash in this January.

Sticky Toffee

Everton's £60million asking price for Amadou Onana has now been reaffirmed as Arsenal's reported interest in his services ramps up.

According to the I newspaper, the Toffees want to double the £33m they spent to sign the midfielder, with their own FFP worries seeing them take a hard but practical line when it comes to sales.

The report adds that there has been no contact or talks with any of Onana’s potential suitors so far, but Arsenal remain the strongest link.

The Gunners' own financial issues make a summer move more likely, as the club would have to sell someone first to be able to afford him.

Onana price revealed

Everton will demand at least £60million for Amadou Onana amid interest from Arsenal, according to reports.

The Toffees are said to be open to selling their midfielder, however, they won't allow him to leave in a cheap deal.

Mikel Arteta is keen on signing Onana and the player is keen on making the move but finances could be an issue.

Therefore, an approach may not be made until the summer window.

Zubimendi worry

Arsenal target Martin Zubimendi seems to have no plans to leave Real Sociedad after quotes from last year were revealed.

The Spain international previously told the media: “I have never planned to leave Real Sociedad, I always say that.

"I love life here, at home, I’m so happy here. The values of this club are the same as mine so I feel very good, I always said that I’m happy."

The Gunners have been rumoured to be interested in activating Zubimendi's £50million release clause.

Jurrien Joy

Arsenal have received a major boost with summer signing Jurrien Timber filmed during the club's warm weather training camp in Dubai.

Timber helped the Gunners win the Community Shield, before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Nottingham Forest on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign.

There were fears he would be ruled out for the rest of the term, with the 22-year-old's place at Euro 2024 in jeopardy.

But the 15-cap Netherlands international could be in line to return in the coming months after travelling with his teammates to the United Arab Emirates.

Timber's 'dream move'

Jurrien Timber's brother Quinten has revealed that his summer move to Arsenal was a 'dream move' for the defender.

Quinten said: "I love English football. Jurriën has that too. As a child, Arsenal was already his number-one club.

“That’s why it’s extra. It’s great that he plays there now. I didn’t have a favourite club myself, but I do enjoy watching the Premier League.

“It’s a great level and a very high pace. That’s ultimately what I strive for. It’s a dream to be there to play one day myself.”

Zirkzee admired

Arsenal are keeping a close eye on Joshua Zirkzee as they consider potential striker targets, according to the Telegraph.

The Gunners are open to doing business in January, however, they need to be careful with their finances after spending so high in the summer.

And that could be an issue as Bologna are reported to be asking for a fee in the region of £50million for the Dutchman.

Therefore, if Mikel Arteta is to decide on Zirkzee, who has scored eight goals in Serie A this season, a move is more likely to happen at the end of the season.

Better with Borja?

As reported earlier today, Arsenal are said to have made a £22million bid for Getafe striker Borja Mayoral.

But would he improve the Gunners' attack?

Well, when it comes to stats, it seems he definitely would.

With 12 goals in La Liga this season, he has more than Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus combined.

And per 90 minutes, Mayoral has a much better conversion rate than both players with 44% compared to 20% and 12.5% respectively.

He also has a higher headed goal average and non-penalty average than both Arsenal strikers this campaign.

Tomiyasu contract

Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is still in talks to extend his contract at the club, according to The Mirror.

Negotiations are reported to be advancing well with the two parties working on clarifying the structure of the deal.

Mikel Arteta wants to keep the Japan international and fend off interest from Napoli, Roma and AC Milan.