Exequiel Palacios Confirms Gunners Interest

MATT ATHERTON

Arsenal transfer target, Exequiel Palacios, has confirmed Unai Emery is interested in securing his signature this summer, despite Real Madrid interest.

Arsenal are looking at signing Palacios this summer, in what will have to be a comprehensive squad rebuild, while on a tight budget.

The 20-year-old River Plate midfielder has emerged as one of Emery’s top targets. He almost made a switch to Real Madrid last year, but the deal fell through after he picked up an injury. Now, Palacios has confirmed that both Arsenal and Real Madrid are trying to buy him this summer.

“I’m proud clubs like Real Madrid and Arsenal are interested in me,” he said, when asked about his future.

The midfielder currently has an £18m release clause in his contract at River Plate. But it’s believed a proposed deal last summer with Real Madrid totalled £20m, according to the Mirror.

Palacios is also reported to be just one of three players that Emery is interested in that currently play in Argentina.

He was called up to the Argentina squad for this year’s Copa America, but he’s had to withdraw through injury.

While Palacios would make up around half of Arsenal’s total summer transfer budget, Emery is still hopeful of offloading Mesut Ozil. Taking Ozil off of the wage bill go a long way to boosting Arsenal’s bank account. Emery has reportedly had enough of Ozil after his Europa League performance.

The German said to Emery “I swear, you’re not a coach”, according to Turkish translators.

The outburst came after the Arsenal boss substituted him during the Europa League final against Chelsea. He was replaced by younger Joe Willock during the 78th minute of the match, in Baku. Ozil is by far the highest earner at the Emirates Stadium, earning £350,000-a-week.