Arsenal have ‘secret weapon’ in Felix battle; Arteta to give green light over £53m bid for Prem star

A report has declared Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey as their ‘secret weapon’ in the race to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix on loan.

The Gunners are among a number of clubs looking at the possibility of taking the Portugal international on a temporary deal until the end of the current season.

Arsenal are hoping to strengthen their attacking options in the January window with Gabriel Jesus likely to be missing for a matter of months and not weeks.

The north London club have reportedly made a new bid for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk after reports claimed yesterday that Arsenal had agreed personal terms with the Ukraine international.

Previous reports have claimed Felix is keen to leave Atletico Madrid as he goes in search of regular game time and The Athletic confirmed that there is Premier League interest in him.

It is understood Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have ‘to different degrees been at least considering the option of signing’ Felix in January and the Gunners and the Red Devils ‘have both expressed interest but not at the level of finance Atletico are seeking’.

The Athletic added:

‘None of those clubs have bitten at that €21million price, and industry figures believe that may come down, perhaps significantly, as the January transfer window progresses. The question is: at what price point does the package of loan fee and salary become attractive to the decision-makers at the Emirates, Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge?

‘Arsenal do like Joao Felix and some influential figures at the club believe he would be an ideal addition, especially on loan.

‘The current Premier League leaders would see it as similar to the initial loan that brought Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid to their corner of north London in this window two years ago: Arsenal provide a platform for the player to reignite their career, with the potential to earn a permanent move. With Odegaard, that worked out very well.’

And now The Metro claim that Arsenal midfielder Partey will be their ‘secret weapon’ as they look to convince Felix to choose the Gunners over another club.

Felix ‘is in contact with’ Partey – who ‘was a club team-mate of Felix before his move to Arsenal in 2020 and the pair have stayed in close contact ever since’ – while the Portugal international’s agent Jorge Mendes has ‘offered his client to a host of Premier League clubs’.

And Arsenal might not stop there in their efforts to improve their side in the winter market with Spanish website Fichajes claiming that the Gunners are one of three sides ‘bidding’ for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo.

The report adds that the ‘first formal Gunners offer could be around’ €60m (£53m) with Chelsea and Newcastle United also thinking about making an offer.

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