Arsenal transfer news: Chelsea poised for £52m blow as Anthony Gordon verdict reached

Latest Arsenal transfer news and rumours as Chelsea look to beat the Gunners to Jeremy Jacquet whilst Anthony Gordon addresses his Newcastle future

Arsenal are still smarting from the missed opportunity against Nottingham Forest. With Manchester United beating Manchester City at Old Trafford, Mikel Arteta's side had a golden chance to tighten their grip on the Premier League trophy.

A win against the relegation-battling Forest would have stretched the Gunners' lead at the top of the table to a comfortable nine points. However, they were unable to crack Sean Dyche's resilient side and had to settle for a single point.

As they grapple with their creative challenges, more transfer rumours linked to the club are circulating. football.london provides a rundown of these below.

Chelsea poised to deal £52m transfer blow

Arsenal's aspirations of securing Marc Guehi were dashed by the Englishman's decision to sign with Man City. Nevertheless, the Gunners had eyed an alternative to the Crystal Palace captain in Rennes' young defender Jeremy Jacquet.

Regrettably for them, Chelsea now appears to be in pole position to secure his services this month, with Team Talk reporting that the Blues are willing to exceed the £52million Man City shelled out for Jeremy Doku, setting a new record sale for the 20-year-old.

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Should he opt for Liam Rosenior's team, it would be a significant setback for the north London outfit. Luckily for Arteta, central defence is an area where he has a wealth of options.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes remain his preferred centre-back pairing, while Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are still on the club's books.

Anthony Gordon verdict

According to Caught Offside, Anthony Gordon's performances for Everton and Newcastle United have persuaded Arsenal that he possesses the quality to thrive in North London. The England international has been linked with the Gunners in recent months.

Across all competitions, he has registered eight goals and four assists, making him an attractive proposition as Arteta is reportedly seeking a new left-winger to bolster his squad.

Arsenal's prospects of landing him could be enhanced by Newcastle's need to generate additional transfer funds to comply with Premier League PSR regulations.

A fortnight ago, Gordon addressed speculation linking him with Liverpool. His comments appeared to indicate a willingness to stay at Newcastle, offering a glowing assessment of his spell at St. James' Park.

He said: "It's probably been the best three years I've had in football and in life, too - so it's just a good time for me and my family. Hopefully there's many more appearances and success here, too!".