Arsenal dealt transfer blow by Man Utd as Real Madrid aim to ‘break agreement’ with €50m star
Real Madrid could be about to deal Arsenal a huge transfer blow having missed out on Leny Yoro.
The 18-year-old is on the verge of completing a move to Manchester United, who agreed a £52m deal with Lille for the services of the centre-back, who only had eyes for Madrid before being put under pressure by the Ligue 1 club.
A report claims Yoro was ‘threatened with no football’ by Lille, who were desperate to land the significant transfer fee this summer over losing him to Madrid for nothing when his contract expires next summer. Not quite the transfer coup we thought it was, perhaps.
Anyway, the disappointment of missing out on Yoro, whom Madrid assumed was nailed on to join them, will lead the La Liga giants to look elsewhere and Riccardo Calafiori may well be in their sights.
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The Italy international is keen on a switch to Arsenal and has even reached an agreement to join them, but the Gunners have thus far fallen short of Bologna’s €50m asking price for the defender.
Bologna aren’t willing to budge on their valuation as they must pay 50 per cent of any fee to former club FC Basel, and Arsenal’s reticence may open the door for Madrid according to Corriere di Bologna (via Sport Witness).
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The 22-year-old is now at the top of the wishlist for Los Blancos, who are willing to at least match Arsenal’s offer and could ‘come forward decisively’ and convince the Bologna star to ‘break the agreement’ he has with Mikel Arteta’s side.
Reports suggest that there is a chance Basel will lower their sell-on clause, with the transfer to the Emirates ‘currently on standby’.
The ‘stalemate’ comes as Bologna are eager to avoid selling their star player ‘under disadvantageous conditions’, and for now Calafiori has returned to training as Bologna begin their pre-season.
