PSG announce they have just signed £51m Arsenal target

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PSG have now confirmed the arrival of a player Mikel Arteta wanted Arsenal to sign this summer.

With money to spend from the departure of Kylian Mbappe and his remarkable £1.2m-a-week salary, along with their own financial power, the Parisians have invested heavily to fend off Arsenal and more of Europe’s top sides to sign an elite talent.

So, who have Arsenal now missed out on? Let’s take a look…

Arsenal miss out on Joao Neves to PSG

PSG have just announced the signing of Joao Neves from Benfica.

The French giants have paid £50.6m to secure the Portugal international’s signature on a five-year contract, after he rose to stardom in Lisbon.

It comes despite the fact Arsenal wanted to sign Neves – according to Sportslens – as Arteta believes the Portuguese playmaker is one of Europe’s greatest talents.

The 19-year-old, who played for Portugal at UEFA Euro 2024 this summer, made 55 appearances in all competitions for Benfica throughout the 2023/24 campaign, scoring three goals while also providing two assists.

Mikel Arteta has already moved on

Typically in the world of football transfers nowadays, those on the inside have a strong understanding of where a player is heading before the deal becomes official.

That certainly seems to be the case over at the Emirates Stadium anyway, as Arsenal have swiftly moved on to another central midfielder, with an official announcement seemingly close.

The Gunners have agreed a £25m deal with Real Sociedad for Mikel Merino – who had already entered the final 12 months of his contract with the Basque outfit – and a medical should take place shortly.

At the age of 28, the Spain international is a far more experienced option than Neves, despite not being able to offer the midfield longevity the teenager would have provided for Arteta.

While every club would prefer to sign the younger option nowadays, mainly due to sell-on value, this situation could work out nicely for Arteta, as the Spaniard already has a youthful squad, which may benefit from Merino’s expertise.

READ MORE: Arsenal step up push to sign 2018 World Cup winner who Mikel Arteta feels would really help the team

Be sure to keep an eye on this situation, as Arsenal should announce Merino’s arrival soon.