Report: Arsenal refused to sign ‘fantastic’ player in January for £35m, now Edu can get him for half

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Arsenal are reportedly back in the race to sign Ivan Fresneda this summer, and the Gunners could get a big discount.

The North Londoners are expected to be on the market for a new right-back this summer. Takehiro Tomiyasu is set to be out of action till mid-October, which means Ben White is the only reliable option at Mikel Arteta’s disposal.

Arsenal have been linked with the likes of Joao Cancelo and Sacha Boey as a result, but The Sun claim this week that Fresneda is once again a target.

Arsenal can sign Ivan Fresneda for just £17.5m

Ivan Fresneda has been on Arsenal’s radar for months now.

The Gunners were heavily linked with a move to sign him in the January transfer window. A move even looked imminent at one point, but a deal failed to materialise.

The report now claims why Arsenal decided against signing Fresneda in January. Real Valladolid apparently demanded £35 million to let go of the talented right-back, which is outrageous money for someone who’s still only 18.

Edu rightly passed on the opportunity, but the Spanish club has suffered relegation from La Liga, and Fresneda is now available for half of what they wanted in January – £17.5 million.

The report now claims Arsenal have revived their interest in the Spaniard and could make a move to sign him in the coming weeks.

TBR View:

Fresneda really is a ‘fantastic‘ talent.

The 18-year-old is ‘one of the biggest prospects in European football‘ at the moment, and he would fit Mikel Arteta’s style of play perfectly.

The fact that he’s still a teenager means he will only get better in the coming years, and at £17.5 million, he could prove to be an absolute bargain.

It will interesting to see if Arsenal will lodge an official bid to sign him in the coming weeks.