BREAKING NEWS: “Guardiola is a good friend of mine, but the player has decided to join Arsenal, and I can’t compel him otherwise,” the manager said in response to Manchester City’s massive bid to disrupt the transfer to Arsenal, despite the player already agreeing to join Arteta’s team by January.

The manager emphasized his friendship with Guardiola but made it clear that the player had chosen to join Arsenal, and he could not interfere with that decision. This statement came in response to Manchester City’s bid to disrupt Arsenal’s transfer plans, despite the player already committing to join Mikel Arteta’s team by January.

Reports from the Spanish outlet Fichajes suggest that Arsenal is eyeing a potential move for Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran next year. Duran, a 20-year-old Colombian forward, has been in fine form this season after taking some time to settle in following his move to Villa Park last year.

Although Unai Emery has used him mostly as a rotational player, Duran has managed to score seven goals in only two starts across all competitions, making him the club’s top scorer this season, surpassing even Ollie Watkins.

Arsenal is said to be increasingly interested in acquiring Duran to strengthen their attacking options. Despite the forward recently signing a contract extension with Aston Villa that ties him to the club until 2030, Arsenal remains undeterred in their pursuit.

Aston Villa is in a strong position to demand a hefty transfer fee, reportedly setting a price of £75 million (€90 million) for the young star.

Barcelona has also shown interest in Duran, but their financial struggles may give Arsenal an edge in the race to sign him.

With Arsenal currently relying on Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus as their main center-forward options following Eddie Nketiah’s summer move to Crystal Palace, they could benefit from adding another reliable goal-scorer.

While Havertz has been in good form recently and has become the preferred option, Jesus’ injury troubles in recent seasons have affected his ability to perform consistently.

Bringing in a promising forward like Duran could help Arsenal bolster their attacking depth. If Duran maintains his impressive performances throughout the season, he could become a valuable addition to Arteta’s squad. It remains to be seen whether Arsenal will make an official move for the South American player ahead of the next season.