Apart from Denis Suarez, Arsenal were heavily linked with the Croatian international Ivan Perisic. The forward was in Emery’s target list alongside PSG’s Nkunku and Yannick Carrasco. But it was Perisic who was promised a move to London by Arsenal scout. According to the insider of Arsenal and renowned journalist David Ornstein, Perisic is definitely coming to Arsenal.
The forward who was under the scanner of Manchester United since very long but after the Red Devils subsided their way out, it was Arsenal who wasted no time in sending the scout to Milan. And it is reported that Perisic is also interested in joining the club and even so that he sent a transfer request to instigate the move.
According to Ornstein, the club even told Perisic how desperately they were in signing the 30-year-old.
“I was told throughout the window that Arsenal were looking for a box-to-box midfielder and a wide player,” said David Ornstein to Arsenalblog.
“It was pretty clear from early on that one of the options was Denis Suarez. And at that point I didn’t know about Carrasco, Perisic or Nkunku – they emerged as the window went on.
“With a week to go in the window, Arsenal made their approach to the representatives of Perisic and then, subsequently, Inter Milan.
“Although they seemingly were calm at this point about the possibility of signing one player, two players or no players, my understanding is they went extremely hard for Perisic.
“And you don’t get a player who hands in a transfer request and stops training and risks his relationship with a club the size of Inter Milan because he doesn’t think he’s coming.
“He definitely thought he would be coming to Arsenal and a deal would be done there.
“Arsenal were in direct contact with Perisic and communicating they would do everything to make the deal happen.”
However, the major hurdle coming both parties way was Milan not willing to transfer the player on loan.
“What was clear to all targets during the window was they could be taken on loan with an option to buy, not an obligation,” Ornstein added.
“They told that to the very people they were targeting. And although they tried to be creative with Perisic – I know for a fact by even offering a penalty fee if the option to buy didn’t become an obligation.
“In the case of Inter, they were just interested in that.”
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