Clearly wanting a new midfielder in January as he targeted Arthur Melo at Juventus, Mikel Arteta never got the reinforcement he wanted at Arsenal.
That will have to wait until the summer, when there will be more time and most likely more money to get the reinforcement he desires, and one of the new targets appears to be Fabián Ruiz from Napoli.
That’s because the Spaniard, whose contract in Italy runs out in 2023, has emerged as an alternative to the aforementioned Brazilian, with many clubs interested in his services, which has increased the expectation that he will leave the Serie A side in the summer.
In fact, journalist Raffaele Auriemma, speaking on Club Napoli Night on the TV channel Teleclub Italia, relayed by Area Napoli, is adamant the midfielder won’t be at Napoli next season, but he won’t be going to the Emirates.
He said: “I believe that Fabián Ruiz will leave Napoli at the end of the season. There’s been a proposal from Arsenal, but I understand that the player doesn’t want to join the Gunners. The midfielder is waiting for other offers, be they from Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid.”
If true, that will come as a blow to Arteta, although perhaps qualification for the Champions League by finishing the season in the top four could change things in the coming months.
Arsenal are currently sixth in the Premier League, two points behind fourth placed Manchester United, but have three games in hand on both teams (the other being West Ham) above them.
