Arsenal are reportedly’ready’ to’match’ Real Valladolid’s asking price for Ivan Fresneda, despite competition from Newcastle.
This season, the 18-year-old has been one of La Liga’s breakout stars. This season, he has made 19 league appearances.
The Spain U19 international has already piqued the interest of clubs across Europe, and he could soon be playing in the Premier League. In March, he stated that reports linking him to a move to Arsenal made him “proud.”
“I’m proud, but I always say it: I’m also at a big club, Valladolid,” Fresneda said to AS.
“I’ve always valued studies with an eye towards the future, aside from football.” I enjoy learning foreign languages.”
When asked to name two top right-backs he admires, Fresneda chose two England internationals.
“It is a fashionable position that today is valued much more than before, and there are truly great players,” he added. Achraf [Hakimi], Reece James, and Alexander-Arnold are three of my favourites.”
Fresneda was linked with the Gunners during the January transfer window, and Football Insider reports that ‘Arsenal are prepared to submit an offer for him this summer’.
The London club is set to’reignite their interest in Fresneda and table a bid that matches Valladolid’s £20 million asking price’.
Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund are also ‘interested’ in Fresneda, with the Bundesliga club ‘leading the race to sign him’.
Mikel Arteta is a ‘big admirer of the Spaniard’s versatility,’ and Arsenal are ‘prepared to enter a bidding war’.
According to a separate report by German journalist Christian Falk, Arsenal is ‘pushing’ for Fresneda and ‘could spend significantly more money’ to sign him than Dortmund.
‘Real Valladolid’s brilliant 18-year-old Ivan Fresneda, with a market value of €10 million, has emerged as a target for Dortmund,’ Falk contributed to Caught Offside.
‘The right-back has a contract with the Spaniards until 2025, so he would cost around €20 million, but Arsenal are also interested in signing him and could spend significantly more.
‘If Dortmund wants to bring the player to the Bundesliga, they’ll need to sell Thomas Meunier to make enough money for him.
‘The 31-year-old Belgian has a contract until 2024, but he is only the club’s third-choice full-back and is prone to injury. It’s no surprise that sports director Sebastian Kehl wants to save money on his annual €7 million salary while also charging a small fee for his services.’
