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Arsenal may have Arsene Wenger to thank if Pedro Neto completes late Gunners transfer
ARSENAL are reportedly interested in signing Pedro Neto.
Arteta invites Wenger to return to Arsenal in some capacity
Arsenal may well have their former boss Arsene Wenger to thank if they land Pedro Neto before the close of the summer transfer window. Neto is reportedly the Gunners' top target and the Portugal star has previously admitted to being a boyhood Arsenal fan.
Mikel Arteta has been in the market for a winger throughout the summer window. However, much has depended on moving on club-record signing Nicolas Pepe.
Pepe is in talks with Nice over a return to France on a season-long loan. The Athletic claims Neto is the No 1 target to replace the Ivory Coast international.
And a deal could be made easier by the player's love for the Gunners. Speaking to talkSPORT in January 2020, Neto confessed his favourite team as a youngster was Arsenal.
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He was a big fan of Wenger's style of football despite it not being the most successful period in the club's history. Neto said: "When I was a kid my favourite team in England was Arsenal.
"No, no, no [not Liverpool or Manchester United], Arsenal. Because with Arsene Wenger I thought besides [not] winning trophies they played very good football.
“Now I’m with Wolverhampton and I'm very happy! Of course, it’s the best club in England now.”
Neto joined Wolves from Braga in 2019 and has scored 11 goals in 95 appearances for the club. He signed a new contract at Molineux in March to extend his deal until 2027.
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However, Arsenal are looking into the possibility of signing him before the window shuts on September 1. Talks have been held with agent Jorge Mendes for over a month but a deal is not likely to come cheap.
Arsenal have spent around £120million on new signings so far this summer. Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko in particular have hit the ground running since joining from Manchester City.
Arsenal have won their opening three matches of the Premier League season and sit top of the table. But that does not stop Arteta from wanting to add more "firepower" to his squad.
Arsenal are also in the market for a midfielder, with Leicester's Youri Tielemans continuing to be linked. Tielemans is in the final year of his contract at the King Power Stadium and is keen on a move to north London.
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