Arsenal to ‘rival’ Tottenham for £85m Brazil duo as Mikel Arteta eyes Bukayo Saka competition – Chris Davison

The season may be over, but that doesn’t mean the rivalry won’t continue off the pitch this summer. Arsenal and Tottenham have both been linked with the same players, Djed Spence, Yves Bissouma and Gabriel Jesus to name just a few.

However, two new names have joined the list and it could lead to a transfer battle erupting between both clubs. That’s because The Athletic is reporting that Arsenal and Spurs are interested in Leeds United winger Raphinha, just a week after Everton’s Richarlison was also linked to the north London outfits.

It’s claimed that Raphinha is a target for both Arsenal and Tottenham this summer, with concerns that Barcelona will not be able to fund a deal for the winger due to ongoing financial concerns. Although no fee has been mentioned, IES Football Observatory values the player between £26m – £34m, but I expect those numbers to rise even further.

READ MORE: Arsenal under pressure to complete Youri Tielemans deal as Tottenham close in on Yves Bissouma

Meanwhile, Spurs’ interest in Richarlison appears to be a bit more concrete at this moment in time. A separate report from The Athletic claims that no bid has been made, although some figures close to Everton believe the move will eventually happen, with the club ideally looking for at least £51m. According to GOAL, Raphinha’s Brazilian teammate is also under consideration at Arsenal, although Gabriel Jesus remains the current priority for attack.

Although a new striker and central midfielder appear to be at the top of the Gunners’ shopping list, Mikel Arteta is reportedly keen on adding a new wide player to his squad. Nicolas Pepe is expected to depart following a lack of game time and there remains the need for Bukayo Saka to have solid competition.

Arsenal will have more fixtures on their calendar next season after returning to Europe and the introduction of five substitutes means squad depth must be improved. Either one of Raphinha and Richarlison would be a good addition, but neither is expected to come cheaply.

Taking into consideration what Arsenal need, Richarlison could represent a more suitable option, with the 25-year-old able to play anywhere across the frontline. Whereas Raphinha is more suited to the right-hand side and played there 31 times during the 2021/22 campaign.

Wherever both end up over the coming months, Arsenal technical director Edu could play a key role in any potential negotiations due to his connections with Brazilian players and their agents. Whether or not the club will be satisfied with paying the figures mentioned, however, is a different matter.