Yeremy Pino - Soccer Football - Europa League Final - Villarreal v Manchester United - Polsat Plus Arena Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland - May 26, 2021 Villarreal's Yeremi Pino celebrates after winning the Europa League
Arsenal have lined up Villarreal’s Yeremy Pino as an alternative option to Wolves winger Pedro Neto, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.
The Lowdown: Neto pursuit
As per The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the Gunners have identified the 22-year-old forward as their first-choice replacement for Nicolas Pepe, who recently joined Ligue 1 outfit Nice on a season-long loan.
Football.London have shared reports which claim that Mikel Arteta’s side are currently only willing to sanction a £35m move for the Portugal international, whereas Wolves are holding out for closer to £50m.
It is believed that talks between the two Premier League clubs have been ongoing for more than a month, with intermediary Jorge Mendes playing a key role in the discussions.
The Latest: Taylor’s news
According to Spanish outlet AS, Arsenal have also shown an interest in Villarreal winger Pino.
Taylor believes that the Gunners are lining up the 19-year-old as an alternative option to Neto if they are unable to come to an agreement with Wolves over a fee for the Portuguese forward.
Speaking with GiveMeSport, the reliable journalist claimed: “With Pino, he is one of a few. From what I understand, there are alternatives that Arsenal would be willing to go for if they can’t get Neto. But they don’t want to just sign someone for the sake of it. It has to be a player that is genuinely going to improve their squad and also someone who fits their transfer policy.”
The Verdict: Great alternative
The Spain international made an incredible impression in La Liga last season after scoring six goals and producing four assists in 31 top-flight appearances for Unai Emery’s side.
This was on top of seven appearances in the Champions League, in which the winger impressively helped Villarreal to reach the semi-finals.
After an emphatic four-goal performance against Espanyol in February, Fabrizio Romano was full of praise the youngster, claiming that he played a ‘special game’ and describing him as a ‘special talent’.
Therefore, if Arsenal find themselves struggling to get the Neto deal over the line, Pino could be a worthy target for Arteta and co instead.
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