Transfer: Arsenal table £86m for Chelsea star, João Pedro

Arsenal have initiated negotiations to sign Chelsea striker Joao Pedro, expressing a willingness to pay £86 million for the Brazilian.

Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta, has already strengthened his title-winning team with three new signings, including Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier, and has activated a clause to secure Piero Hincapie on a permanent basis.

The Gunners are also nearing an £80 million agreement for Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes while they pursue an ambitious acquisition of Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior.

Arteta is eager to add a new striker to the Emirates Stadium following Viktor Gyokeres’ inconsistent first season at Arsenal.

Julian Alvarez was Arteta’s primary target at the beginning of the summer; however, a transfer for the Argentine striker appears unlikely as Atletico Madrid is demanding significantly more than £100 million.

Arsenal had previously shown interest in Pedro prior to his £60 million transfer to Chelsea and have rekindled their pursuit this summer, as reported by Brazilian outlet Globo.

The Premier League champions even suggested they would be willing to pay 100 million euros (£86 million) for Pedro, but Chelsea promptly rejected the offer.

Pedro is regarded as one of the ‘untouchable’ players by the Stamford Bridge hierarchy, a position that became clear after Barcelona reached out to discuss a potential transfer.

Pedro is regarded as one of the ‘untouchable’ members of the squad by the executives at Stamford Bridge, a perception that first arose after Barcelona initiated discussions regarding a potential transfer.

In response to the interest from Arsenal and Barcelona, Chelsea is preparing to present Pedro with a new, long-term contract.

Although Pedro was already under contract with Chelsea until 2032, the new agreement, extending for an additional year, will feature a significant salary increase.

The 24-year-old was among Chelsea’s standout players last season, netting 20 goals across all competitions and preventing Liam Delap from securing a place in the team.

Despite finishing 10th in the Premier League last season, Chelsea anticipates greater success following the hiring of former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso.