Barcelona are reportedly interested in securing the services of two players and according to Spanish sports daily Mundo Deportivo.
Despite the speculation, both players appear to be firmly in the plans of the North London club.
Jorginho, the Italian international, has seen reduced playing time at Arsenal this season following the acquisition of Declan Rice.
However, both he and his agent have been unequivocal in their stance that a move away from the Emirates Stadium is not on the cards. His contract expires in 2024, but Arsenal have an option for an additional year.
Meanwhile, Kai Havertz, who moved to Arsenal in a high-profile transfer from Chelsea, has had a challenging start to his time in North London.
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Despite this, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shown faith in the German playmaker. In a recent press conference, Arteta stated he wanted to, “Try to help him as much as possible
Be next to him, give him the tools, give him the confidence, and give him the minutes to exploit his talent.
There are so many parts of his game that he’s doing exceptionally well and we know the one that needs to keep improving.
“But as always, with any player, it’s about giving support,” Arteta went on. “Especially when you see a player that does what he does every single day and the way he tries, the way he applies himself.
“You give them support and more tools and if they don’t perform, it’s because of us.
The report from Spain suggests that the La Liga giants are exploring options for the upcoming January transfer window and have identified the Arsenal duo as potential targets.
Barcelona’s approach stems from a belief that the market will offer more opportunities in January, similar to this past summer when they acquired Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo on loan.
They think that players who were previously ‘star signings’ could become available for a lower price, and both Jorginho and Havertz fit that description, according to them.
Arsenal paid €11.3m to sign Jorginho from Chelsea (valued then at €35m, now €25m) and €75m to sign Havertz (valued then and now at €55m).
It remains to be seen whether Barcelona will make a formal approach for either player, but the fact that Hansi Flick has identified them as potential targets suggests the Spanish giants are positioning themselves for a busy transfer window. With their sights set on a return to the top of European football, Barcelona will be hoping to lure some of the continent’s brightest experienced talents to the Camp Nou.
