ARSENAL have joined rivals Tottenham in the transfer race for Norwich right-back Max Aarons but refuse to pay the £30m valuation, according to reports.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is keen to add another right-back into his squad to compete with Hector Bellerin but limited funds in the Emirates camp could prove a stumbling block.
Aarons has shone for Daniel Farke’s side despite their relegation struggles this campaign, clocking up 27 appearances out of a possible 29.
But the bottom-of-the-table Canaries look set to lose one of their most-prized assets in the summer, with Arsenal now joining Spurs and Manchester United in the battle for the London whizkid, according to Goal.
The 20-year-old, who last summer signed a five-year deal to tie him to the club until 2024, is primarily a right-back but has proven to be equally as comfortable on the opposite side.
The Canaries starlet came through the ranks at the club’s academy and if Norwich face relegation this term then they may find it hard to resist a big-money offer from Premier League outfits for their golden boy.
Aarons is also on the Red Devils’ radar and was rumoured to be part of a potential double swoop including youngster Todd Cantwell.
Norwich will reportedly demand a hefty £30m price-tag for the Aarons and as reported by the Express, this will be hard to stump up for the cash-strapped Gunners.
The club’s already limited budget was hit by the coronavirus crunch and they are set to sell a number of big names – including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil – this summer to raise transfer funds.
The price-tag may also be a spanner in the works for Spurs who face a staggering £852MILLION of loan repayments to cover the cost of their new stadium.
The North Londoners had reportedly been phoning Aarons’ entourage every day to lure him away from Carrow Road.
Right-back has been a problem position at Spurs for a while, with many fans unhappy with Serge Aurier, and Jose Mourinho seemingly unimpressed by Kyle Walker-Peters.
And with Walker-Peters reportedly on his way out of Spurs, with Crystal Palace and Southampton circling, Mourinho is keen to recruit a new player to fill the position.
If the Gunners fail to land Aarons then they have Cedric Soares as an option to fall back on if they make his loan move permanent, despite him playing no minutes since his switch from Southampton.
Or there is the less experienced starlet Jordi Osei-Tutu, 21, who has been on loan to German second division side Bochum.
