Dortmund gave Aubameyang permission to travel to London yesterday in order to undergo a medical at Arsenal and complete the finer details of a deal that is valued at £60mn. But they had made it clear that they would not sign off on the transfer until they had sourced a replacement.
Chelsea have wanted to offload Batshuayi but they, too, had refused to do so without a replacement – a player to lighten the load on the first-choice centre-forward, Alvaro Morata. They turned to Giroud and he is set to smooth the wheels of the deals.
Chelsea resumed negotiations with Arsenal over the France striker yesterday morning and there has now been a breakthrough. Giroud had been touted as a makeweight in Arsenal’s deal with Dortmund for Aubameyang but he preferred to remain in London. However, Giroud was named by manager Arsene Wenger on bench in last night’s Arsenal’s game against Swansea in the Premier League. Giroud’s priority has been to enjoy greater playing opportunity before the World Cup finals, having started only one Premier League game for Arsenal all season – following the club’s £52.7m signing of Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon last summer. Giroud will back himself in what promises to be a fight for minutes with Morata. The fee for Giroud is inclusive of add-ons.
Leicester tell City it will take ‘mind-blowing’ offer to sign Mahrez
Manchester City have been told it will take a “mind-blowing” offer to sign Riyad Mahrez from Leicester, with Pep Guardiola understood to be keen on adding the Algeria international to his squad after it emerged Leroy Sane will be sidelined for at least 11 matches.
After missing out on Alexis Sanchez, Guardiola has identified the PFA Player of the Year for the 2015-16 season as an alternative, with the 26-year-old understood to be keen on moving to the Etihad Stadium. But despite reports in France yesterday that City have submitted a bid of €68mn for Mahrez, Leicester say they are yet to receive a formal offer and are not keen on selling the player they bought from Le Havre for £450,000 in 2014.
Mahrez could now attempt to force their hands by making a transfer request, although that is unlikely to be well received at the King Power Stadium after a similar tactic last summer failed to produce a move. Earlier this month Leicester’s manager, Claude Puel, said it would take a bid of £100mn to persuade them to sell.
Guardiola’s change of heart appears to have been triggered by the news that Sane is expected to be out until the end of March after suffering an ankle injury in Saturday’s FA Cup win at Cardiff City. After the 2-0 win the manager said he expected Sane would be out for a month due to a horrific Joe Bennett challenge for which the defender later apologised. Meanwhile Manchester City have made Eliaquim Mangala available for loan, with Valencia, West Ham and Newcastle all interested in the France defender.
Meanwhile, Manchester City completed the signing of Aymeric Laporte. Premier League leaders City are reported to have paid a club record £57mn for Athletic Bilbao defender Laporte, eclipsing the £55mn they paid for Kevin De Bruyne in 2015.
The 23-year-old is also the second most expensive defender in history behind Virgil van Dijk, who cost Liverpool £75mn from Southampton earlier this month. “I am very happy to be here,” Laporte said in a statement on Manchester City’s website. “City are a club with a lot of ambition and they are one of the best teams in Europe. I am looking forward to working under Pep Guardiola and trying to help the club to achieve success.”
Guardiola has now spent more than £200mn on reinforcing his defence, bringing in Laporte alongside Benjamin Mendy (£52mn), John Stones (£47.5mn) and Kyle Walker (£45mn). A France international at all youth levels, Laporte has been frustrated at continually being overlooked by senior team coach Didier Deschamps.
Liverpool's Sturridge joins West Brom on loan
Elsewhere, Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, 28, left Anfield for struggling West Brom on a loan deal until the end of the season after slipping down the pecking order under Jurgen Klopp. Barcelona winger Gerard Deulofeu has become Javi Gracia’s first signing as Watford manager after arriving at Vicarage Road on loan until the end of the campaign.
Celtic have signed Chelsea midfielder Charly Musonda on an 18-month loan deal, with left-back Baba Rahman departing Stamford Bridge for Schalke in a similar arrangement.