Arsenal transfer rumours: Gunners eye £12m former team-mate of Szoboszlai, Zaha reveals talks

Arsenal have their sights set on Saturday’s FA Cup third round tie with Newcastle United after enjoying an uplifting run of results.

The Gunners have won their last three Premier League matches to reduce the pressure on Mikel Arteta and are now looking forward to a brighter 2021.

Wins over Chelsea, Brighton and West Bromwich Albion have changed the mood around the club three successive home games, two of which are against Newcastle.

Wins over Chelsea, Brighton and West Bromwich Albion have changed the mood around the club three successive home games, two of which are against Newcastle.

Gunners interested in Salzburg midfielder

Arsenal have added Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Enock Mwepu onto their list of potential transfer targets.

That is according to the Gooner Fanzine, who report that the Gunners are considering a £12million bid for the 23-year-old Zambian international.

The report states that Arsenal have been impressed by Mwepu’s performances in the Champions League this season and see him as a cheaper alternative to the likes of Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma.

Mwepu has managed three goals and four assists in 21 appearances this season after returning five goals and seven assists in 36 games in all competitions in 2019/20.

The report also claims that Arsenal are interested in Mwepu’s Salzburg team-mate Patson Daka, who is viewed as a potential replacement for Alexandre Lacazette.

Zaha held Arsenal talks with Emery

Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has revealed that he spoke to former Arsenal manager Unai Emery about a transfer in 2019.

Zaha has frequently been linked with a move away from Palace and he discussed a move to the Emirates Stadium before the Gunners eventually shelled out £72m for Nicolas Pepe.

"I had a conversation with the manager," Zaha told Jamie Carragher’s The Greatest Game Podcast.

"[Unai] Emery was just like, ‘We don’t really need to go through much’. He said he’d seen me play, he knows I can change games at any time and stuff like that.

“He was like, ‘Yeah we’d love to have you’ and I was just like, ‘Yeah I’d love to come’. The conversation was rather straightforward because I played against him when he was manager of Arsenal.

“He saw what I could do, saw my work-rate, and what I could add to the team. Obviously, it was up to the club who they chose. And they chose Pepe over me.”

Back-up goalkeeper leaves Arsenal

Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Macey has completed a move to Scottish side Hibernian.

The 26-year-old, who was behind Bernd Leno and Alex Runarsson in the pecking order, was out of contract in the summer.

Macey joined the Gunners from Bristol Rovers in 2013, but made just two first team appearances, both in the 2017/18 season, and failed to challenge for a place in the side.

The club said in a statement: “From everyone at Arsenal, we would like to thank Matt for his contribution to the club and wish him all the best for the next chapter in his career with Hibernian.”