Mikel Arteta warned Man United could complete £190m Arsenal transfer raid after Qatar takeover
Arsenal has been told that Manchester United may attempt to raid Mikel Arteta's team for two important players if they are purchased by Sheikh Jassim's Qatari delegation.
Arsenal has been warned that if Sheikh Jassim’s Qatari delegation completes a mega-money takeover at Old Trafford, two of Mikel Arteta’s key players may “pause and think” about joining Manchester United. United’s present owners, the Glazer family, are considering a full sale of the club, with a Qatar-based delegation and Sir Jim Ratcliffe interested in completing a majority buyout.
Erik ten Hag has aided United’s prospects as they battle for Champions League qualification for next season, while Arsenal is competing for the Premier League title with Manchester City. Arsenal cannot compete financially with City or United in the transfer market, but winning the English Premier League would allow them to offer a number of key players better terms to stay at the Emirates Stadium.
Bukayo Saka’s current deal expires at the end of next season, but Arsenal is optimistic that an agreement can be made with the Hale End hero. Martin Odegaard’s current contract expires in 2025, and the Norwegian playmaker is expected to be rewarded with a new contract as Mikel Arteta attempts to ensure the long-term prospects of his squad.
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has warned the north Londoners that if United pursued both club captain Odegaard and talisman Saka, they might financially envelop Arteta’s group with the contracts they could offer their talents. “They [United] can blast most clubs out of the water now, let alone under probable Qatari ownership,” Collymore wrote on CaughtOffside.
“If they [United] get taken over, what’s stopping them from going in for Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard or Bukayo Saka in the summer? You’re not telling me Manchester United’s financial might wouldn’t make the Gunners, as well as the players, pause and reflect?”
Both players appear to be at ease at the Emirates Stadium and to be enjoying their football under Arteta’s tutelage. The Premier League’s competition may cause Arsenal’s current scenario to change next season, and if they find themselves swapping places with United as a result of a prospective takeover, a number of top players may have their minds turned as they pursue success in their own careers.
Saka is assessed at €120 million (£105 million) by CIES Football Observatory, while Odegaard is valued at €100 million (£87.5 million). If both players sign new contracts, their values will skyrocket once more, implying that if United were to make a bid for the star combo, it would cost them an absurd amount of money – something that isn’t really an issue at Old Trafford but would be made even easier by Qatari financing.
