Arsenal bid for Liverpool target Mora as Rice, Odegaard and Timber near contract extensions

Arsenal have submitted an opening bid for Club Tijuana attacking midfielder Gilberto Mora, according to Mexican publication El Provenir, moving to beat Premier League rivals Liverpool to the 18-year-old’s signature ahead of the January transfer window.

Mora, who turns 18 this week — the point at which Arsenal are eligible to sign him — has a reported release clause of £21.2 million in a contract that runs until 2029. Liverpool had been linked with the teenager in recent weeks, but Arsenal are said to have approached Tijuana directly over a potential deal. The Gunners have tracked Mora for some time: he made history earlier this year as Mexico’s youngest ever World Cup player and has already accumulated 13 senior international caps, attracting reported interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona as well.

The move for Mora is one part of a broader period of squad-building at the Emirates. Arsenal returned to Premier League action on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Leeds United, a result that kept them second in the table behind Manchester City after six matches, following a 3-0 defeat at Brighton before the international break.

On the contract front, TEAMtalk reports that Arsenal are close to finalising extensions for three key players: midfielder Declan Rice, captain Martin Odegaard, and defender Jurrien Timber. The club recently extended manager Mikel Arteta’s deal through to the summer of 2030, and the hierarchy are now pushing to secure their core squad on similar long-term terms.

Rice, currently reported to be earning £240,000 per week on a deal that expires in the summer of 2028, is said to be on the verge of a significant pay rise that would bring him close to top earner Bukayo Saka. Odegaard has reportedly been in contract discussions with the club for over a year, while both his and Timber’s renewals are expected to be completed during the November international break and, at the latest, before the January window opens.