Arsenal's Berta pursues Rogers and Barcola simultaneously in £246m double transfer push

Arsenal are pursuing marquee signings on two fronts this summer, with sporting director Andrea Berta reportedly working simultaneously on deals for Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers and Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola — a combined outlay that could reach £246m.

The Gunners are operating from a position of strength after ending a 22-year wait to lift the Premier League title last season. Mikel Arteta’s side have so far made modest additions, with Piero Hincapie joining permanently from Bayer Leverkusen following his loan spell and former Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier arriving as backup on a free transfer.

According to the Daily Mail, Berta favours running multiple transfer targets in parallel rather than pursuing them in sequence — an approach that mirrors his work in building the title-winning squad. Villa have placed a £130m valuation on Rogers, who is currently representing England at the World Cup. The 23-year-old contributed 14 goals and 12 assists in all competitions last season as Unai Emery’s side claimed Europa League glory.

Barcola, meanwhile, was part of the PSG side that defeated Arsenal in the Champions League final, but a reported lack of consistent game time has fuelled speculation over his future at the Parc des Princes. PSG are said to be reluctant to sell the France international but have set a £116m asking price — the same fee Manchester City recently paid for Elliot Anderson.

The combined £246m figure would be broadly comparable to Arsenal’s total transfer expenditure last summer. Whether the club are prepared to meet both asking prices in full remains unclear.

Arsenal are also reported to have an interest in Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes, with claims that the 28-year-old Brazil international has agreed personal terms on a five-year deal. However, the Newcastle Chronicle has pushed back on those reports, stating that Newcastle have yet to receive a formal approach and that Guimaraes is expected to return for pre-season as planned.

On the outgoings side, Arsenal have agreed a £17m deal with Besiktas for winger Leandro Trossard.