Arsenal could make 'astronomical' bid for 26-year-old whom Mikel Arteta 'loves'

The 26-year-old has supposedly caught the eye of a handful of Premier League teams thanks to his displays in Serie A, including all of Manchester City, Liverpool - whose current boss Arne Slot managed Reijnders at AZ Alkmaar - and Tottenham Hotspur.

Reijnders has been responsible for eight goals and seven assists in 65 games for the Rossoneri since joining in a €20.5m (£17m) transfer in 2023, including four goals and three assists from 15 outings this term.

The Netherlands international was one of the scorers in Milan's astonishing 3-1 win over Champions League holders Real Madrid earlier this month, and his contract at San Siro runs for another four years.

Milan have apparently slapped a £50m price tag on the head of Reijnders, but that may not deter Arsenal, as Fichajes claims that the Gunners are the latest team to throw their hat into the ring for the midfielder.

Arsenal to make 'significant financial effort' for Reijnders

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is said to be a big admirer of Reijnders's technical ability and versatility, as he is capable of playing as a number six, box-to-box or advanced midfielder.

The Spaniard has supposedly fallen 'in love' with the former AZ Alkmaar starlet, and his side would be willing to fork out an 'astronomical' fee to win the race for Reijnders next summer.

Arsenal would apparently have no inhibitions about making a 'significant financial effort' to bring Reijnders to the Emirates, although Milan are not prepared to let the Dutchman depart without a fight.

Reijnders is still on the same terms he signed at San Siro when he arrived in 2023, and he is only said to be earning just over €40,000 (£33,200) a week under his current contract, according to Capology.

Reijnders could expect a mammoth pay rise should he join Arsenal or another Premier League club, although Milan may very well try to tie him down to a new deal with a wage increase of their own.

Reijnders to replace two Arsenal veterans next summer?

Arsenal boss Arteta is expected to settle on a first-choice midfield of Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard when all three are fully fit, and the consensus is that the trio will be the undisputed first picks in 2025-26 too.

However, two of Arsenal's current midfielders may not stick around for next season, as Jorginho and Thomas Partey are both in the final year of their deals and can talk to foreign clubs in January.

The Mirror claims Turkish giants Besiktas have expressed an interest in signing Jorginho, but the Italian is planning to stay in North London for the rest of the season before making a decision over his future.

Partey is expected to follow a similar approach, but as he and Jorginho are now in their 30s, it would not be a surprise to see Arsenal sever ties with both in 2025 in favour of a younger option.

Nevertheless, Jorginho and Partey both impressed in Saturday's 3-0 Premier League win over Nottingham Forest, where the latter scored a peach of a strike early in the second half after replacing the ex-Chelsea man.