Painful Arsenal transfer miss revealed after deadline day talks for stunning £15m signing | OneFootball

Arsenal held late conversations about Spanish midfield prospect Rodrigo Mendoza on deadline day, TEAMtalk sources confirm, but ultimately did not push hard enough and Atletico Madrid completed a surprise swoop.

Sporting director Andrea Berta, was among those inside the club who admired the 20‑year‑old, and sources say several figures within the Gunners’ hierarchy rated Mendoza highly.

Arsenal were actively searching for a short‑term midfield option to bolster Mikel Arteta’s squad depth and, as we revealed, made enquiries about Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka.

That line of negotiation never progressed beyond initial interest, however, and attention briefly turned to younger, longer‑term targets.

Some members of Arsenal’s recruitment team pushed internally for Mendoza, convinced he is one of the best young midfield options in Europe for his age.

Those voices flagged his technical profile, versatility and – crucially – his availability at a modest price. Mendoza was available for around £15million, a figure that represented clear value for a player of his potential.

Arsenal weighed the move but ultimately did not escalate their interest into a formal bid before Atletico struck and signed him from Elche. Indeed, the hesitation proved costly.

Arsenal miss out on LaLiga star, put trust in exciting youngster

Atletico’s swift negotiations allowed them to outmaneuver Arsenal and other rivals and secure Mendoza’s signature on deadline day.

It wasn’t just Arsenal watching: Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona all registered interest during the month, keeping tabs on the youngster’s situation. In the end, Atletico’s urgency won the race.

Arsenal, for their part, must now rely on internal solutions to fill the void in midfield left by Mikel Merino, who is sidelined for an extended period through injury.

Reports suggest that Merino’s absence will lead to Arteta giving 16-year-old sensation Max Dowman more opportunities in the first team.

Arteta has confirmed that Dowman is “quite close” to returning to full fitness after an injury of his own – good timing with Merino out of action for longer.

The youngster, who plays as a winger, central midfielder or attacking midfielder, has made five senior Arsenal appearances so far, and has signed a ‘pre-contract agreement’ to commit his long-term future to the London side.

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Meanwhile, sources have indicated that Arsenal DID make contact with Sandro Tonali’s representatives on deadline day, despite his agent denying those claims.

The conversations were described as ‘brief and informal’ as Arsenal considered a last-ditch midfield signing, but in any case, Newcastle weren’t willing to let Tonali go.

We have previously revealed how the Gunners were open to offering the Spanish giants their pick of two current Gunners stars to help lower the price and as part of an ambitious swap approach.

He remains high on the shortlist for the summer.