Arsenal linked to Alain Traore
Metro has suggested that Arsenal are weighing up summer move for Lorient forward Alain Traore.
Traore, 24, only joined Lorient last summer, but he has done enough to attract interest from top European clubs.
The talented forward enjoyed a great start to the season with his club before jetting off to South Africa to represent Burkina Faso at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Traore scored 3 goals in first 2 matches and looked to be on the road to the top goalscorer title, only to pick up a serious injury in the third group game.
His scintillating showings have not gone unnoticed, with Metro now reporting Arsenal are keen on the highly rated player.
Arsene Wenger believes Traore would fit in well at the Emirates, but the problem is Manchester United are also interested.
Lorient paid €5 million for Traore last summer, but his price has increased a great deal since he completed the switch from Auxerre.
Milan and Juve battle for Nice wonderkid
Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport has learned that AC Milan and Juventus are closely monitoring Nice youngster Neal Maupay.
Milan have been following the 16-year-old forward for a while now, whereas their Serie A rivals have only recently been alerted of the player’s potential.
Both sides are, nonetheless, determined to win the race for one of the talented players in world football and are expected to make their first moves as early as next summer.
Despite his fragile age, Maupay has already been handed a senior debut at Stade Municipal du Ray and has shown a great deal of potential.
The youngster has made nine substitute appearances in French Ligue 1 this season and already scored two goals for les Aigles.
Nice boss Claude Puel insists Maupay has deserved his chance and that he is getting playing time because he deserves it and not because of his age, so there is every chance the youngster will soon be handed his first Ligue 1 start.
Twente’s Douglas rejects Anzhi
Twente defender Douglas has rejected an approach from Russian Premier League side Anzhi, according to Algemen Dagblad.
The Russian club expressed their desire to sign the Brazilian as a replacement for Christopher Samba, who had left the club to join QPR.
They contacted the player’s representative Rodrigo de Silveira, but the highly rated defender ultimately opted against moving to Russia.
“I feel good at the club and I really want to stay,” Douglas was quoted as saying in Algemen Dagblad.
The 25-year-old was heavily linked with a switch to Newcastle in the summer, but the transfer eventually fell through.
Despite pledging his future to the Tukkers, the Brazilian will certainly be leaving Enschede when his contract expires in the summer.
That is probably the main reason why he rejected Anzhi, as he is aware top European clubs will be lining up for his signature come next summer.
For more news about football transfers and rumours, visit our Transfer News section. To view all football transfers for 2012/13 season, visit our Soccer Transfers section.
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