Arsenal revive Fresneda chase as January snub decision turns into masterstroke

ARSENAL have revived their interest in teenage defender Ivan Fresneda following Real Valladolid’s relegation from La Liga.

Mikel Arteta was keen on the 18-year-old right-back during the January transfer window when he was looking to strengthen his squad for the title run-in.

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But any hopes of a deal were scuppered when Valladolid slapped a £35million price tag on the highly-regarded Spanish youth international.

Now there are suggestions that they are ready to sell for just half of that original valuation and that could open the door for Arsenal to make a formal offer.

Fresneda has been highly recommended by Arsenal’s scouts but is still a relative rookie who has made just 26 senior appearances for Valladolid after being released by Real Madrid’s youth academy as a 14-year-old.

But he fits into the Emirates profile of signing hungry young players with the potential to improve and increase their market value.

And at £17.5million he would fit within Arteta’s budget as he sets out to improve  his options ahead of the club’s return to Champions League football next season.

Ben White proved a surprise success when he switched to right-back from centre-half at the beginning of last season but Arteta is unsure if his long-term future is out wide.

Takehiro Tomiyasu spent most of last season as back-up to White until he suffered a serious knee injury during the Europa League defeat by Sporting Lisbon in March.

The Japanese international is still recuperating from surgery and is unlikely to be fit for the first couple of months of the new season.

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And though Cedric Soares has returned to the club after an underwhelming few months on loan at Fulham, the 31-year-old Portuguese international does not figure in Arteta’s plans and is expected to leave this summer.

Arteta is keen to avoid a repeat of last season’s title run-in, when Thomas Partey played at makeshift right-back while White reverted to centre-half in the absence of the injured William Saliba.

And signing Fresneda would give him the defensive cover to rotate his team without risking a repeat of last season’s late burn-out.

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