Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue in Atletico Madrid tap-up row
Published 22:42 15/10/09 By By John Cross
Emmanuel Eboue is a £6m January target for Atletico Madrid with the Spanish club heading for a “tapping-up“ row.
Atletico Madrid sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch has made it clear that he wants to sign Arsenal duo Eboue and young midfielder Fran Merida.
That is unlikely to please Gunners boss Arsene Wenger who has already been left annoyed by Barcelona’s constant public declarations they want to sign captain Cesc Fabregas.
But Atletico are now letting it be known that they want Eboue and Merida and their interest could be in danger of unsettling the pair.
Versatile Eboue was on Atletico’s hit-list in the summer with Fiorentina and Roma both interested but Wenger knocked back several approaches.
However, Atletico have made it clear they want to sign Eboue in January and the Spanish media yesterday reported they have been in touch with his agent Franjo Vranjkovic.
Vranjkovic has claimed that Arsenal want to give Eboue a new four-year contract and the Gunners have also offered 19-year-old Merida a long term deal.
Spanish midfielder Merida’s current deal expires at the end of the season but he has stalled on signing a new contract at Arsenal after emerging as a major star for Spain at the under-20s World Cup in Egypt.
Atletico Madrid are circling around Merida while Sevilla are also keen and Arsenal face a major battle to persuade him to stay as he has struggled to break into the first team squad.
But Arsenal risk losing Merida - who signed for the Gunners on his 17th birthday after following in Fabregas’s footsteps and quitting Barcelona - for very little if he decides to leave.
Wenger, however, will not want to sell either Eboue or Merida in January and will fight to keep them both.
US tycoon Stan Kroenke yesterday took another step towards a full-scale takeover of Arsenal.
Billionaire Kroenke, already the majority shareholder, increased his stake to 28.9 per cent after buying 90 shares priced £8,500 each. It leaves him just one per cent short of having to make a formal takeover offer.
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