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Reported £31m Arsenal target will allegedly ask to leave in summer; club could accept just £14m

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Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
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Arsenal target Norberto Neto will ask to leave Barcelona in the summer and the La Liga giants are willing to accept a knock-down fee of around £14 million, according to Marca.

With the Kings of Catalonia needing to sell their jewels in order to keep the Kingdom, it seems a £31 million Brazil international could be going to way of Arturo Vidal, Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic; sold on the cheap by a club desperate to reduce their crippling wage bill.

Barcelona look destined to make a substantial loss on Neto, two years after he joined from Valencia.

Marca suggests that bids of around £14 million are likely to be accepted.

The former Juventus and Fiorentina shot-stopper wants a fresh start after failing to oust the exceptional Marc-Andre Ter Stegen at the Camp Nou, and a cash-strapped Barca side are in no position to stand in his way.

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The five-time Champions League winners have even identified Rui Silva, who has rejected a new contract at Granada and will be a free agent in July, as a cut-price replacement (Marca).

It remains to be seen whether Arsenal return to the table for Neto, having reportedly made an offer for the 31-year-old South American during the January window (Mundo Deportivo).

Matt Ryan shone on his debut against Aston Villa in the absence of Bernd Leno, but the boyhood Gunners fanatic is only on loan from Brighton until the summer.

Alex Runarsson, meanwhile, is expected to be farmed out after a traumatic debut season at the Emirates.

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