Mourinho will have the final say on the “good” player who wants to join Arsenal

While the striker remains at the top of Arsenal's shopping list heading into this summer, it appears that the club are also looking for a centre-back who is eager to join Mikel Arteta's side.

The Gunners are looking to build a squad ready for next season

Although the names of Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres have taken over the summer, the opening of the transfer window has seen the Gunners targeting players in different positions.

Declan Rice's midfield partner appears to be a priority for Edu Gaspar and Co and Arsenal have reportedly made an offer to sign PSG and Uruguay star Manuel Ugarte. Valued at around £50 million, Ugarte has also attracted interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester United, meaning the Gunners could have a fight to land their man.

Defensive upgrades are also on the minds of the Gunners recruitment team with Arsenal joining a growing list of clubs looking to sign Italy star Riccardo Calafiori. In their bid to strengthen their backline, Arsenal are said to be interested in Barcelona's Jules Kounde.

While outgoing defenders are on the shortlist at the Emirates, Arsenal have also seen a new development in their pursuit of an attack-oriented defensive option.

Mourinho holds the key to Arsenal's transfer

As reported by Sports Witness, Turkish media claim that Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho will make the final decision on the future of Arsenal target Ferdi Kadioglu. The defender has been linked with moves to both Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund, however it now appears that the final decision is in the hands of their new Portuguese manager.

Back in May it was reported that Kadioglu had already agreed to join Arsenal, and although this turned out to be false, Kadioglu is apparently keen on a £25m move to North London.

Although Mourinho's decision in this regard is still unknown, it is unlikely that the 61-year-old will be willing to let the player go due to his performances last season. Kadioglu played 51 times for Fenerbahce last season, contributing three goals and five assists in the process.

Kadioglu played his best domestic role at Euro 2024 where he played as one of Turkey's best talents. When his team played in Group F against the Czech Republic, the attacking defender created five chances for his teammates, which is a joint record for Turkish players in the European Championship.

At just 24 years of age, Kadioglu has already achieved fame in world football and Spartak Trnava manager Michal Gasparik said of the player: “Ferdi is a very good and admirable player. He plays on both wings. He is a great player”.

Despite similar interest from both Arsenal and Kadioglu, it now looks like the 'specialist' holds all the cards as to whether the transfer gets over the line.