Arsenal submit Joao Felix request with Jorge Mendes after loan talks

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Arsenal are in talks over a loan deal for Joao Felix but won’t agree to the current package demands set by stubborn Atletico Madrid chiefs. The Gunners still consider Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk to be their top January target but newly-appointed sporting director Edu and Mikel Arteta are also going after Felix in an audacious swoop that would significantly bolster the club’s attacking options for the second half of the campaign.

However, Atletico are currently demanding a substantial loan fee for Felix – thought to be worth in the region of £13million – and that is without considering the player’s £250,000-a-week wages.

The finances involved in any potential deal are currently considered excessive by Arsenal, who have asked super-agent Jorge Mendes to work on lowering the price.

Mendes has been in Madrid holding face-to-face discussions with Atletico over the future of his client to determine whether the La Liga giants will soften their stance this month.

Manchester United are also in the frame and would like to sign Felix on loan this January after offloading his Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo following the mutual termination of his Old Trafford contract.

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Felix wants a new challenge this month following the deterioration of his relationship with head coach Diego Simeone and although the pair have smoothed things over, there’s a sense the end is nigh for the £113m signing.

Yet Atletico are still open to keeping Felix if their asking price isn’t matched while Simeone would prefer to offload his forward so that he can bring in another striker in the January transfer window.

The former Benfica starlet is set to be recalled by Atletico this weekend for the La Liga showdown with Barcelona after missing the Copa del Rey win over Real Oviedo in midweek.

Arsenal are cautious that the January transfer window could now drag on before they bring in reinforcements – something they desperately need following the 0-0 draw with Newcastle on Tuesday.

The Gunners are beginning to lose patience with Shakhtar as they continue to encourage an auction for star man Mudryk which Arsenal are not willing to entertain.

Transfer rivals Chelsea would like assurances the 22-year-old winger wants to join the club before formalising their interest.

Mudryk has continued to flirt with a move to Arsenal by liking a series of Gunners-related social media posts including one that read ‘free Mudryk’.

Shakhtar director of football Darijo Srna was at Stamford Bridge on Thursday to watch Chelsea’s 1-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City.

The former Croatia right-back is understood to have held talks with Todd Boehly over a deal for Mudryk as Chelsea look to battle Arsenal for the highly-rated Ukrainian attacker.

Arsenal are likely to block any potential departures this month as Arteta already considers his title-chasing squad to be thin in terms of numbers.

Cedric Shares was being eyed by Fulham and two European clubs but the Gunners could yet keep him in north London to ensure they have cover for Ben White at right-back.

The Gunners would like to bring in two new faces this month but plans to sign a central midfielder and left-sided centre-back could now be shelved until the summer.

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