Zenit St. Petersburg centre-back Ezequiel Garay reportedly has his heart set on a move to Arsenal, with the likes of Inter Milan and Manchester United also looking at the Argentinian. Meanwhile, Celta Vigo star Nolito is closing in on a transfer to Manchester City.

According to TalkSport (h/t the Daily Express‘ Joe Short), Garay is expected to leave Zenit two years after moving to Russia from Benfica, and Italian newspaper Tuttosport (h/t Short) lists Inter Milan and Arsenal as his two likeliest destinations.

The Nerazzurri want him to replace Jeison Murillo, who has been linked with Chelsea, but Garay reportedly wants to move to the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners are in the market for another star defender to pair with Laurent Koscielny, and the 29-year-old would likely be a better option than Gabriel Paulista or Per Mertesacker.

Garay was one of the most wanted defenders on the market back in 2014, when he was linked with several Premier League clubs, but he shocked just about everyone by agreeing to a move to Zenit.

The Russians have added a number of star players over the years with the promise of big wages, but for most of them, the decision had a negative impact on their international career and standing among fans and pundits.

Things were no different for Garay, who was left out of Argentina’s 2016 Copa America Centenario squad despite starting the team’s opening fixture against Paraguay in the Copa the year before. The decision to leave him at home was a surprise, as he put together a solid campaign with Zenit.

Here’s a look at some of his highlights:

In many ways, Garay is the prototypical modern defender. His vision is top-notch, and he prefers to play off his man and rely on his ability to read the game more than brute strength. He’s remarkably calm on the ball and distributes play well, and he has enough athletic ability to keep up with forwards.

Price could be an issue, as Zenit have a tendency to hold out for major offers before selling their prized assets, but per Kevin Palmer of the Sunday World, there are indications a move could be in the cards:

If Zenit‘s asking price isn’t absurdly high, Garay could be a cost-effective, experienced option with plenty of good football left in him, and his calm demeanor and skills as a distributor would make him an excellent partner for Koscielny.

Elsewhere, former Arsenal transfer target Nolito could be on his way to the Premier League, as City have reportedly agreed to personal terms with the player and triggered his buyout clause, per Daniel Taylor and Ed Aarons of the Guardian.

Per Radio Marca (h/t Metro.co.uk’s Mark Brus), the Spain international revealed he turned down a Premier League move during the winter transfer window amid strong links with Arsenal.

He’ll be one of the top value deals of the summer window if his transfer goes through, per Taylor:

The 29-year-old was one of the top performers of the 2015-16 La Liga campaign, scoring 12 goals and adding seven assists in just 29 matches, per WhoScored.com. He has carried his strong form into UEFA Euro 2016, where he has been a regular and productive starter for La Roja.

Per Opta’s Jamie Kemp, he’s made quite the U-turn since 2014, when he openly mocked the idea of moving to England:

Here’s a look at some of his highlights:

While Nolito isn’t the youngest forward available in this year’s market, the reported buyout clause of less than £15 million makes him one of the top value signings of the summer. There are few risks involved with this deal, and even if he’s only productive for a few years, manager Pep Guardiola won’t regret bringing him to the Etihad Stadium.

It’s a superb piece of business for City and a blow for the Gunners, who could have used another productive, veteran forward with an eye for goal.

Losing out on Nolito is one thing―watching him move to a direct competitor for just £13.8 million has to sting that much more.

 

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