Arsenal to offload Campbell as 'new Fabregas' signs on

Are the Black Cats about to pounce for Arsenal frontman Joel Campbell? That's what the Daily Star seems to think, as the paper reports that Sunderland are "interested in bringing the Costa Rica striker" to the Stadium of Light after attempts to sign Fabio Borini went up in smoke.

The Italian striker decided at the last minute that he wanted to stay at Liverpool and work his way into the first team now that Suarez is no longer at Anfield, leaving Sunderland boss Gus Poyet searching for a solution to his striker shortage with the new season now less than a month away.

The Star says that Poyet has now turned his attention to the 22-year-old Campbell, who starred for Costa Rica in the recent World Cup but looks unlikely to play a major role at the Emirates this season. Having spent last season on loan at Greek outfit Olympiakos, Campbell wants regular first-team action and Sunderland would be happy to give him that for at least a season on loan.

Meanwhile have Arsenal found the next Cesc Fabregas, the spring-heeled former Gunner whose career has never been the same since he walked out of the Emirates three years ago? According to Goal.com they might have done – in the form of 15-year-old Georgios Spanoudakis.

Like Fabregas, the teenage midfielder has come through the Barcelona youth academy having arrived at the Camp Nou aged nine. Already earmarked as a potential great, Spanoudakis has "attracted interest from a number of Europe's top clubs". But it's the Gunners who have given him a trial after he impressed for their Under-18 team earlier in the week against Lincoln City. Goal adds that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is "keen to sign Spanoudakis to permanent forms" and negotiations with Barcelona are ongoing with Arsenal confident of sealing the deal in the coming weeks.

Metro goes further and says the deal has already been done. It claims Spanoudakis, who has been capped by Germany at Under-15 and -16 level but could still play for Greece, "rejected a host of other offers to seal a move to the Emirates Stadium this week". He will be part of the Gunners Under-18 outfit next season.