Arsenal learn price tag for Premier League star after Berta contacted by agents

Declan Rice has doubled down on Mikel Arteta’s penalty fury by insisting Arsenal should have been awarded a “clear” spot-kick – and claimed the referee at the centre of the controversy was “provoked” to change his mind by Atletico Madrid’s hostile fans.

Arteta was incandescent after his side’s 1-1 draw in the opening leg of their Champions League semi-final in the Spanish capital after Danny Makkelie overturned his own decision to award the visitors a late penalty when Eberechi Eze was upended in the area.

Under Diego Simeone’s animated glare, and against the backdrop of 70,000 whistling Atleti fans, Dutch referee Makkelie watched the incident 13 times before reversing his on-pitch verdict.

And reflecting on the contentious flashpoint, Rice said: “It’s a clear penalty. And I don’t know how that’s not been given.

“I think the fans provoked the decision and changed the ref’s mind.

“UEFA is totally different (to the Premier League). In both boxes, you have to be so careful because they give absolutely everything.”

Two VAR interventions worked against Arsenal after Ben White was adjudged to have handled Marcos Llorente’s volley – which Julian Alvarez duly converted from the spot to cancel out Viktor Gyokeres’ opener, also a penalty.

And Rice, who was speaking to Stan Sport, felt White was unfortunate.

He continued: “At first glance I thought if that’s in the Premier League it doesn’t get given because it’s so low to the ground. The ball’s not going on target.

“In the Champions League, referees are really quick to make decisions, and to blow their whistle, and you can’t do much about it. I feel like they penalise you more in European competitions. But it doesn’t matter. We move on to next week and we want to beat them.”

Despite the controversial setback, Arsenal will still hope home advantage on Tuesday can propel them to their first Champions League final since 2006, and a win in the Budapest showpiece would make the Gunners an extremely attractive proposition for summer transfer targets.

Arsenal learn Tonali price tag after agent talks

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano confirmed Arsenal hold “interest” in Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali.

The Gunners are yet to activate in the race for his signature however, with both Manchester clubs also in the mix as well as several teams in Italy.

Those Serie A suitors will be priced out this summer though, with Romano revealing Newcastle will demand as much as €110m (£95m), the type of spending reserved for English sides.

Tonali, for his part, wants to move within the Premier League rather than abroad, and his agents have already held talks with Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta, offering his services to the Gunners back in February.

The 25 year-old, who has 32 caps for Italy, has scored three times for Newcastle in all competitions this season.

Romano has also confirmed the Arsenal are in talks to sign Vasilije Kostov.