Arsenal are set for a very busy end to the transfer window as Mikel Arteta hopes to break not one but two transfer records at the Emirates Stadium
Arsenal are set for a busy end to the summer transfer window as Mikel Arteta looks to set not one but two transfer records.
So far the Gunners have acquired five new stars, Piero Hincapie, Illan Meslier, Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa, for a total of around £200million. But they’re not stopping just yet as sporting director Andrea Berta is trying to pull off an audacious coup of Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez for a club record fee of up to £130m.
He’s hoping to fund that in part by selling one of Mikel Arteta’s longest-serving talents, winger Gabriel Martinelli, who has controversially been shunted to the sidelines at the Premier League champions. Here’s all the latest news from the Emirates Stadium.
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Four deals being worked on
Arsenal are pursuing four exciting prospects as they maintain their aggressive academy recruitment campaign, reports the Mirror.
The Gunners have launched a significant drive to land some of the most coveted youngsters in global football over the past year.
The Athletic reports Manchester United right-back Habeeb Ogunneye, 20, has now completed a medical ahead of a transfer to North London.
The Gunners are also on the brink of securing a deal for 19-year-old Red Devils winger James Scanlon, with both moves expected to be free transfers.
Ogunneye was on loan at Newport County before returning in January. The England Under 17s ace featured in 21 matches on loan in League One.
Scanlon – a Gibraltar international – spent a portion of last season with Swindon Town.
Arsenal are also nearing the end of their protracted chase for Blackburn Rovers’ 18-year-old Igor Tyjon, who has already undergone a medical after Arsenal agreed to pay Blackburn an initial £1m plus bonuses for his services.
The report further states that Arsenal have tabled a contract offer for 17-year-old midfielder Andria Bartishvili of Georgian outfit Kolkheti 1913.
The highly-regarded Georgian is currently on loan at top-tier Georgian side Iberia and has already represented his nation at under-21 level. His contract is due to run out later this year and Arsenal are aiming to sign him on a pre-contract agreement.
Regarding departures, Illan Meslier’s arrival has cleared the path for back-up goalkeeper Tommy Setford’s loan departure.
Players take sides in Martinelli saga
A number of Gabriel Martinelli’s Arsenal team-mates reportedly felt uneasy with the club’s stern treatment of the player in recent weeks.
The Brazilian winger is set to join Saudi outfit Al-Hilal for a fee around £50m, which would represent a record sale for Arsenal, after being pushed out by Arteta.
Martinelli appears to have featured for the final time for the club despite originally wishing to remain.
He was omitted from the squads for the Community Shield triumph against Manchester City and the opening-day demolition of Coventry, having been sidelined by Arteta in a bid to force his departure.
He observed from the stands as his colleagues celebrated the Community Shield victory and failed to receive a winners’ medal. The manager’s handling of the 25-year-old, according to ESPN Brazil, caused unease amongst some of his team-mates, who feel sympathy for his predicament.
Martinelli, who arrived at Arsenal seven years ago, has under a year remaining on his contract. His departure is thought to have been engineered in order to finance a new attacking acquisition.