Arsenal have enjoyed a stellar start to the new Premier Legue season with impressive wins against Crystal Palace and Leicester respectively, but Mikel Arteta still feels there is room for improvement.
The Gunners boss has already brought in five new players so far this window, including two Premier League champions in Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko – but is still on the prowl for more.
Arteta has identified the problem areas he needs to address, with Arsenal desperate to add another central midfielder and attacking wide-player into the mix before the window’s close.
A move for Wolves talent Pedro Neto has been touted, while Leicester City playmaker Youri Tielemans has been a long-term target.
The Gunners are also aiming to offload a few fringe players taking up space on the wage bill, with Nicolas Pepe thought to be on the verge of an exit back to France while Hector Bellerin attracts attention from Barcelona.
Be sure to stick with Mirror Football right here for all of the transfer news from the Emirates.
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Konrad Laimer to stay with Leipzig
RB Leipzig chief Oliver Mintzlaff has said all the signs point towards Konrad Laimer staying at the club. The midfielder has been linked with several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, but looks set to stay put with the Bundesliga side.
“I’m assuming that Conny will stay,” Mintzlaff said. “The tendency is very, very big that he stays with us. We want to keep our top performers, and Conny is an incredible performer.”
Barca’s Bellerin transfer meeting
Barcelona are set to hold talks to study the situation of Hector Bellerin at Arsenal. The Spaniard is desperate to leave the Emirates this summer, despite his contract stretching out until next summer.
Bellerin is hoping to come to an agreement to prematurely end his deal, allowing him to pick his next destination. Real Betis – where he spent last season on loan – would be his preferred destination, but Barca remain in the race.
And Sport report that Bellerin is now the club;s plan B, with manager Xavi expected to attend a meeting to discuss the move.
Tielemans deadline emerges
Leicester are hoping that if Arsenal are to make a move for Youri Tielemans, it will come well before the September 1 deadline.
The Gunners have been linked with the Belgian international all summer and he is still on their radar with just over two weeks until the window shuts. But the Foxes are said to be more likely to sanction his departure, if they are given sufficient time to find a replacement.
Willian training with Fulham
Arsenal transfer flop Willian is back at a Premier League club – but has yet to be offered a contract.
The Brazilian’s stay in north London was a disastrous one, with Edu opting to prematurely terminate his contract after just one season. But after a similarly miserable time back at Corinthians, the former Chelsea forward is back in the capital, training with Fulham.
Willian is reportedly with the Cottagers in order to build up his fitness, while there is still potential that a deal could be made along the line.
Maitland-Niles under consideration by West Ham
Ainsley Maitland-Niles is a potential target for West Ham United, according to reports. The versatile academy graduate has fallen completely out of favour under Mikel Arteta and has spent portions of the last two seasons out on loan.
And another temporary move appears likely in the final weeks of the window, with Hammers insider Ex-WHUemployee claiming he is on their radar.
Arsena have ‘the next Luis Suarez’
Rio Ferdinand has hinted Arsenal may have the ‘next Luis Suarez’ in their ranks after Gabriel Martinelli’s impressive start to the season.
The Brazilian has started both of the Gunners’ Premier League wins so far, scoring against both Crystal Palace and Leicester.
And Man Utd legend Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel, has spoken of his admiration for the forward: “Martinelli, if he stays fit, this guy, I’ve told you this before what Arteta told me, he could be the next Suarez-type player.”
Pepe compared to Sancho
Former Palace chairman has compared the outgoing Nicolas Pepe to Jadon Sancho and harshly branded him a ‘drip’. The Ivorian looks set to leave the Gunners after his agent was snapped at Nice’s stadium over the weekend.
That move will bring to a close one of Arsenal’s worst-ever piece of transfer business, with Pepe failing to ever get close to the £72m they shelled out to sign him.
“They got this boy for £72m because they could pay on a drip – and he’s been a drip!” Jordan told talkSPORT.
“He’s pulling up the same trees Jadon Sancho is pulling up at Man United for similar money.”
Arsenal handed triple injury boost
Fabio Vieira is set to turn out for Arsenal’s Under-21 side in a major boost for Arteta’s side.
The summer signing from FC Porto has yet to make his Gunners debut, having suffered a foot injury whilst on international duty with Portugal. That also ruled him out of the opening pair of Premier League games.
But Vieira, along with Emile Smith Rowe and Cedric Soares will all turn out on Wednesday night as the U21s face Swansea City in the Premier League Cup.
Neto transfer hope
Despite a lengthy contract and Wolves’ strong bargaining position, reports suggesting that Pedro Neto could leave Molineux continue to emerge.
Wolves are set to announce the signing of another Portuguese international on Wednesday, with Matheus Nunes closing in on a club-record transfer. Neto has been tentatively linked with a move the other way, with Arsenal one of the clubs touted with an interest.
A report from 90min claimed the player’s agent Jorge Mendes had offered his client to Manchester United. And Fabrizio Romano has now stated that Neto’s situation could ‘be an interesting one’ in the final weeks of the window.
Gabriel Jesus opens up on new Arsenal role
Gabriel Jesus has revealed that he has been delighted to return to a more central striking role since joining Arsenal from Manchester City.
The Brazilian was Mikel Arteta ‘s star summer signing, moving to the Emirates Stadium in a £45million deal from City. While he was originally seen as the primary back-up to Sergio Aguero, Jesus was generally employed on the wing by Pep Guardiola.
That also saw him take up a similar position for the Brazilian national team, with Neymar taking the role as the central striker for the Selecao. But since joining Arsenal, Jesus has reverted back to a more central role.
Read the full story HERE.
Aston Villa consider Arsenal star
Steven Gerrard is rumoured to be mulling over the idea of signing Arsenal centre-back Rob Holding as a replacement for Diego Carlos.
Villa’s summer signing suffered a serious injury that is expected to keep him out for at least six months, leaving the MIdlands-based club short in that position.
Their interest in Holding could benefit both clubs, with Arsenal keen to offload fringe players while Villa now desperately need reinforcements at the heart of their defence.
Mikel Arteta branded Arsenal flops “f****** embarrassing”
Mikel Arteta furiously branded his Arsenal players “f****** embarrassing” after the Gunners spectacularly blew their chances of qualifying for the Champions League in the dying embers of last season.
Arteta led Arsenal through a resurgent Premier League campaign in 2021-22, and it looked certain that the Gunners would secure a top-four finish heading into their final three games of the term. But a humiliating 3-0 loss to rivals Tottenham Hotspur and shock 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United fatally dented their chances, allowing Spurs to pip them to fourth place.
And it was after the north-east nightmare when Arteta lost his temper with his stars in the dressing room, and his post-match rant was captured as part of Amazon ‘s All or Nothing documentary. The final two episodes of the eight-part series, which air online on Tuesday, pull back the curtain Arsenal’s remarkable collapse.
Read the full story HERE.
Tielemans bid expected
Arsenal are now likely to bid for Youri Tielemans this summer after it was initially reported the Gunners were willing to wait until next summer.
The change of heart is thought to stem from the fact that Arsenal are now confident they can offload the likes of Hector Bellerin and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, freeing up space on the Gunners wage bill.
Wilshere on “intense” Arsenal training and why he loves “hands on” Arteta
Jack Wilshere has hailed the “intense” training sessions that Mikel Arteta delivers at Arsenal after joining the club’s academy coaching staff.
Wilshere spent five months training with Arteta’s senior squad at the Gunners while a free agent. While he did not play in any competitive games for Arsenal, he attended most of their training sessions in that time, even flying out for their winter training camp.
The time at Arsenal allowed Wilshere to maintain his fitness while he searched for a new club and also gave him a unique insight into Arteta’s style of management. That insight is now being shown the general public through Amazon’s All Or Nothing documentary series.
Find Wilshere’s thoughts in full HERE.
Gunners eye shock move for Chelsea star
Numerous reports are linking Arsenal with a move for Chelsea academy graduate Callum Hudson-Odoi.
The Blues are only willing to permit a temporary departure with a loan move, but Hudson-Odoi is keen on forcing through a permanent exit due to fears over the amount of playing time he’ll get at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal are certainly the biggest club touted as a potential gateway out of west London for the young winger.
Jamie O’Hara apologises to “real deal” William Saliba
Jamie O’Hara has issued an apology to William Saliba after admitting that the Arsenal defender had proved him wrong with his recent performances.
Saliba was signed for Arsenal from Saint-Etienne way back in the summer of 2019 for £27million. Many pundits and supporters were confused by the Gunners’ approach, which saw the young centre-back spend the next three seasons on loan in France, most recently with Marseille.
Read O’Hara’s comments in full HERE.
Pepe nightmare nears end
Arsenal misfit Nicolas Pepe is closing in on an exit, with Nice ready to take the Ivorian international on loan for the season.
The French side have been busy in the transfer window already, with former Gunners star Aaron Ramsey among the new recruits. Kasper Schmeichel has also joined from Leicester City as the Ligue 1 outfit look to rebuild under returning manager Lucien Favre.
Pepe looks to be next in line, three years after his club-record move to north London. The player’s agent was at Nice’s stadium over the weekend for the game against Strasbourg on Sunday, as Favre’s team made it two draws from two league games.
Read the full story HERE.
Tierney injury hell revealed
It’s been revealed that Kieran Tierney’s knee injury came to light after a post-training shower.
The Arsenal defender missed the tail-end of last season with an injury, and the latest episode of Arsenal: All Or Nothing has lifted the lid on how the issue came about.
Tierney damaged knee cartilage initially in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Wolves on February 24, but did not notice it. He played another four matches for Mikel Arteta’s side, and two friendlies for Scotland, before he was sidelined by the issue.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE!
Pino deal ‘not advanced’
Arsenal have reportedly yet to table an offer for Villarreal hotshot Yeremy Pino.
The 19-year-old has piqued interest from the Gunners after bagging 14 goals and five assists since breaking into the first-team fold at Villarreal.
However, GiveMeSport are claiming that a deal for Pino is ‘not advanced’ – as the Gunners have yet to firm up their long-running interest in the talented teenager.
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We’ll be back tomorrow with more news from the Emirates, looking at who could be coming and going.
Until then, take care!
Arteta branded stars “f****** embarrassing”
Mikel Arteta furiously branded his Arsenal players “f****** embarrassing” after the Gunners spectacularly blew their chances of qualifying for the Champions League in the dying embers of last season.
Arteta led Arsenal through a resurgent Premier League campaign in 2021-22, and it looked certain that the Gunners would secure a top-four finish heading into their final three games of the term. But a humiliating 3-0 loss to rivals Tottenham Hotspur and shock 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United fatally dented their chances, allowing Spurs to pip them to fourth place.
More here.
Monreal announces retirement
Former Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal has announced his retirement from football after recent injury issues.
The Spanish international spent six years with the Gunners, joining in 2013 and leaving at the end of Unai Emery’s first season in charge. He has spent the last three years at Real Sociedad, but missed the entirety of last season due to a knee issue.
Monreal, 36, shared a retirement announcement on Instagram, thanking his former clubs and the Spanish FA for their role in his career. In the same clip, he hinted at a fresh start after hanging up his boots.
Read the full story.
Caicedo blow
It’s been reported that Moises Caicedo’s family are Manchester United fans – a blow to Arsenal’s chances of signing the Brighton midfielder.
Caicedo has been linked with moves to both United and the Gunners, who’re each looking to improve their midfielders before deadline day and admire the 20-year-old Ecoudar international.
Vieira gives title verdict
Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira has made the bold claim that Arsenal are challengers for the Premier League title this season.
Vieira is still remembered incredibly fondly in the red half of north London for his nine-year spell with the Gunners from 1996 to 2005, during which time the Frenchman lifted the Premier League on three separate occasions alongside four FA Cups. He can now be found in the dugout at Selhurst Park aiming to take this Eagles side as far up the table as possible.
Vieira explained: “When you look at the number of points, of course playing against two teams who are fighting to win the Premier League, is always going to be challenging.”
More here.
Patino makes first start
Arsenal progidy Charlie Patino has been handed his first start on loan with Blackpool, making the Seasiders’ XI for their trip to Queens Park Rangers.
The 18-year-old midfielder has made two brief substitute appearances so far in the Championship.
Saliba gets O’Hara apology
Jamie O’Hara has issued an apology to William Saliba after admitting that the Arsenaldefender had proved him wrong with his recent performances.
Saliba was signed for Arsenal from Saint-Etienne way back in the summer of 2019 for £27million. Many pundits and supporters were confused by the Gunners’ approach, which saw the young centre-back spend the next three seasons on loan in France, most recently with Marseille.
O’Hara admitted on talkSPORT: “I wasn’t sure of him because he’d gone out on loan, I hadn’t seen him play loads. I was thinking maybe he wasn’t up to scratch to play for this team.”
Read the full story.
Nice target Pepe
French side Nice are reportedly plotting a move to sign Nicolas Pepe on loan from Arsenal.
Foot Mercato, via Get Football News France, claim that Nice keen on a temporary switch for the 27-year-old Ivorian winger, who remains the Gunners’ club-record signing following his £72million transfer from Lille in 2019.
Initial talks have taken place Pepe’s agent, who is open to facilitating a deal.
