Arsenal's deadline day plans have taken a twist after news that Mohamed Elneny is set for a spell on the sidelines emerged.
The Gunners have already splashed the cash during the summer window, bringing in Manchester City pair Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, FC Porto’s Fabio Vieira and Marquinhos and Matt Turner from Brazil and the United states respectively. And that outlay is already bearing fruits with Mikel Arteta’s side enjoying an impressive start to the new season.
Their early form has seen expectations rapidly rise - albeit at this early stage of the campaign. But having suffered a late collapse last term, Arteta and technical director Edu are all too aware of the impact that a small squad can have on their ambitions.
The absence of Thomas Partey was a huge blow in the final weeks of last season and the Ghana international is currently ruled out with another injury. Elneny stepped in alongside Granit Xhaka last week, but is said to have sustained a ‘significant injury’ during the win over Fulham.
That leaves Arteta extremely light in the middle of the park, with youngster Albert Sambi Lokonga the most likely to step in. However, reports have instead suggested that the Gunners could look to bring in a new signing before tonight’s 11pm deadline.
The Arsenal boss had previously hoped to lure another forward player to the Emirates, but the late injury blow has put a spanner in the works, with resources now likely to pivot to their problem area. Here Mirror Football takes a look at five players who could be under consideration as Arsenal attempt to get that deal sheet fired away before the window slams shut later today.
Youri Tielemans
The Leicester City midfielder has arguably been the name most often linked with a move to north London. Even before Elneny and Partey’s untimely injuries, Tielemans has been on the Arsenal radar.
Going into the final year of his contract the former Monaco man should be an affordable option, although the Foxes are said to be holding out for around £40m. That could change in the final hours of the window however, due to the fact he will be able to leave on a free in just 12 months’ time.
With Premier League experience aplenty, the 25-year-old will be able to come in and have an instant impact. He also fits in with their current policy of signing players who will be able to grow at the club, rather than those potentially over the hill.
Ruben Neves
Anybody who caught Wolves ’ draw with Newcastle on Sunday will need no explanation as to why the Portuguese international is an appealing prospect to Arsenal. The Wolves captain put in an influential display, which was capped by a trademark stunner from distance.
At 25, Neves has made it clear that he wants to be back playing in the Champions League, having done so as a teenager with Porto. But for now, the player’s manager Bruno Lage is “99 per cent” sure he will remain a Wanderers player come Friday. Should the Gunners want to test their resolve, they will need to dig deep, with Lage previously valuing him at £100m.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
Like William Carvalho before him, a summer window must not pass without Milinkovic-Savic being linked to at least one Premier League team. This summer has been the turn of both Arsenal and Manchester United, with the Lazio star said to be courting plenty of interest across the continent.
Italian newspaper Il Messaggero claimed that back in July that the Gunners had actually seen a bid of around £47m rejected by the Serie A giants. Could that be rekindled in the final throes of the window? We’ll soon see.
Ismael Bennacer
A move for the Algerian would see the AC Milan midfielder return to the club he spent two years with between 2015 and 2017. Bennacer made just two senior appearances in that time, but has seen his stock rise exponentially since joining the Rossoneri in 2019.
It would likely cost around £34m to bring Bennacer back to North London, but he would fit the kind of signing that Edu and Arteta have prioritised in recent seasons, with his ability to progress during his tenure.
