Here are your latest Football.London Arsenal headlines on Sunday, September 11.
Ferran Torres transfer admission
Speaking about a potential departure from Barcelona, Torres said via 90min: "An exit? I have just arrived at Barca!” he said at a promotional event.
"It’s a pride that a player like this [Lewandowski] is here, we already know him and we know what kind of player he is. There have been other signings, we are fighting to make a competitive team, which is what Barca deserves."
READ MORE: Marquinhos sends direct response to Edu planned £35m Arsenal deal amid surprise transfer reveal
Arteta was thought to be on the lookout for a new winger before the summer window slammed shut, and the unsuccessful pursuit of Raphinha has been the strongest hint yet that the club is serious about recruiting one. Considering there hasn't been any movement since suggests that the chance to try and secure the Brazilian's services was too good to ignore.
Despite that possible explanation, Romano has claimed that Edu already has his sights set on another winger, but Arsenal's silent approach is making it difficult to get clarity over who it could be. Arsenal have been linked with a 'mystery winger', which according to Fabrizio Romano, remains a position Edu and Mikel Arteta want to address.
Balogun shows clinical nature
Balogun has scored five goals in the league so far. This puts him joint third on the Ligue 1 top scorers list, having scored two more goals than Lionel Messi, and with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe the only players to have scored more goals than him.
Not only does he rank highly in France, but also compared to many other strikers around Europe. The loanee sits fourth amongst Europe’s top five leagues for goals per touch this season.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland dominates the rankings as Arsenal’s old target Dusan Vlahovic sits in second place and Terem Moffi is the only other player ahead of Balogun.
Alongside Balogun's scoring success, he has also been helpful in the creativity department as he has contributed with assists. The Englishman's seven goal contributions mean he currently ranks ninth compared to any other striker in the European top five leagues for the highest goal involvements. Balogun currently sits ahead of the likes of Alexander Mitrovic, who has been setting the Premier League alight in the opening weeks of the season.
Arteta already has Luiz replacement
According to the Football Insider, Luiz has told friends he is keen to join the London giants and would still like the deal to happen. Villa have held talks with him over a new contract but have yet to secure an agreement.
The midfielder’s deal is set to expire at the end of this season and he can discuss a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January, meaning Arsenal will still have to pay a fee to secure his signature with Aston Villa reportedly valuing him at £30million in the summer transfer window.
Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey are two players whose place in the team are currently untouchable. Albert Sambi Lokogna and Mohammed Elneny are the two backup players, but their levels in terms of quality do not compare with the two starters.
Instead of Edu splashing the cash in the January transfer window, Edu has the chance to be patient and wait for Charlie Patino to gain the necessary experience ahead of next season.
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