Arsenal have enjoyed an excellent start to the Premier League season, sitting pretty on top of the table after three wins to open their campaign, but that has not stopped the Gunners being linked with new signings before the end of the transfter window.
Mikel Arteta’s side have been linked with a winger, as Nicolas Pepe is heading out on loan for the season. Arsenal’s strong start on the pitch has followed a productive summer off it as Arteta further refines his squad after missing out on Champions League qualification last season, and there are rumours that recruitment drive could continue.
Gabriel Jesus has begun life in London well, already scoring twice, while Oleksandr Zinchencko also appears to have settled in quickly. The indications are that Arteta may not be finished tweaking with his playing group, though, with a handful of major targets still linked with the club.
“At the start of the window we signed players before getting other players out,” Arteta explained. “Now we have done something different, we have let a player go and maybe [we’ll] be able to recruit somebody. But it’s not a guarantee because the players are still not here. What I guarantee is the day the window closes, for me this is the best team in the world and I will try to get the best out of them, that’s it.”
Pedro Neto
With Pepe leaving, Arsenal continue to be linked with a £50m move for Wolves winger Pedro Neto. The Portuguese signed a new deal until 2027 in March but is being connected with a move to London after impressing this year having returned from a serious knee injury.
Bruno Lage insisted that no bid had yet been made for the player, suggesting that he was not unduly concerned by the rumours. “I have heard that but nothing has come to us,” the Wolves manager said of links between Arsenal and Neto. “It’s normal now, with the good players that we have. No one told me anything about any proposal.”
Arteta, meanwhile, has made no guarantees that Arsenal will sign a replacement for Pepe before the end of the window.
Moussa Diaby
Arsenal may also engage Bayer Leverkusen about the prospect of signing Moussa Diaby. Callum Hudson-Odoi’s loan to the German club from Chelsea is expected to go through, but Fabrizio Romano suggests that it would still take a major offer to convince Leverkusen to part with their French winger.
Leicester’s Youri Tielemans has often been linked with Arsenal during the course of his career and the Belgian midfielder appears closer than ever to a move.
Tielemans is out of contract at the end of season, which has reportedly prompted Leicester to drop their asking price for the 25-year-old, raising Arsenal’s hopes of securing a deal.
He was was left on the bench by Brendan Rodgers for the defeat against Southampton last weekend.
Another Arsenal player who appears able to leave is Ainsley Maitland-Niles. The 24-year-old has spent the second half of the last two seasons on loan (at West Brom and latterly Roma) but could leave on a season-long deal, or make a permanent move.
A number of Premier League clubs are said to be intrigued by the versatile Englishman’s availability, including West Ham, Southampton, Fulham and Bournemouth, while there is also reported interest from Europe.
Arsenal were strongly linked with a move for the Sweden international striker in January, and it seems Alexander Isak is now finally set to move to the Premier League. The club he will join, however, is Newcastle United after they agreed a club record £60m with Real Sociedad. Arsenal have their striker now in Gabriel Jesus, and are also not expected to make a move for Lucas Pacqueta, despite West Ham’s bid for the Lyon midfielder.
