Arsenal could complete up to five transfers in the remaining weeks of the summer window. Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino finally looks set to arrive after the Gunners made a huge breakthrough with an agreement not being reached before August 30 described as a disaster.
Thankfully, after significant talks it looks as though Mikel Arteta will be getting his midfield priority. With further new signings potentially coming in, a loan exit for Fabio Vieira is something Arsenal are open to with the Portugal international struggling since his move from Porto in 2022.
One of the names to have been linked with a move to Arsenal was Kingsley Coman. The Bayern Munich star could struggle for minutes this season following the arrival of Michael Olise with Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane also at the club.
Despite that, the Frenchman was able to show his ability on Friday night and send a clear message to Arteta. Alongside Vieira, Eddie Nketiah and Aaron Ramsdale could also depart with interest from the Premier League and Europe present for both players.
Follow below for all the latest Arsenal transfer updates, stay with us throughout the day!
Key Events
Merino out of Sociedad squad
Kieran King
Wright slams Martinelli
Former Arsenal forward Ian Wright has slammed Gabriel Martinelli after he didn't square the ball across to Declan Rice during their 2-0 win over Wolves.
"This one here is a bit disappointing for me because he has got the opportunity to cut back to Declan Rice," said Wright. "Just lay that into Declan, go 2-0 up and go in at half-time.
"I know that he’s desperate to do well because he has got Trossard on the bench. He had a poor season last year, Martinelli. But he’s trying to impress upon the manager, but give that back to Declan Rice, 2-0, and then you probably get your goal in the second half."
Kieran King
Raya praise
Mikel Arteta has praised Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya after he made a stunning save to deny Jorgen Strand Larsen during Saturday's 2-0 win over Wolves.
Reacting to the save, Arteta said: "Unbelievable! I think it was the first time they had any attempt. We didn’t defend the box well and then David makes an unbelievable save."
Kieran King
Saka message
Bukayo Saka has fired a two-word message to the Arsenal supporters after producing a fine performance during their 2-0 win over Wolves on Saturday.
After the game, Saka posted a short message to the Arsenal fans on Instagram. He said in a caption: "We're back," accompanied by three images, including one of his clapping the home support as he walked around the pitch after being taken off.
Kieran King
Kiwior exit
Jakub Kiwior could leave Arsenal before the end of the summer transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The 24-year-old was left out of the Arsenal squad for the opening day victory over Wolves due to a 'technical decision' and there is a possibility that he could depart this month, although it's understood nothing is close yet.
Kieran King
Merson on Havertz
Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has heaped praise on Kai Havertz after the German produced a fine performance during their opening day 2-0 win over Wolves.
Havertz grabbed a goal and an assist for the Gunners as they started the campaign with three points. Bukayo Saka scored the other for Mikel Arteta's side at the Emirates.
"Saka, again, just relentless, just keeps on churning out good performances," Merson told Sky Sports. "Sets up the first goal for Havertz and then scores a very good goal himself.
"I am a big fan of Havertz, always have been. I think he is a special player. You put him in a team with players with good brains, because he has a very good brain as well, and you then start getting that little bit of play. Quick thinking from the players such as Saka, Odegaard and Rice’s. That’s what happens. I am a big fan. And he causes problems.
"If he drops off, then Martinelli will go and Saka will go. He causes problems. He is a bit of a nightmare for a centre-half, in my opinion. If you go in with him and you follow him, you have got pace on the flanks and if you don’t go with him, he will turn in and cause you havoc."
Kieran King
Merino 'close'
Mikel Merino is 'extremely close' to becoming an Arsenal player and negotiations are 'advanced' with Real Sociedad, according to Fabrizio Romano. A deal is expected to be completed in the coming days, with Merino keen to work with Mikel Arteta and join the Gunners.
Merino has been left out of the Sociedad squad for their opening La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano and Arsenal are eager to get a deal over the line. Edu was in Spain last week to try and finalise an agreement.
Kieran King
Morning
Good morning and welcome to our live Arsenal transfer blog on this fine Sunday morning.
Stay tuned for reaction from Saturday's 2-0 win over Wolves and updates from the Emirates...
Jake Stokes
Petit makes bold prediction
Speaking to BetVictor, Emmanuel Petit said: "I think Arsenal are going to keep the pressure on Manchester City this season. City are still the reference point, but some of their key players are coming towards the end of their careers – including Kevin De Bruyne.
"I saw cracks appearing during the Community Shield, with Pep Guardiola visibly upset with Ederson at points. I see Arsenal growing step-by-step, but they need to add a couple more players in order to reach City’s level because their squad rotation is so good."
Petit added: "I think this is the season where Arsenal will win another trophy under Mikel Arteta. If Arteta wants the players to trust and follow him then he has to win something.
"You cannot convince the players that you are going to achieve more and be even more competitive every season if you never win anything. If you don’t win silverware, you can lose players. This season will be Arteta’s most important at Arsenal so far..."
Jake Stokes
Havertz sings Saka's praises
Speaking to Sky Sports, Kai Havert said: "[Bukayo] Saka is unbelievable. There are not a lot of players like him on the planet and he is still so young. He can get better. It is very rare to see a young player like this perform every week at the highest level."
Then, when asked about his side's performance, the former Chelsea ace added: "We can be happy but there was some room to improve. The first 20 minutes were good. We had good chances.
"We then lost a bit of control of the game and our press didn’t work. Always 100% we defended deep very well. We didn’t give them a lot of chances and it is three points."
Jake Stokes
Rice injury update
In the final minutes of Arsenal's win over Wolves, Declan Rice appeared to suffer an injury. The 25-year-old midfielder was spotted limping and holding his right calf before he was replaced by Gabriel Jesus.
football.london understands that Rice is fine and should be okay for the Gunners' next game. Speaking to reporters after the game, Mikel Arteta said: "Yeah he was cramping.
"He hasn’t had the longest pre-season ever. But he was really trying and he put an unbelievable performance again. At the end he was struggling a bit."
Jake Stokes
Why Kiwior was absent from Arsenal squad
Jakub Kiwior was left out of the squad for Arsenal's Premier League opener against Wolves. Mikel Arteta The opted for the same starting XI that beat Lyon in the Emirates Cup last week.
The Polish international is not understood to be injured, but simply left out due to tactical reasons. Fabio Vieira was also absent as he continues to recover from a minor hip problem.
Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson are with the group despite rumours linking them with a move away. Ethan Nwaneri was also on the bench after being left out of the under-21s match with Manchester United on Friday night.
Jake Stokes
Arsenal unlock their own Messi?!
Speaking to reporters following Arsenal's win over Wolves, Mikel Arteta compared Bukayo Saka to Lionel Messi. The Gunners boss said: "With good players, it’s like that.
"With Messi I know he’s gonna come here and put the ball there, but he does it all the time. You can’t stop him. That’s the quality of the players."
Jake Stokes
Arsenal tipped to rival Man City in the title race
Speaking to Betway, Tony Pulis said: "In the title race you have to look at the quality that Manchester City have got, the consistency they’ve had and how they have dealt with everything that has been thrown at them.
"They're used to the pressure and have come through that both before and after Pep Guardiola arrived. He is an outstanding manager. Arsenal have come close since they allowed Mikel Arteta to manage the football club as a whole and they have a strong connection there so they will still be the top contenders.
"Liverpool have had an outstanding pre-season, which doesn’t always mean they will contend for the title but I think they will be the closest after Arsenal. After Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool, I think we could see Newcastle."
Jake Stokes
Should Arsenal have signed Neto?
Paul Merson believes Pedro Neto would have been a 'great signing' for Arsenal. As quoted by Football365, the Gunners icon said: "Someone else who I think can do really well is Pedro Neto at Chelsea.
"At the start of the summer, I thought he’d be a great signing for Arsenal. He suits them down to the ground and is a player that could have taken the load off Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli. So, that deal shocked me. If Chelsea can keep him fit, I think it is an incredible signing."
Jake Stokes
Merino update
Mikel Merino was left out of the Real Sociedad squad on the opening weekend of the new La Liga campaign. The 28-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his side.
"Mikel Merino is not in the squad because I decided so," Imanol Alguacil told reporters on Saturday. "He was ready to help the team. We will see if he will be with us next week or not. There are open negotiations."
The Gunners boss, meanwhile, kept his cards close to his chest when asked about a potential deal for Merino on Friday. Arteta said: "You know that I cannot talk about any other players..."
Jake Stokes
Saka injury scare
Arsenal were dealt an injury scare during the second half of their clash against Wolves. Bukayo Saka fired the Gunners to a 2-0 win over Wolves at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon, beginning the new Premier League campaign with three points.
kai Havertz fired Arsenal in the first half before Saka doubled the North Londoners' lead with a quarter of an hour left to play. Shortly after etching his name onto the scoresheet, the 22-year-old winger was spotted limping.
Just moments later, he was replaced by Leandro Trossard – which raised a few eyebrows among the home support, who have become so accustomed to seeing Saka complete full matches...
Jake Stokes
Everton eye Arsenal ace
According to Football Insider, Everton are preparing a bid for Eddie Nketiah. The 25-year-old striker has faced an uncertain future at Arsenal for some time, having struggled to force himself into Mikel Arteta's lineup.
The report states that the Toffees want Nketiah on loan, however a deal could hinge on whether Dominic Calvert-Lewin leaves Goodison Park before the transfer window closes at the end of this month.
Football Insider add that Everton have also explored a deal for Armando Broja, but both his and Nketiah's asking prices are 'proving problematic'.
Jake Stokes
Smith Rowe has found his feet!
Roy Keane heaped lots of praise on Emile Smith Rowe ahead of Fulham's clash against Manchester United on Friday night. Speaking on Sky Sports, the former Red Devils midfielder said: "He lost his way the last year or two, got one or two injuries, and obviously Arsenal were really strong in the last 12 months.
"He couldn’t get back into the team, but two or three years ago he was really outstanding, he got into the England squad, he was a goal threat, he was exciting to watch, and it seems like a good fit for the player and the club..."
Jake Stokes
Isak to Arsenal?
Paul Merson has urged Arsenal – and Chelsea – to break the bank and sign Alexander Isak. Speaking to TeamTalk, the Gunners icon said: "Newcastle have done well to keep Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes, at the moment.
"If I was a Chelsea or an Arsenal, I’d be breaking the bank for Isak. If Chelsea got Isak, they’d be certainty for a top-four finish. If Arsenal got him, they’d win the league..."
Jake Stokes
Eze setback
According to the Daily Mail, the release clause in Eberechi Eze's contract at Crystal Palace expired on Friday night. The 26-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with an exit from Selhurst Park this summer following his impressive performances last season.
The report states that his release clause is no longer active, meaning that those interested in the former QPR playmaker must negotiate a deal with Oliver Glasner's side if they wish to strike an agreement.
Jack Flintham
What Arteta said about Jesus amid striker search
Arteta has insisted that he wants to keep faith in Jesus and believes he can be the prolific striker who the Gunners need.
Gabi looks like he really wants to do great things so that’s the best start. When you are surrounded by people who love you, wanting to put in everything that they can to help you and make you better, you can see the results.
Jack Flintham
How to follow Arsenal vs Wolves
We shall be giving you infrequent updates on all the big moments from the Arsenal match here.
However, if you would like more dedicated minute-by-minute updates, FL has you covered in the match blog here.
Jack Flintham
Keown firmly disagrees with Arsenal transfer plan
Keown has warned his former club not to add another striker to their squad this summer despite the summer plans to add a goalscoring centre-forward to the team.
Speaking to FL at the FA Grassroots Football Awards at Wembley Stadium, Keown said:
I didn't agree with that then (that Arsenal need a new striker) and I don't agree with that now. I thought maybe it was a bit of lazy journalism because if you think about the number of goals that Arsenal were scoring, they were the second-highest scorers. In the end, Manchester City just pipped them, but they're scoring enough goals. I think Kai Havertz was a revelation in the end. He looked good for Germany as well.
READ MORE FROM KEOWN HERE
Jack Flintham
Duo still involved despite transfer interest
Two players expected to be leaving Arsenal this summer remained involved in the first team.
Both Ramsdale and Nketiah have been named among the substitutes for today's clash with Wolves.
The duo are both subject to interest from elsewhere and will be expected to leave the club before the window closes.
Jack Flintham
Arsenal team to face Wolves
Here is how Arsenal line-up for the clash with Wolves:
Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz
Substitutes:
Ramsdale, Calafiori, Timber, Jorginho, Nelson, Nwaneri, Trossard, Jesus, Nketiah
You can follow regular updates from the Emirates Stadium here.
Jack Flintham
What Arteta said when quizzed about Merino
Unsurprisingly, Arteta took a conservative approach to questions surrounding Merino in his pre-match press conference on Friday.
You know that I cannot talk about any other players. Before the season we had two objectives. The main one was to make sure that we are very much in love with our players and find ways to improve them because that’s the main thing. Then okay if there are still certain opportunities in the market to improve the squad we have to look at that, that’s what we are trying to do.
Jack Flintham
Sociedad boss responds to Merino absence
Speaking to the media prior in his pre-match press conference, Real Sociedad's manager Imanol Alguacil explained his decision to leave Merino out of the squad for today's game.
A thousand things can happen between now and the 30th. The market could change, there could be injuries, there could be presidents who get nervous... At the moment, we are the same as we are. And I have decided to leave Merino and Carlos out of the squad. I made the decision and I think it is the best for them and for the team. I would like to thank both of them, personally, and the club, for everything they have given us. Although I am going to talk about one person, because one of them is here and wanted to be on the pitch tomorrow. I would like to thank Le Normand for what he did, and for how he felt about the shirt. And I wish him luck. For now, the transfer market is open until the 30th. And those of us who are here are going to be committed to Real Sociedad. No one who is here is going to be stumbling around in terms of commitment to Real Sociedad.
KEY EVENT
Merino out of Sociedad squad
Merino is not named in the Real Sociedad squad for the La Liga opener against Rayo Vallecano this weekend.
It is believed the midfielder trained all week but is holding further talks with his current club to get an agreement over the line.
Jack Flintham
Arteta's role in Merino deal
According to GiveMeSport, Arteta has played a key role in bringing Merino to the verge of joining the club.
It is understood the midfielder was personally contacted by Arteta about joining the club and that tipped the balance in favour of the Gunners.
Final talks between the parties are set for this weekend with formalities the only thing needed to be agreed.
Jack Flintham
How much Arsenal want for Ramsdale
While you may wonder why Ajax are favouring a loan move for Ramsdale instead of a permanent switch, it could be thanks in no small part to the asking price placed on the England international.
While the Gunners want to sell Ramsdale they are only looking for bids in the region of £50m this summer.
This is more than Inter received when they sold Andre Onana to United in the summer of 2023.