Arsenal submit 4 bids with midfielder and defender arrivals close

Arsenal are not messing around this summer transfer window. Mikel Arteta insisted he wanted to get his business done as soon as he could, just like all managers, but the Gunners appear to be doing that just after a sluggish start with four offers made within a week and two edging completion.

It’s all a bit hectic at the minute. Missing out on Emi Buendia – which turned out not to be as such – set the disappointed ball rolling. Seeing a target move to a club that finished below Arsenal in the Premier League table didn’t set the summer up for a roaring success – but that’s been forgotten about very quickly.

Wasting no time in moving for their preferred targets, Arteta’s side are pushing through with deals for players in various positions, while also opening lines of communication with other clubs over potential sales.

Early signs are that it’s going to be a big summer. Fans were promised an ‘unprecedented’ and ‘ruthless’ one, with the indications being that the manager is staying true to his word.

Arsenal submit 4 bids with midfielder and defender arrivals imminent in summer transfer window

As per football.london’s Chris Wheatley, Arsenal have submitted four bids in the past week for players, two of which are edging nearer completion as the second offers are due to meet the demands set by the respective clubs. Two of those bids are unclear, but one could be young striker Abdul Abdulmalik, or players we’ve yet to hear about.

The first known one is Albert Sambi Lokonga, as widely reported, who Anderlecht turned down a £12.9m bid from the Gunners already but are braced for another offer set to be closer to their £17m asking price.

Lokonga can be seen as a replacement, in some ways, for Matteo Guendouzi. Profiling closer to Thomas Partey than Granit Xhaka, he could act as understudy to the Ghanaian and develop under his guidance.

He’s an exciting player. A box-to-box option who can find a line-breaking pass just as he can sniff one out, years of tracking his progress has brought Arsenal to this stage.

Not ready to be a Premier League starter yet, the lack of European football may limit his playing time but with cup competitions to come and Partey having to be away on international duty for the Africa Cup of Nations, there will be opportunities for the Belgian to stake his claim.

The second signing Arsenal are after is Ben White, who edges closer to a move to north London.

Continued…