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…

Arsenal Prepare Second Bid for Ben White

Having been linked with the Brighton defender in surprising circumstances, the interest Arsenal have shown in White turned out to be 100% true and the developments since have progressed at a rapid rate.

Lodging a bid of £40m for the England international on Wednesday, another improved offer is due shortly as Arteta and Edu look to wrap up their central defensive worries early this window.

Listed as one of the two deals the club are ‘closest’ to, how much the second offer will be isn’t known but Arsenal are confident of wrapping White’s signing up quickly so as to stave off other interested suitors, of which there are many.

The reason for the Gunners bidding so early is to grab a foothold in the race. By taking the first steps they’ve both worked to sway the player – who is keen on moving to north London – and demonstrate to Brighton that they mean business, who would like any deal done early in time for them to sound out a replacement.

Few saw this coming.

Jules Kounde was a major target for the club, who at £50m was deemed well out of their price range and considering the wealth of interest from clubs with Champions League football next season, also somewhat pointless. Switching attentions to Premier League experienced options, White fits the profile and age bracket while also suiting the homegrown quota – and that appears to be a growing desire among the club hierarchy.

As seen with the heightened interest in James Maddison, if Arsenal can bring homegrown players early it prevents them from scrambling around late in the window to source those they need to supplement the large amount of expected exits of academy stars.

It’s all a go-go in north London.