Arsenal: 3 loan transfers that need to happen this summer

2. Alex Runarsson

Age: 25
Contract expiry: 2024
Possible loan destinations: Anywhere top-flight

A loan? For Alex Runarsson?

Sadly, yes. Because at this stage it’s quite clear that nobody is willing to pay a fee for him. Given that the only known club to make a concerted effort to sign him so far this window was a newly-promoted Turkish side.

Talks of a move to Altay broke down over supposed terms but before the window concludes there is no hope for Runarsson staying. A permanent move would be preferable but off the back of the form he showed last season there is nobody who’d be willing to pay a fee worth Arsenal’s time.

At least with a season-long switch he can rebuild some stock and encourage potential buyers that the mistakes seen in north London were merely down to the nervousness of such a big career move.

Where could he go? It doesn’t especially matter which country he’s in so long as he’s playing regular top-flight football. Weekly minutes in the Turkish Super Lig would have been great for him but if a Ligue 1 side wants to give him another crack of the French whip – it’s not likely given his form at Dijon – then that will also more than suffice.

Top five divisions is really pushing it though, even if there are clubs like Arsenal whose recruitment can be laughably bad on occasion.

A full season in top-flight somewhere will do. It has to.