Arsenal are set for a frantic end to the summer transfer window as they finalise their remaining business, with sporting director Andrea Berta's three months of work already yielding five signings worth a combined £200m.
Piero Hincapie, Illan Meslier, Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa have all arrived, but spending could rise further as the club pursue Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez for a potential club-record fee of up to £128m. Several players are also expected to leave to free up squad space and raise funds, with Reiss Nelson, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira listed for sale and Ethan Nwaneri a possible loan candidate.
Four academy deals close to completion
Arsenal are working on four deals for promising young talents as part of their continued academy recruitment drive. According to The Athletic, 20-year-old right-back Habeeb Ogunneye has undergone a medical ahead of a move from Manchester United, with 19-year-old winger James Scanlon also expected to follow on a free transfer.
The club are also close to finalising a move for Blackburn Rovers' 18-year-old Igor Tyjon, who has completed a medical after Arsenal agreed an initial £1m fee plus bonuses. A contract offer has been made for 17-year-old Georgian midfielder Andria Bartishvili, currently on loan at Iberia and an under-21 international, with his deal set to expire later this year and a pre-contract agreement being pursued.
Martinelli exit causes discomfort
Some of Gabriel Martinelli's team-mates reportedly felt uncomfortable with the club's treatment of the Brazilian winger, who is set to join Al-Hilal for around £50m in what would be a record sale for Arsenal. Martinelli has seemingly played his last game for the club despite initially wanting to stay, having been left out of the Community Shield win over Manchester City and the opening-day victory over Coventry.
He did not collect a winners' medal after watching the Community Shield from the sidelines. According to ESPN Brazil, Arteta's handling of the 25-year-old was a source of discomfort for some players. Martinelli, who joined seven years ago, has less than a year left on his deal, and his exit is believed to have been orchestrated to fund a new forward signing.
