Mikel Arteta has declared "there is more that we want to do" in the summer transfer window, as Arsenal look to strengthen their Premier League-winning squad. The club have already spent just under £150million, including £75m to bring Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes to North London.
Arteta's transfer plans
Speaking on Wednesday after the Gunners beat Italian outfit Como on penalties in a pre-season clash, the Spanish coach said: "There is more that we want to do because every time we have an opportunity to improve the squad and bring more quality and depth to the squad, we need to do that. We are actively trying to do so. We are actively looking to improve that and we're going to try."
An audacious yet unlikely approach for Real Madrid sensation Vinicius Junior has collapsed, but Arteta remains determined to strengthen the Premier League champions.
Kounde's agent spotted at training ground
Barcelona defender Jules Kounde's agent has been seen at the club's training ground, sparking speculation over a potential summer switch to Arsenal, reports the Mirror. With both William Saliba and Jurrien Timber ruled out for the campaign's opening stages, the Gunners are urgently pursuing defensive additions - and Kounde has reportedly emerged as a priority target.
The 27-year-old French international, who operates comfortably at both right-back and centre-back, has spent the past four campaigns in Catalonia. Barcelona are understood to be willing to entertain offers amid reports of a £42m valuation.
While the official purpose behind the agent's trip to Barcelona's Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper training complex remains unclear, the timing has fuelled intense speculation connecting the defender with the Emirates Stadium. Although Kounde is content at Barcelona and isn't actively seeking a departure, he remains receptive to a Premier League move, having previously been on the brink of joining Chelsea in 2022.
It's also noteworthy that Barcelona's continuing financial balancing act - intensified by their bold chase of Manchester City's Rodri - might compel the Catalan club to sell up, presenting Arsenal with a significant opportunity.
Arsenal's transfer record 'set to be broken'
Arsenal could at last be poised to smash an outgoing transfer record that has remained untouched for almost a decade, following a £38m bid from Turkish powerhouses Galatasaray for Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli. Should the Gunners opt to accept, the transaction would mark the most profitable player departure in the club's history, surpassing the £35m sum received when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain moved to Liverpool in 2017.
Historically, Arsenal have been notoriously poor at securing top market value for their outgoing talent. To give some context, every other member of the Premier League's 'Big Six' has managed to pull off high-profile sales at significantly higher prices. Liverpool are out in front with their record-breaking £142m sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, while Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur both secured £100m fees for Eden Hazard and Harry Kane respectively. Even Manchester United's landmark £80m deal for Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2009 and Manchester City's £64m sale of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid far outstrip Arsenal's record.
Martinelli, 25, has been a staple in Arsenal's first team for more than six years, but with the club actively on the hunt for reinforcements in wide positions, a sale could be the best solution for all involved.
Arsenal beat Liverpool to signing
Arsenal and Liverpool will clash in a tribunal after reportedly failing to reach agreement on compensation for young striker Vincent Joseph. The 16-year-old has agreed to join the Gunners after leaving Liverpool last month. Joseph had been presented with a scholarship deal by the Reds, but turned it down and moved to Arsenal instead.
The England youth international, who had featured for Liverpool's under-18s, saw his schoolboy registration deal expire. Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund were all said to be keen on securing his services. However, the reigning Premier League champions prevailed and now must pay a fee to Liverpool. Such compensation is mandatory when a youngster switches clubs prior to penning a professional deal.
The Daily Mail reports the two sides have failed to find common ground and will have the issue resolved at a tribunal. The amount will be determined by the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC), which will receive details of the negotiations between both clubs, the terms they presented to Joseph, and his previous career at Liverpool. He has eight goals in nine outings for England under-16s.
