At 6pm, with just five hours of the summer 2023 transfer window remaining, Arsenal still have a crowded departures lounge.
One outgoing move that has been confirmed is the loan deal taking left-back Nuno Tavares from Arsenal to Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest have paid a £1 million loan fee to secure the services of the Portuguese defender, and will have the option to make his stay at the City Ground permanent next summer for another £12 million, as per Fabrizio Romano.
Arsenal are still working away to get other deals confirmed, and we are expecting to see plenty of movement at the Emirates Stadium before the 11pm deadline tonight.
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Luton would like Lokonga on loan
Another temporary departure that sporting director Edu is seeking to get sorted concerns Albert Sambi Lokonga.
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According to Fabrizio Romano, Luton Town are working to get the midfielder in their squad for this season. A switch to Kenilworth Road ought to at least ensure that the Belgian gets regular game time, which he’d be very unlikely to come by at Arsenal.
If the player can be convinced to link up with Rob Edwards’ newly-promoted squad then that would represent a brilliant bit of business on the part of the Hatters. Mikel Arteta will be hoping that Lokonga can impress sufficiently in his loan spell for the Gunners to be able to fetch a decent fee for him next summer.
Holding to go
Rob Holding is on the verge of leaving the north London club on a permanent basis. According to Fabrizio Romano, Crystal Palace are keen to sign him and are willing to pay £4 million to get a deal done with Arsenal. The 27-year-old is currently undergoing a medical with the south London side.
Eagles boss Roy Hodgson has already confirmed that Holding “is a player that’s interested us for a while,” as quoted by Football Daily.
The former Bolton man has been a terrific servant to Arsenal, but had no future at the club under Arteta. He has the capacity to shine and prove his quality at Selhurst Park.
Arteta says no more
Whilst we are expecting movement at Arsenal, it’s all heading in one direction. As quoted by Arsenal reporter Kaya Kaynak, Arteta stated at his press conference today that “I don’t expect anybody to come in.”
It is clear, then, that Edu’s focus is on clearing the decks and no more. Despite the long-term injury to summer signing Jurrien Timber arguably leaving the Gunners short on numbers at the back, the Spanish coach seems content with the options currently at his disposal.