A round-up of the latest Arsenal news including transfer news updates on the pursuit of Riccardo Calafiori, Jakub Kiwior and Albert Sambi Lokonga’s future and plans of a bid for a Premier League target.
Riccardo Calafiori ‘expected’ to be an Arsenal player
With Italy knocked out of Euro 2024, talks for Riccardo Calafiori’s move to Arsenal seemed to be progressing fast after Fabrizio Romano claimed that the Bologna left-back agreed terms with the north London club.
“Arsenal and Bologna are discussing over fee, as request remains around €50m (£42.2m). FC Basel would receive 50% of the sale over €4.5m (£3.8m) — they’re also aware of talks ongoing, nothing sealed yet.”
Arteta has chosen Calafiori to bolster with his defensive options, but the implications to Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior are uncertain. Calafiori excels in a lot of the same areas of Ben White’s expertise with ball progression and aerial ability both strengths to his game.
The latest reports from Italian journalist Daniele Longo, Arsenal ‘expect’ to confirm the signing within the next 24 to 48 hours, but it remains to be seen whether full agreement can be reached on a deal before he travels to London.
Mikel Arteta’s Lokonga lesson with exit looming
According to the latest update from Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth, Sevilla are advancing in talks for the signing of Belgium international Albert Sambi-Lokonga.
Joining as an exciting prospect from Anderlecht for £17 million, he is yet to fulfil his potential and the Spanish club are looking to get the most out of the deal with clauses within an initial loan deal being mooted.
“The deal is understood to be an initial loan with performance-related conditions, which would permit the loan turns into an obligation to buy. Lokonga spent last season at Luton and has two years left on his Arsenal contract.”
In what would be a frustrating end to Lokonga’s stint at Arsenal, there is a lesson in there for Mikel Arteta and the team in the way he integrates raw talents into the team with fans divided on how he has been handled.
Read more on Albert Sambi Lokonga’s potential departure to Sevilla here.
Wolves set their price after Edu’s bid labelled ‘hostile’
Edu Gaspar and the board surprised Arsenal fans after it emerged that they have set their sights on Wolves goalkeeper Dan Bentley. The potential signing would seem to be a third-choice in a sort of Scott Carson role to satisfy the homegrown quota.
A former Arsenal academy player, the 30-year-old made just five Premier League appearances in his career, including an appearance against Arsenal last season.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, Arsenal’s current offer has been labelled as ‘hostile’ as they’re unwilling to match Wolves’ £1m price tag for the goalkeeper, but it seems a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if’, with such a low figure reported to meet Wolves demands
- READ MORE: Edu told how much it’ll cost to land ‘surprise’ Arsenal transfer target as ‘hostile’ bid made
Elsewhere on the departure front, it’s being reported that Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith-Rowe has been listed as a top priority signing at Fulham after Joao Palhinha looks set to leave following yesterday’s medical at Bayern Munich.
Nuno Tavares has spoken on the prospect of staying at Arsenal on the return from his loan spells at Marseille and Nottingham Forest, although this seems unlikely given the imminent addition of another left-back and Arteta has set his price tag for the Portuguese full-back.
“I have in mind to return to Arsenal and have a good pre-season,” Tavares revealed to Record.
Arsenal appear to be open to offers for Polish international Jakub Kiwior with four Serie A clubs interested in a move, Inter Milan the latest to register an interest in the defender who cost Arsenal £25 million from Spezia last year.
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