Arteta hails Kepa, West Ham push for Slavia defender Diouf
Arsenal have signed goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.
Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal will benefit from Kepa Arrizabalaga’s experience and “real hunger to win” after the world’s most expensive goalkeeper completed a £5m transfer from Chelsea.
Arrizabalaga leaves Chelsea seven years after joining for £72m from Athletic Bilbao and will compete at Arsenal with his Spanish compatriot David Raya. After falling out of favour at Stamford Bridge Arrizabalaga has spent the past two seasons on loan, at Real Madrid and then Bournemouth.
“He is a player we know, having come up against him many times in recent seasons,” Arteta told Arsenal’s website. “He brings a wealth of experience, which his teammates will benefit from, and he has a real hunger to win. Kepa works hard and will elevate our levels. I know he will fit in perfectly.”
Arrizabalaga is Arsenal’s first summer signing and is expected to be followed by the Brentford captain, Christian Nørgaard, and Martín Zubimendi, another midfielder, who is due to join from Real Sociedad for £35m.
West Ham face a battle to convince Slavia Prague to sell El Hadji Malick Diouf. The left-back is a target for Graham Potter and discussions have taken place over a deal.
Slavia are reluctant to lose the Senegal international, who is comfortable as a wing-back, and want about £20m. West Ham have repeatedly made clear they are under pressure to sell before they buy.
West Ham are also interested in the Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton, who starred for England Under-21s in their victorious European championship campaign.
Nottingham Forest have had a bid accepted by Lyon for the winger Malick Fofana. The player is yet to agree terms but the Premier League club are confident of completing a deal. Forest maintain an interest in Manchester City’s James McAtee and the Real Mallorca defender Pablo Maffeo.
Sunderland have completed the club-record £30m signing of the midfielder Habib Diarra from Strasbourg on a five-year contract. The 21-year-old captained the team last season and has 11 Senegal caps, scoring against England last month.
Diarra is Sunderland’s second summer arrival after Enzo Le Fée’s loan was turned into a permanent deal.
Bournemouth have ended speculation around Antoine Semenyo’s future after tying the forward to a new long-term contract. The Ghana international, who scored 13 goals last season, has signed a new deal with the Cherries until the summer of 2030.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola suggested that Rodri had suffered a new injury setback during Man City’s shock Club World Cup defeat by Al-Hilal.
Guardiola said: “We have to see how Rodri is. He was good but later complained about his situation."