Arsenal are looking to end the summer transfer window on a high as they line up several transfers, with players set to come and go out before the deadline
Mikel Arteta
Arsenal look set for an eye-catching end to the transfer window(Image: Getty Images)
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Arsenal's summer transfer window is really starting to pick up some pace. After tiptoeing out of the blocks, the Gunners have now spent just shy of £150million, with Bruno Guimaraes' £75m arrival from Newcastle their undisputed marquee signing.
A blockbuster move for Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior now looks dead in the water but Mikel Arteta is still looking to bolster the squad in a big way ahead of their first Premier League title defence in over two decades.
With incomings on the cards, outgoings are also a distinct possibility, with Arsenal set for a busy end to the window. Arteta confirmed as much on Wednesday, saying: "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," he added. "We are actively looking to improve that and we're going to try." With that in mind, here are the latest Arsenal-related transfer headlines.
Kounde's agent spotted
The agent of Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has been spotted at the club's training ground, fuelling rumours of a potential summer move to Arsenal. With both William Saliba and Jurrien Timber sidelined for the start of the campaign, the Gunners are actively seeking defensive reinforcements - and Kounde has reportedly emerged as a top target.
The 27-year-old French international, who comfortably operates at both right-back and centre-back, has spent the last four seasons in Catalonia. Barcelona are believed to be open to a sale amid reports of a £42m asking price.
While the official reason for the agent's visit to Barcelona's Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper training base remains unconfirmed, the timing has sparked widespread speculation linking the defender to the Emirates Stadium.
Jules Kounde
Jules Kounde is linked with a move to Arsenal(Image: Europa Press Sports/Europa Press via Getty Images)
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Though Kounde is settled at Barcelona and not actively pushing for an exit, he remains open to a Premier League switch, having previously come close to joining Chelsea in 2022.
It's also worth noting that Barcelona's ongoing financial tightrope - compounded by their ambitious pursuit of Manchester City's Rodri - could force the Catalan giants to cash in, handing Arsenal a major opening.
Arsenal's transfer record 'set be broken'
Arsenal could finally be on the verge of breaking an outgoing transfer record that has gathered dust for nearly a decade, following a £38m offer from Turkish giants Galatasaray for Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli.
Should the Gunners choose to accept, the deal would represent the most lucrative player sale in the club's history, eclipsing the £35m fee received when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Liverpool in 2017.
Arteta and Martinelli
Arsenal have reportedly received an offer for Gabriel Martinelli that would constitute a club-record sale(Image: PA Wire)
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Historically, Arsenal have been notoriously inefficient when it comes to recouping premium market value for departing talent. To put their benchmark into perspective, every other member of the Premier League's 'Big Six' has executed high-profile sales at vastly higher price points.
Liverpool lead the pack with their historic £142m sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, while Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur both commanded £100m fees for Eden Hazard and Harry Kane, respectively. Even Manchester United's landmark £80m deal for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009 and Manchester City's £64m sale of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid far exceed Arsenal's record.
Martinelli has been a first-team regular at Arsenal for more than six years, but with the club actively seeking reinforcements in wide areas, a sale could be the best outcome for all parties - particularly if it allows the Gunners to set a new club record.
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