Arsenal are set for a hectic end to the summer window with several deals close to being completed
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 21: Mikel Arteta, Manager / Head Coach of Arsenal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Arsenal FC and Coventry City at Emirates Stadium on August 21, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Arsenal are working on multiple deals(Image: Marc Atkins, Getty Images)
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The clock is ticking on the summer transfer window and Arsenal find themselves deep in negotiations, juggling incomings and outgoings, and with a major deal still hanging in the balance. The Gunners have been busy so far in this window, though the sense at the Emirates Stadium is that sporting director Andrea Berta and manager Mikel Arteta are far from finished.
Five arrivals have already been confirmed, with Piero Hincapie, Illan Meslier, Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa all through the door at a combined outlay of around £200million. But with the window due to close on September 1, Arsenal are pushing for more.
The most significant outstanding piece of business concerns Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez. Arsenal have been locked in talks over a club-record move worth up to £128m. Landing Alvarez would transform Arsenal's attacking options and arguably signal the most ambitious single purchase in the club's history.
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To fund further investment and trim a bloated squad, several players have been made available for sale. Reiss Nelson, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira have been offered to other clubs, while Ethan Nwaneri is being assessed for a potential loan exit to ensure he gets regular first-team football this season.
With the window entering its final stretch, football.london takes a closer look at the latest developments involving several other players - from promising academy acquisitions to a high-profile and increasingly contentious departure.
Martinelli saga leaves players 'uncomfortable'
Some of Gabriel Martinelli's Arsenal team-mates reportedly felt uncomfortable regarding the club's brutal treatment of the player in recent weeks. The Brazilian forward is poised to join Al-Hilal for a fee in the region of £50m, which would represent a record sale for Arsenal, after being pushed towards the exit door.
Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli is being forced out of Arsenal(Image: (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images))
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Martinelli appears to have played his final match for the club, despite initially being keen to stay put. He was omitted from the squads for both the Community Shield victory over Manchester City and the opening-day demolition of Coventry, having been sidelined by Arteta in a deliberate ploy to force his departure.
He watched from the stands as his team-mates celebrated the Community Shield triumph and left without a winners' medal. The manager's handling of the 25-year-old, according to ESPN Brazil, has caused unease among some of his fellow players, suggesting there is widespread sympathy for his situation.
Martinelli, who arrived at Arsenal seven years ago, has less than 12 months remaining on his contract. His departure is thought to have been engineered as a means of freeing up funds for a new attacking addition.
Five deals to be completed
Blackburn Rovers' Igor Tyjon
Blackburn Rovers' Igor Tyjon is reportedly nearing a move to Arsenal(Image: Trevor Wilkinson | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Arsenal are looking to bring in four exciting talents as they press ahead with their ambitious academy recruitment drive. The Gunners have made a clear effort to secure some of the most coveted youngsters in world football over the past twelve months.
The Athletic reports that Habeeb Ogunneye, a 20-year-old right-back, has now undergone a medical ahead of a switch from Manchester United. The Gunners are also closing in on a deal for 19-year-old Red Devils winger James Scanlon, with both deals expected to be free transfers.
Arsenal are additionally on the verge of concluding their long-standing pursuit of Blackburn Rovers' 18-year-old Igor Tyjon, who has already completed a medical after the club agreed to pay Blackburn an initial £1m plus bonuses for his signature.
The report further claims that Arsenal have tabled a contract offer for 17-year-old midfielder Andria Bartishvili. The highly-regarded Georgian starlet is currently out on loan at top-flight Georgian outfit Iberia and has already featured for his nation at under-21 level.
His current deal is due to expire later this year, with Arsenal keen to secure him on a pre-contract arrangement. On the departure front, Meslier's arrival has opened the door for back-up goalkeeper Tommy Setford to depart on loan.