The transfer deadline is just days away, and Arsenal are set for a busy period of both incomings and outgoings.
VAVEL brings the most reliable transfer rumours to keep Arsenal fans in the know about their club’s business.
Incomings
Piero Hincapie
**Arsenal**have revamped the defensive depth in their ranks, and the spending might not be over.
Piero Hincapie, who was with Bayer Leverkusen to pull off an unbeaten domestic double in 2024, could become a part of the team after playing 166 times for the former champions of the Bundesliga.
The defender has a £52 million release clause that the club could trigger before the start of September. He played in the first game of the new domestic season, but a departure is not out of the question.
Loic Bade, Axel Tape, and Jarell Quansah came into the Bayer Leverkusen camp this summer as new central defenders. So, Leverkusen have the room to release the Ecuadorian from their plans.
He could also be expecting a backstep this year for Die Werkself. Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka, and Florian Wirtz are four key names from a mass exodus in this transfer window.
Hincapie, who has primarily played on the left of a back three, could be a backup for Gabriel Magalhaes or give more competition for the role of left back.
For now, such a role in the squad belongs to Jakub Kiwior, who is assessing his options and might be about to leave North London. If he goes, this transfer makes a lot of sense.
Words by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.
Arnau Martinez
(Credit: Alex Caparros/ Getty Images).
Mikel Arteta loves his defenders, and he could call on a compatriot to complete work in the window.
Journalist Santi Aouna has shared that Arsenal may look to bring in Arnau Martinez from Girona.
As a teenager, he played 33 times in the Segunda Division on the way to the topflight and was a key option on their rise to the top two in LaLiga by 2024. The Spaniard stayed for the ride to participate in the Champions League last season, but his journey in Catalonia might now be coming to an end.
He would not be the only talented player to walk out the door. Miguel Gutierrez has gone to Napoli after Yan Couto returned to Man City, Savinho signed permanently for the Citizens, and Artem Dovbyk put pen to paper for Roma. The club are unlikely to hit the heights of the 2023/24 season again anytime soon, and Martinez will not want to miss the moment to move forward with his career.
The 22-year-old still has two years left on his contract at Girona. But Aouna has stated that Arsenal are considering a bid for a fee of only €8 million with €2 million in performance-related add-ons.
The Gunners have already picked up Cristhian Mosquera from LaLiga. If they add another young Spanish defender to the squad for a low cost, then they will be in no position to complain about defensive depth.
Words by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.
Outgoings
Jakub Kiwior
Fabrizio Romano has used his famous ‘Here we go’ catchphrase to label Jakub Kiwior’s deal to **Porto**as done. The Polish international has made 68 appearances in two and a half years at Arsenal, including a solid run in the Gunners’ Champions League semi-final run, which featured a 5-1 aggregate win over Real Madrid.
Kiwior’s departure makes way for Arsenal to bring in Hincapie, but the Pole deserves to feature more regularly at club level, especially in a World Cup year where his nation will be expecting to qualify for the competition in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Porto will pay upwards of £20 million for their man, and Arsenal will retain a sell-on clause should the Portuguese side ever decide to sell their new defender.
Kiwior featured heavily for **Mikel Arteta**’s side last season, but also in the previous campaign, where he played as a left back after a number of injuries to players in that position. Porto will be getting a player who is more than capable of playing in multiple positions.
Oleksandr Zinchenko
(Credit: David Price/ Getty Images).
One player who has yet to be moved on from Arsenal is Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Ukrainian midfielder turned left-back was crucial in embedding Arteta’s preferred style on the club. However, he has been surplus to requirements of late and is now the subject of late interest from Marseille, according to David Ornstein.
The French outfit are open to signing Zinchenko on a permanent deal, but his wages could prove to be a stumbling block. The deal may require negotiating from both the club and player side in order for it to be completed ahead of Monday’s 19:00 BST deadline.