Arsenal Gears Up for Pivotal Summer with Seismic Transfer Activities
A pivotal summer lies ahead for Arsenal as they undertake rigorous transfer market activities. A significant development in the pipeline is Noni Madueke’s anticipated move from Chelsea. The player is said to be departing Chelsea’s US base for an Arsenal medical, a crucial step towards finalizing his transition. Concurrently, Viktor Gyokeres has expressed his wish to Sporting’s president to omit pre-season training in favor of securing his move to Arsenal. Additionally, rumours are circulating that a formal proposal is on the way for Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze. The following is an outline of Arsenal’s transactions so far this summer…
Incoming players feature Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea acquirable at a reasonably priced £5m, Christian Norgaard from Brentford for £9m, and the highest expenditure on Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi at £51m.
On the other hand, the list of players making their exit from Arsenal includes Jorginho, shifting to Flamengo as his contract expires. Marquinhos follows the same path, heading towards Cruzeiro for a moderate £2.5m fee. Following the end of their contracts, Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney are also departing with the former being released while Tierney returns to Celtic. Furthermore, Nuno Tavares has been sold to Lazio for £6m, and lastly, Takehiro Tomiyasu has been released as well.
The Arsenal team has been bracing for the new season with fervent training sessions in Cartagena, Spain. The La Manga Club stadium serves as their training ground. The team’s morale appears enhanced with the fresh arrivals of Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga, all of whom are an active part of the in-progress training. Other notable participations are from Reiss Nelson, Albert Sambi Lokonga, and Karl Hein, who are pushing for a slot in the first team.
While Viktor Gyokeres has been asked to join for pre-season training, rumors suggest he is disinclined to report back. This could be linked to the summer transfer interest being shown by Arsenal and Manchester United in the striker. There are also speculations of Noni Madueke making his way to Arsenal for a medical check-up, a critical stride towards his £52 million transfer from Chelsea.
The possibility of Madueke’s arrival seems to have piqued the local press, leading to speculations on whether this would affect the Swedish striker’s potential move to Manchester United. If Madueke’s move to Arsenal is successful, the club is predicted to channel its efforts towards procuring Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres.
Arsenal’s pre-season fixtures feature some noteworthy matches. Arsenal kick off against AC Milan on Wednesday, July 23, followed by a game against Newcastle on Sunday, July 27. The third and final match puts them head-to-head with Tottenham on Thursday, July 31.
In another development, former Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks set for a return to Europe, specifically his old club Marseille. The striker is thought to be negotiating a way out of his contract with Al-Qadsiah, with a barrage of interested parties from the Saudi leagues as well as a couple from the Premier League.
Christian Norgaard, one of Arsenal’s recent acquisitions, boasts of 11 Premier League goals, nine of which were scored from dead-ball situations. A peculiar stat but it does crown him as a midfielder with the highest percentage in the history of the Premier League for players who have scored 10 goals or more.
It’s been reported that Arsenal’s prime transfer target, Viktor Gyokeres, does not intend to resume training or matches for Sporting CP. Gyokeres is expected to join his current teammates for pre-season training but has made his intentions clear about not returning.
The Swedish striker was granted an extended break from training during the negotiations, but he failed to return on the agreed date. Sporting CP, understandably so, is holding out for an estimated £69 million, inclusive of add-ons, for the international forward.