Contract extensions
June 23 is the deadline for contract extensions until the season's end. An official announcement is expected in the evening. However, there are rumours about Arsenal finalising permanent deals for two players.
ESPN, a relatively credible source, claim the Gunners have nearly reached an agreement for a permanent move for the Portuguese defender.
The Euro 2016 winner will extend his Southampton contract until the end of the campaign, Arsenal and Saints will do the paperwork for a new loan, and, after the current season finishes, the right-back will sign a three-year deal.
Mikel Arteta has played a big role in the transfer as the Spaniard is impressed with the player's professional behaviour and leadership qualities.
Probability rating: 9/10
Flamengo vice-president confirmed yesterday the Gunners have completed the move for the Spaniard. However, there has been no official announcement from Arsenal yet.
Probability rating: 9.5/10
INS
Leno emergency
Several keepers have been linked with the Gunners in view of Bernd Leno's injury.
Barcelona shot-stopper Neto is the latest goalkeeper rumoured to have attracted Arsenal's interest. The Gunners are keen on taking the 30-year-old on a loan with an option to buy, claims Catalonia-based Diario Sport.
The source states the North London outfit have already begun negotiations with the Blaugrana but their initial approach have been rejected. Quique Setien's side are not entertained with the idea of a temporary transfer and want to sell him outright.
Barcelona's asking price is said to be €20m which perhaps prices Arsenal out of the move. However, the Brazilian is reportedly represented by Edu Gaspar's friend Kia Joorabchian who brought David Luiz and Cedric Soares to the Emirates.
Probability rating: 3/10
The former Manchester City man, currently at Burnley, will become a free agent in the summer. He could join the Gunners as a man to compete with Emi Martinez for the place between the sticks at the Emirates.
The report comes from a fairly average source The Sun so we wouldn't be surprised if they just browsed through the list of pending free agents at Transfermarkt and found the former England international. Wait a few days and Arsenal will be linked with Fraser Forster – his contract expires this summer, too.
After all, name a better duo that Arsenal and people who were good once but no longer are.
Joe was good... until he wasn't:
Probability rating: 2/10
Unlike the Joe Hart story, this one, coming from Spanish journalist Kike Marin, is grounded in Mikel Arteta's Manchester City connection. The Basque tactician could ask his good old friend Pep Guardiola to send humanitarian aid to the struggling Arsenal side in a form of the keeper who made a name for himself for being somewhat similar to David Luiz but in goal.
Bravo to Kike Marin for inventiveness but Arsenal are not getting Claudio, no way.
Probability rating: 1/10
Other INS
The AS Roma talent is heavily linked with a move to the Emirates, in a money plus Henrikh Mkhitaryan exchange deal. The latest report in Corriere dello Sport backs Calciomercato's yesterday story that the Gunners are several million apart from the Giallorossi in the estimation of the youngster but it's likely they will find a compromise.
And, honestly, is Mkhitaryan so good so Roma boss Fonseca wants to sell one of his best prospects to get the ageing Armenian on a permanent deal? We seriously doubt that. However, we don't know how the transfer market after the pandemic will work.
Will he follow into his father's footsteps? Justin shows some promise:
Probability rating: 4/10
There have been not so many reports about the fate of the 27-year-old in recent days. So while Arsenal fans keep dreaming about Thomas and his fellow Ghanaian football personalities continue to weigh in on his future, tier-one David Ornstein is sceptical about the transfer.
The most recent report in the Madrid-based newspaper La Razon claims Atletico are getting ready to sell the midfielder to the Gunners but think twice before trusting Spanish press about transfer rumours.
Probability rating: 7/10 (wishful thinking, I know)
The talented midfielder has been quite vocal about his desire to stay at Feyenoord lately but also dropped a hint he could leave the club if he does not get a new contract.
There have not been many updates in the Dutch press recently so we believe Arsenal are currently occupied with other targets.
Probability rating: 5/10
The 17-year-old PSG man is poised to leave the Parisian club this summer, claim normally credible RMC Sport. Arsenal are interested (ESPN) but the midfielder is supposedly asking for a big signing-on bonus which resulted in St Etienne pulling the plug on the transfer with the player passing his medical (L'Equipe).
Probability rating: 2/10
The Aston Villa defender is the latest centre-back to have attracted Mikel Arteta's interest, reports David Ornstein. While the Birmingham-based side sit bottom of the table, the 27-year-old has impressed this season and has already earned two international caps for England.
Mings' asking price could be a problem for the Gunners but Villa could perhaps lower it in case they drop to the Championship.
Probability rating: 4/10
OUTS
Barcelona-based Diario Sport claim the Gabon international thinks about moving to Camp Nou while Italian publication FC Inter News send him to – you won't believe it – Internazionale. It is believed the 31-year-old is not convinced by Mikel Arteta's project and could be tempted to leave this summer.
However, Auba himself did not rule out staying at the club:
Probability rating: 7/10 (we believe he's more likely to leave than to stay)
The Armenian is supposedly involved in a Justin Kluivert swap deal (see above). He has been quite open about his desire to stay at Olimpico so we will be surprised if Roma fail to land him on a permanent deal.
Probability rating: 9/10
The defender himself opened the door for a summer exit, saying he would fancy a move to the Bundesliga.
We believe his departure is contingent on the signings Arsenal make. Let's say Arteta gets Mings or previously-linked Axel Disasi with Pablo Mari joining on a permanent deal in addition to Saliba. In this case, it would make no sense to keep Musti. Otherwise, why not let him stay?
Probability rating: 5/10
The 31-year-old has not featured since the resumption of the Premier League season. It could be down to the self-isolation imposed on several Arsenal players after one of them had tested false positive for coronavirus, it could be a tactical decision, as Mikel Arteta says, or something else.
This naturally feeds transfer gossip, with Turkish source Fotospor claiming Fenerbahce are set to start a fundraiser to finance his wages. While this rumour is as amusing as it is weird, we find it rather hard to believe.
Probability rating: 3/10
What are your thoughts on the club's transfer policy, Gooners?
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