ARSENAL completed some very late business on transfer deadline day with the £20m signing of Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna.
The Japan international defender put the finishing touches to the deal in the final hour of deadline day.
While right-back Hector Bellerin has left the club on loan, moving to Real Betis for the rest of the season.
And Ashley Maitland-Niles – who openly asking for a move via Instagram – will stay with the club after talks with management.
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Get all the latest transfer news, gossip and updates below…
YES – BUT WHO’S THE BETTER PLAYER?
Arsenal’s £50million summer signing Ben White could prove better value in central defence than new £42m Manchester United recruit Raphael Varane over the next four years at least according to this tweet below.
But no financial predictions can replace the basic question: Which of them is and will be the ‘better’ player?
That’s without even considering other issues, such as how they gel with team-mates and tactics, plus their facts and figures ON the pitch.
French World Cup winner Varane, 27, has the greater pedigree after ten years with Real Madrid.
But White, twice capped by England, is four years younger.
Gunners’ fans, though, will want to know if has the stature, mentally as well as physically, to help Mikel Arteta’s men recover from opening with three straight Prem defeats – including conceding nine goals.
Let’s discuss this again in 2025…!
MUSTAFI JOY AT LEVANTE DEAL
Former Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi claims he was instantly impressed with Levante as he joined the Spaniards following his release from Schalke.
The 20-cap Germany star, 29, held talks with Torino last month but the Serie A club chose not to pursue a deal.
Credit: AFP Instead LaLiga club Levante have handed the ex-Valencia ace an 18-month contract.
Mustafi said: “From the first moment I liked the idea of coming to Levante.
“We are going to give everything to take the club as high as possible.”
BERND OUT TO INTER?
Inter Milan are eyeing Arsenal No1 Bernd Leno, reports say.
According to Italian outlet Tuttosport, the cash-strapped Serie A champions Inter will target affordable alternatives in the next transfer window.
Leno, 29, is coming into the final year of his contract meaning Inter can negotiate a pre-contract from January 2022.
WENGER: ARSENAL ARE IN GOOD SHAPE
Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal are in a good place despite making their worst start to a season for 67 years, writes KEALAN HUGHES.
The Gunners have lost their opening three Premier League games without scoring a goal.
But former manager Wenger believes Arsenal have had a tough fixture list to contend with.
Mikel Arteta has also lost key players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ben White to Covid while others such as Thomas Partey have been ruled out with injury.
Wenger told German outlet BILD Live: “I’m 71. I’ve given this club the best years of my life. At the moment I’m just a fan.
“Today the club is in good shape.
“They had two tough games (against Chelsea and Manchester City), the team has potential and I hope they can come back.”
SILKY SAMBI
Sambi Lokonga has started two games for Arsenal so far this season.
He’s settled into the midfield well, and Gunners fans should get a glimpse of him alongside Thomas Partey in their next game against Norwich.
GAB’S BACK
Arsenal defender Gabriel made his return to action in a behind closed doors game against Brentford.
The Brazilian starred alongside summer signing Ben White, and the pair would most likely be the Gunners’ starting centre-back partnership.
Arsenal won the game 4-0, and seeing some stars return from injury made boss Mikel Arteta happy.
He said: “Yeah, really good.
“We don’t have any big injuries as well, they have the minutes, we could work on some things, so it was a good idea to play the game.”
TORREIRA SPEAKS
Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira has broken his silence on why he left Arsenal to head to Fiorentina on loan.
And the midfielder simply says it’s because he feels ‘good’ in Italy, where he played before he joined the Gunners.
He said: “I wanted to go back to Italy, where I felt good.
“For me the most important thing is to play.
“It’s true that we have been talking about Fiorentina for many years, I want to make the most of this experience now that I’m here.”
SAK THATS
Saka was brought on late on in England’s thumping 4-0 win over Hungary in Budapest.
HEATH JOINS ARSENAL
Arsenal Women have announced the signing of USA international Tobin Heath.
The 33-year-old has an incredible record.
Boss Jonas Eidevall said: “Tobin’s record speaks for itself.
“She’s an incredibly talented player who will bring so much experience to our squad.
“This is an exciting time for the club, and I’m delighted we could secure Tobin’s signing as we prepare to kick off the new season at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.”
RAM’S A STARTER
Arsenal summer signing Ramsdale could take Leno’s No1 spot sooner than expected.
Journalist Charles Watt has predicted the England international will be a starter sooner than other youthful summer signings.
On his show, he said: “You would say [Takehiro] Tomiyasu, Ramsdale, [Albert Sambi] Lokonga and [Nuno] Tavares are very much more ones for the future, although I don’t think it’ll be too long until we see Aaron Ramsdale installed as Arsenal’s number one.”
INTER PLOT LENO SWOOP
Inter Milan are plotting a transfer swoop for Arsenal first team goalkeeper Bernd Leno, reports say.
According to Italian outlet Tuttosport, the cash-strapped Serie A champions Inter will target affordable alternatives in the next transfer window.
Leno, 29, is coming into the final year of his contract meaning Inter can negotiate a pre-contract from January 2022.
‘I’M A FAN’
Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal are in a good place despite making their worst start to a season for 67 years, writes KEALAN HUGHES.
The Gunners have lost their opening three Premier League games without scoring a goal.
But former manager Wenger believes Arsenal have had a tough fixture list to contend with.
Mikel Arteta has also lost key players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ben White to Covid while others such as Thomas Partey have been ruled out with injury.
Wenger told German outlet BILD Live: “I’m 71. I’ve given this club the best years of my life. At the moment I’m just a fan.
“Today the club is in good shape.
“They had two tough games (against Chelsea and Manchester City), the team has potential and I hope they can come back.”
XHAKA DECLINED VACCINE
Covid-19 sufferer Granit Xhaka declined to be vaccinated, Swiss football chiefs have revealed.
Arsenal midfielder Xhaka is isolating and missing Switzerland’s three World Cup qualifiers this month after his positive test yesterday.
And Blick quote Swiss FA head of communications Adrian Arnold as saying: “He’s a player who isn’t vaccinated. We left this up to each player. It’s a personal decision of each player – just like any other person in Switzerland.
“All the other players in the team have been vaccinated or have recovered [from Covid] – so they are more or less safe, at least from a medical point of view.
“One is never quite sure. Accordingly, we have a very high vaccination rate. Now, unfortunately, Granit got caught. From a sporting point of view, it is a shame for us at this important moment.”
CEDRIC FIGHTS FOR ARSENAL FUTURE
Portugal right-back Cedric Soares is determined to stay at Arsenal next season, according to football.london.
Fenerbahce were linked with the former Southampton star before the transfer window closed for Prem clubs on Tuesday night.
The Turkish deadline is not until next Wednesday, September 8.
But it’s claimed the 30-year-old hopes to establish hjimself in Mikel Arteta’s long-term plans.
IT’S BEEN A WHILE
Arsenal have been stuck on three Premier League titles for over a decade.
They’ve had to watch Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea fight it out at the top.
The Gunners have, however, spent around £150million this season and are expected to have a big season.
LEND A HAND
Leno has conceded the same amount of goals as he has made saves so far this season (9).
Time for Aaron Ramsdale to get a go between the sticks?
BIG BEN
Ben White finds himself third on Arsenal’s all-time most expensive signings list.
IT’S ALL GUNN HORRIBLY WRONG
Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has sent an email to all the club’s staff in which he called for everyone to bounce back after a ‘hugely disappointing start’ to the season, writes DYLAN TERRY.
The Gunners have lost their first three games of the Premier League campaign, conceding nine goals and failing to score.
The dreadful early run has left them rock bottom of the table amid growing pressure on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta – but he has received backing in the form of transfer funds, with the club topping the charts as the biggest spenders in the Premier League this summer.
And Venkatesham wants them to build on that by turning things around on the pitch.
In an email obtained by the Evening Standard, he said: “Of course, I write this update against the backdrop of a hugely disappointing start to the season.
“I know how tough this is for all of you, both as supporters and employees, with criticism coming from all angles.
“At times like this it is critical we stick together and stay positive. We have a very important run of games coming up after the international break and I’m confident we can and will come out fighting.”
TOM’S A STARTER
Summer signing Takehiro Tomiyasu will wear the No18 shirt for Arsenal this season.
GUNNING FOR GLORY
Arsenal spent big this summer.
‘THEY DON’T CARE’
Ian Wright slammed Fifa and Uefa for not doing enough to tackle racism after Hungary fans abused England players on Thursday, writes KEALAN HUGHES.
Raheem Sterling, 26, and Jude Bellingham, 18, were both subject to monkey chants from the home crowd.
And the Puskas Arena was full despite Hungary being forced to play games behind closed doors by Uefa due to fans displaying racist and homophobic banners during Euro 2020.
But since the 2022 World Cup qualifying match fell under Fifa jurisdiction, fans were allowed in, something which Wright could not beleive.
He said during ITV’s coverage of the match: “You can’t believe that two organisations can’t get together and give them a three-match ban.
“The sad thing is that black players will know – especially when there’s a full stadium there – that they are going to get racially abused because they’re banned as it is, they’re allowed back in so as soon as someone like Sterling is getting fouled, they know they’re going to get the abuse.
“It’s in their workplace that this is happening. I think it’s embarrassing. I don’t know what to say about Uefa and Fifa. They don’t care enough. They don’t care enough to do anything about it.
“We’ve got to say ourselves, like Gareth so rightly said, we’ve got our own problems. It’s only a couple of weeks ago that someone got arrested for abusing Jadon Sancho.
“So, of course, we’ve got our own problems but that doesn’t mean you can’t condemn that kind of behaviour.
“The banners, the videos, the armbands, the everything, the gestures… they don’t do anything.
“It’s all laughable, they don’t do anything. You’ve got to come down hard on people.”
RED DEVILS DEBUT
Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga made his senior debut for the Belgium national team yesterday.
The Red Devils won 5-2 against Estonia.
NEXT FIVE
Arsenal can finally get a win on the board when they take on Norwich City at home.
MUST WIN
Arsenal flop Shkodran Mustafi has got his career back on track after joining Spanish outfit Levante, writes CHISANGA MALATA.
The Germany international had been without a club following the expiration of his short-term contract with Schalke at the end of the 2020/21 season.
The centre-back was in talks to join Italian outfit Torino last month, although the Serie A side opted not to take a punt on the 29-year-old.
Levante promptly swooped and have subsequently handed the defender an 18-month contract at the Estadio Ciudad.
An excerpt of a club statement read: “Levante UD has reached an agreement with Shkodran Mustafi (04/17/1992, Bad Hersfeld, Germany) for the incorporation of the footballer to the ranks of the Levantine team until June 2023, with the option of one more season.”
An elated Mustafi said: “From the first moment I liked the idea of coming to Levante.”
He later added: “We are going to give everything to take the club as high as possible.”
ART OF FOOTBALL
Arsenal are bottom of the Premier League, conceding nine and scoring none.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
