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…
DROGBA TROLLS GUNNERS OVER WILLIAN
It would have been Mission: Impossible for outgoing wideman Willian to transform Arsenal single-handedly.
But Chelsea legend Didier Drogba could not resist the ultimate dig after the former Blues superstar exited the Emirates for home-country club Corinthians on deadline day.
Drogba tweeted: “Thank you agent Willian, your mission is over” – along with a picture of Arsenal propping up the Prem table.
And his mischief went further as he added two other ex-Chelsea players who made the switch to the Gunners.
But David Luiz and Petr Cech achieved far more at Arsenal than Willian – with the latter now back at Stamford Bridge as an advisor.
WILL MO GO?
Arsenal have received an “official offer” from Besiktas for Mohamed Elneny and want to include him on their UEFA list by the end of today.
The Turkish Super Lig side are in a rush to get a deal done for Elneny, so they can register him for their UEFA Champions League campaign.
That deadline slams shut on September 2, so Besiktas want a deal done as soon as possible. And Besiktas are reported to have made a move for the player they had on loan in 2019/20.
NTV Spor report an “official offer” has been forwarded to Arsenal.
FOUR’S TO BE RECKONED WITH
When you’re bottom of the Premier League with no goals scored and nine concededfrom tr three games, any win is worth parading.
And the Gunners were qiuock to post snaps from today’s 4-0 friendly triumph for their strong line-up against a very young Brentford side.
The best snaps against Brentford 📸Check out the full gallery 👇— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 2, 2021
GUNNERS TAUNTED FOR BEATING BRENTFORD KIDS
Arsenal have finally recorded their first win of the season against a Premier League side… but it was a friendly against Brentford’s KIDS.
The Gunners defeated the ‘Young Bees’ 4-0 at London Colney on Thursday – and are getting a bit of stick from fans on Twitter.
Arsenal played a strong team for the behind-closed-doors fixture, with Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes returning to the defence.
The two played in a back three with Pablo Mari, who missed their 5-0 defeat to Manchester City at the weekend.
Arsenal won thanks to goals from Magalhaes – who was replaced by Rob Holding after 69 minutes – Lacazette and a surprise brace from Cedric.
The news pleased Gunners fans after they lost 2-0 to Brentford in their Premier League opener in August.
One supporter asked Arsenal on Twitter: “So does this mean we’ve won 4-2 on aggregate?”
And another wrote: “Better late than never, lads.”
But Brentford played an inexperienced team against Mikel Arteta’s side, with the club’s website describing the XI as the ‘Young Bees’.
ODEGAARD LOVES ‘STABLE’ GUNNERS
Martin Odegaard has explained that ‘stability’ is the reason he is happy to be back at Arsenal, having previously struggled to get that at former club Real Madrid.
He said: “I am so happy to be back in Arsenal. I loved it here from the first day I came in January.
“I wanted stability. I wanted to settle down somewhere with a lot of good players who want to establish the club back in the top, with a good manager.
“That’s why I think Arsenal is pretty perfect for me.”
‘IMPORTANT POINT’
Lucas Torreira declared that joining Fiorentina represents a key step in his career as he was unveiled to the media at a news conference on Thursday.
He said: “I think it’s an important point in my career. This is a very good team. It’s too early to talk about targets, but I’m sure that the work the coach is doing and his tactics – which I’ll learn more about this week – are well-suited to my approach to the game.
““[I’ve had] [Unai] Emery, [Diego] Simeone and now [Vincenzo] Italiano. I’ve always watched Serie A. I watched Spezia a lot last season and I’m pleased he’s here at Fiorentina. Right now I’m trying to understand what he wants me to do, so I can help the team to do well.”
‘FOCUS ON YOUTH’
Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham believes the club’s transfer window shows they are moving in the right direction.
The Gunners were Europe’s biggest spenders before Tuesday’s deadline, paying £156.8m on new additions.
Ben White (£50m), Martin Odegaard (£34m), Aaron Ramsdale (£30m), Takehiro Tomiyasu (£19.8m), Albert Sambi Lokonga (£15m) and Nuno Tavares (£8m) all moved to the Emirates Stadium this summer.
He said: “Our approach for this window was framed by fully recognising that we are not where we want to be on the pitch – finishing eighth last season, with no European football for the first time in many years.
“This is well below the standards each of us all have, and of course that our fans rightly demand of us, which is to be competing for the biggest trophies in the game.
“While we would love to jump from where we are to where we want to be in an instant, we need to be realistic that the gap is too large to do that. As such, our activity this window has been focused on youth.”
TICKED THE RIGHT BOXES
Arsenal signed Takehiro Tomiyasu instead of Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey due to worries about the right-back’s height.
The Athletic claim the Gunners had reservations about Lamptey’s height and felt that he could be targeted by aerial crosses to the back post.
The same hang-ups were had over Norwich ace Max Aarons, which led Arsenal to go for Tomiyasu instead.
MIND WAS SET
Willian looked like he was going to stay at Arsenal this summer but when Corinthians came calling his mind was made up.
And he has revealed he turned down offers from elsewhere to return to his native Brazil.
He told ESPN: “To make this decision, we have to think about everything, about the whole situation.
“But when I saw that it was only Corinthians. Some clubs tried to cross, but I said ‘no, it’s just Corinthians’.
“I want to thank the president, the entire board for all the effort to get me back, the players, all the fans. A person who dreamed of my return, my mother, unfortunately, is not among us.
“Thanking my family, my wife, my father, my daughters, everyone who is here rooting for me. I can’t wait to start playing.”
REALLY INTER HIM
Inter Milan are claimed to be eyeing Arsenal’s Bernd Leno as the long-term successor to Samir Handanovic.
The German shot-stopper was linked with a potential move away from the club this summer, but rumours cooled after Euro 2020, and the Gunners have since signed Aaron Ramsdsale to come in as his back-up.
Tuttosport claim the Serie A champions are interested in both Leno and Andre Onana, a player who has also been linked to Arsenal.
ONE MO DEAL?
Besiktas have made an “official offer” for Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny and want to include him on their UEFA list on Thursday.
The Turkish Super Lig side are in a rush to get a deal done for Elneny, so they can register him for their UEFA Champions League campaign.
That deadline slams shut on September 2, so Besiktas want a deal done as soon as possible. And Besiktas are reported to have made a move for the player they had on loan in 2019/20.
NTV Spor report an “official offer” has been forwarded to Arsenal.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Bacary Sagna has admitted he wished he would have stayed at Arsenal to help deliver them another title under Arsene Wenger.
Sagna, speaking to Football.London , claimed that one or two more experienced players in what was a youthful side, could have helped them over the line.
He said: “I think it could have made a difference.Especially in my first year. It marked me the most because we had 10 points at the end of March I think and we let it slip in a split second.
“Maybe if we had a player who had been in this position and been champion before, he would have made everyone quiet and would have made everyone focus on one game.
“We were focusing more on the team chasing us and we gave too many points away.”
‘DOESN’T LOOK GOOD’
Sead Kolasinac appears to have picked up an injury on international duty away from Arsenal.
He went off injured in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s World Cup qualifier against France on Wednesday night, with Jules Kounde receiving a red card.
And his manager at international level, Ivaylo Petev, issued a worrying statement, telling Haris Mrkonja: “I just spoke to him. He will have to do some tests tomorrow. But for now it doesn’t look good.”
‘PERFECT FOR ME’
Martin Odegaard has explained that ‘stability’ is the reason he is happy to be back at Arsenal, having previously struggled to get that at former club Real Madrid.
He said: “I am so happy to be back in Arsenal. I loved it here from the first day I came in January.
“I wanted stability. I wanted to settle down somewhere with a lot of good players who want to establish the club back in the top, with a good manager.
“That’s why I think Arsenal is pretty perfect for me.”
HEC OF A DEAL
Arsenal had wanted £20million for Hector Bellerin this summer but instead ended up allowing him to join Real Betis on loan for free.
That’s according to ABC Sevilla, who cover how the Spaniard ended up at Betis at the end of the transfer window despite having been deemed an ‘unattainable footballer’ at one point.
They detail the defender’s ‘heart and his efforts’ to join the La Liga club this summer and realise a childhood dream of playing for them.
According to their information, Betis met with Bellerin’s agents in May, and they worked up a scenario that was eventually realised on the final day of the market.
‘MY REGRET’
Granit Xhaka was denied a transfer to Roma by Arsenal despite wanting the move, a director at the Serie A club has claimed.
Xhaka was linked with a switch to join Jose Mourinho’s side but eventually signed a new contract to keep him at the Emirates Stadium until 2024.
Roma director Tiago Pinto has suggested that the 28-year-old was keen to join Mourinho at Roma. He would have had a far better start to the new season as Mourinho has won both of his opening games in charge.
He said: “The market is closed and today I have fun, because we bought so many players but everyone asks me about the midfielder.
“Everyone knows we were after Xhaka, he wanted to come to Roma, but Arsenal didn’t release him. It’s my regret for this transfer market.”
XHAKA UPDATE
The Swiss FA have confirmed that Granit Xhaka was not vaccinated against Covid-19 before testing positive for the virus while on international duty.
The midfielder was absent from last night’s friendly game with Greece after undertaking a PCR test yesterday. He’s now a doubt for upcoming World Cup qualifiers with Italy and Northern Ireland.
Asked about the situation, the Swiss FA’s head of communications Adrian Arnold said:
“Granit Xhaka was not vaccinated. 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.
“We have issued a recommendation that everyone vaccinate. But he decided for himself personally. And it is also his right not to be vaccinated.”
‘AGENT WILLIAN’
Chelsea legend Didier Drogba could not hold back from trolling Arsenal over ‘agent’ Willian after the midfielder was allowed to leave the club.
Willian struggled for form in his year playing for Arsenal and terminated his contract to move to Corinthians this week.
Drogba has rubbed salt in the wound by referencing other successful Chelsea players who went on to have a difficult time at the Emirates.
The former Chelsea star wrote on Twitter : “Thank you agent Willian, your mission is over, like David Luiz and Petr Cech.”
BIG DEMANDS
Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah priced himself out of making a move to London rivals Crystal Place late in the transfer window.
That’s according to talkSPORT and their transfer insider Alex Crook, who has been speaking about the failed move before the deadline.
Crook claims Crystal Palace did make a move for Nketiah, but haggling over a fee with Arsenal wasn’t the problem.
Crook said: “One Premier League chief executive said the problem with the Crystal Palace deal wasn’t Arsenal’s asking price.
“It was the demands of his agent, in terms of agent’s fees, and it was Eddie Nketiah’s wage demands that have priced him out of a move from Arsenal this transfer window.”
BISS PLEASE
Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool are set to battle it out for Brighton star Yves Bissouma, according to reports.
Graham Potter’s side managed to fend off any interest over the summer with their price tag but they may not be so lucky in January.
According to Metro’s Aden-Jay Wood, ‘several clubs’ including Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool have ‘long-standing interest’ in Bissouma.
Surprisingly, Brighton received no official bids for the 25-year-old over the summer.
But interest could be ‘revisited’ in January.
‘THEY CHOSE PEPE’
Wilfred Zaha has revealed he almost signed for Arsenal when Unai Emery was in charge, but the Spaniard instead brought in Nicolas Pepe.
The Crystal Palace star told Jamie Carragher on The Greatest Games podcast: “I had a conversation with the manager, actually.
“He was just like, ‘we don’t need to go through much’. He’s seen me play, he knows I can change games at any time and stuff like that. It was like, ‘yeah, we’d love to have you’.
“And I was just like, ‘I’d love to come’. The conversation was rather straightforward because I’ve played against him when he’s managed Arsenal, he’s seen what I can do, he’s seen my work rate, what I can add to the team.
“Obviously, it was up to the club who they chose, and obviously they chose Pepe over me.”
NIGHTMARE
Martin Odegaard has lifted the lid on his thoughts about Arsenal’s All or Nothing documentary on Amazon Prime.
The new signing, who spent last season on loan at the Emirates, admitted that having cameras following the team’s every move isn’t his ‘favourite thing’.
Arsenal’s media chief Mark Gonnella claimed the fly-on-the wall documentary will provide fans with behind-the-scenes access and a ‘unique insight’ into the Gunners’ 2021-22 campaign.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Odegaard opened up on his reservations about the documentary, saying: “I must admit that it’s not my favourite thing to have cameras everywhere.
“You automatically think a bit more about what you are saying when there are cameras there, but the crew is discreet.”
BELLER-OUT
Hector Bellerin was offered on loan to Newcastle this summer before he made the move to boyhood club Real Betis.
It seems Mikel Arteta was desperate to offload the Spaniard, with Takehiro Tomiyasu arriving on deadline day to replace Bellerin.
The defender still has two years left on his Gunners contract but will need to impress in La Liga if he is to win back a place under Arteta.
Gary Neville has been left unimpressed by the transfer strategy imposed by Edu and Mikel Arteta this summer.
Neville isn’t convinced the six additions will instantly improve a struggling Arsenal side, and thus, he has called on the Gunners’ more senior players to step up and galvanise the squad.
He told Sky Sports: “There are no signings I look at and think, ‘they excite me’, but they do have a group that need to come together quickly and form a team.
Sometimes it’s not the signings they bring in at Arsenal, it’s the senior players you look at and think, ‘what are they getting from them?’
They have to start working for each other on the pitch and be difficult to beat before they worry about winning loads of matches. They’ve been very easy to beat so far this season, which is not a good trait.”
BETTER CALL SOL
Arsenal legend Sol Campbell has offered to help his old club overcome their defensive issues. The Gunners have made a torrid start to the new season, conceding nine goals in three games as the pressure begins to mount on boss Mikel Arteta.
The 73-cap England international told talkSPORT: “I’d love to go there and help them out.
“There is a serious problem there and I’m happy to help, even if it’s a couple of days a week.
The tricks of the trade and little things, there is a blind-spot there and I’d help them out all day long.
“It’s been happening a lot and it doesn’t matter who plays at the back, it seems to be the same type of occurrences.
“I think it’s a young team, there’s great footballers but I think they just need the know-how, the little nuggets of information that someone like me or someone else can give over to them.”
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