Arsenal ticked off their first win of the season on Sunday when they narrowly defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford thanks to a first-half header from Riccardo Calafiori. The Gunners rode their luck at times in a well-contested opening weekend clash, but they got the all-important three points to get off on the right foot.
As the season begins, Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta will still want to carefully craft the squad, with departures likely, and potentially another incoming. Here we round up all the latest news and transfer rumours surrounding the Emirates Stadium.
Zinchenko agreed
Arsenal are said to have reached a ‘total agreement’ with Fenerbahce to sell Oleksandr Zinchenko. Reports from Turkiye earlier this week suggested that Jose Mourinho had made the Ukrainian defender one of his main targets.
According to Sporx, the two clubs have now reached a full agreement, an transfer is expected to go through next week. Arsenal were asking for £20million despite Zinchenko’s deal being up next summer, but it’s unclear what the fee agreed upon is.
Eze warning
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has made it clear that Eberechi Eze is committed to his current cause amid interest from Arsenal and Tottenha, He said on Sky Sports: “Eb should have scored a goal today, he had one and it was disallowed. He will come tomorrow to the Crystal Palace training ground, Tuesday off, we take Wednesday and I expect him to be back playing for us against Fredrikstad.
“He was picked (today) because he is a Crystal Palace player, and he’s a very good Crystal Palace player. There was no reason not to pick him. It is impossible to draw at Chelsea if everyone is no 100 per cent committed.”
Glasner added on a possible transfer: “I know Ebs’ clause is gone, so it is the club’s decision [whether he goes]. We will see what happens.”
Arteta on United clash
Speaking after the win over United, Arteta said: “Big, big result coming in the first game of the season at Old Trafford. When you feel that they are building something special, momentum, with a new signing and they want to kick on the season in a good way and you are able to come away with the win, I’m very happy and proud of the team.”
On picking up three points despite a far from perfect performance, the Spaniard added: “Well, that gives you certainly momentum and confidence – two very important things. Because you know that when you know your standards in certain aspects, which today we weren’t, being fair, we can still come away and find a way to win the game. And the team has to find that resilience throughout the season for ten months in different contexts to be able to do that. Of course, we have to improve a lot of things and that will happen very soon. But in terms of managing to get that into a very positive result, that’s a great way to do it.”
