Since his appointment as Arsenal’s sporting director in March, Andrea Berta has been working tirelessly to secure new signings for Mikel Arteta. His immediate impact on the club’s dealings and strategy is evident in the £63.7million marquee signing of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.
In his initial weeks at the helm, Berta championed the acquisition of the Swedish forward, who looks set to spearhead the attack at Old Trafford in next weekend’s Premier League opener, having already found the back of the net in his debut appearance at the Emirates. The Sobha Realty Training Centre has also seen a flurry of contract renewals, with Gabriel Magalhaes, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri all committing their futures to the club in recent months.
However, Berta’s attention will now shift towards player departures in the closing stages of the transfer window. This is where the Italian director’s expertise and extensive network of contacts will truly come into their own.
To date, Arsenal have only managed to raise a modest £8.57m from player sales, following the transfers of left-back Nuno Tavares to Lazio and Marquinhos to Cruzeiro. There’s a shared understanding at boardroom level that this is an area the club needs to improve upon, reports the Mirror.
By contrast, Chelsea have reportedly raked in around £45m from the sales of Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu to Burnley, while Liverpool’s sale of Darwin Nunez to Al-Hilal has contributed to a staggering summer income of £202.5m from player sales alone.
Following the 3-0 triumph against Athletic Club, Arteta emphasised that the Gunners must offload players to boost their prospects of additional recruitment. When questioned whether Arsenal’s incoming transfer activity had concluded, he stated: “Let’s see what happens in terms of where the squad is in the next few weeks. We are actively looking at options, there are a few players that maybe have to leave as well. We are open to seeing what happens.”
Numerous peripheral players are available for transfer. Fulham continue negotiations regarding a move for Reiss Nelson after his temporary stint at Craven Cottage during the previous campaign.
Marco Silva’s outfit recently halted those discussions and switched their attention to Shakhtar Donetsk’s Kevin, but the Ukrainian club rejected their bid and the 22-year-old showed little enthusiasm for relocating to west London regardless. Nelson, who rejoined Arsenal training in La Manga following hamstring surgery in February, also attracts interest from other Premier League clubs.
Fulham have been attempting to arrange an initial loan agreement, but the Gunners prefer a permanent sale despite Nelson’s encouraging displays during their pre-season Asian tour. Arsenal regard him as amongst their most marketable assets, with any sale representing pure profit under PSR guidelines given his Hale End academy background.
Fabio Vieira, a £34.7m signing from Porto in the summer of 2022, is yet to hit his stride at the Emirates. Stuttgart are in ongoing talks over a permanent deal, with Arsenal reportedly seeking a package worth up to £17.35m (€20m).
Stuttgart have funds available following Enzo Millot’s move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli. Vieira has been given the green light to leave and hasn’t featured in pre-season, having been granted an extended break by Arteta after his Club World Cup duties with Porto.
Porto recently tabled a £23.4m offer – an initial loan with an obligation to buy – for defender Jakub Kiwior, but Arsenal rebuffed the proposal as they continue to reintegrate Gabriel into the squad following his hamstring surgery in April. Kiwior is also on the radar of Juventus and other Italian clubs, but unless he expresses a desire to leave, Arteta would be more than happy to retain the highly-rated Pole.
Goalkeeper Karl Hein is drawing attention from Levante and Rangers. Sevilla had shown interest, but they’re finalising a loan deal for Newcastle’s Odysseas Vlachodimos. Levante are considering a loan, but Arsenal are keen on a permanent sale, given that the Estonian international’s contract runs until 2026.
Oleksandr Zinchenko could also be on his way out, with his contract set to expire next summer. However, his wage demands pose a problem.
AC Milan showed interest earlier in the window, but since then, there’s been little progress despite rumours linking him with Fulham. Arsenal have similarly found it difficult to secure buyers for midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga, following loan stints at Sevilla and Luton Town.
The Gunners are prepared to let the Belgian go, but formal offers for the 25 year old are yet to materialise.
Following Saturday’s victory, Arteta oversaw a post-match training session on the pitch involving players who saw limited or no game time, including Vieira and Hein, who were not included in the squad against Athletic Club.
Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus has garnered attention from his home country, but he is currently focusing on his recovery after undergoing knee surgery in January. Reasonable offers for Leandro Trossard would likely be entertained, although it’s not certain he will leave, especially as contract talks have hit a standstill.
