Arsenal Transfer News Today: Gunners want Euro 2024 star, RECORD deal close

Robin Bairner

Updated: 25 Jul 2024 19:49 BST
5 min read

The latest Arsenal football transfer news updates, with the hottest updates on all the potential new signings and sales at the Emirates Stadium, including Fabian Ruiz, Riccardo Calafiori, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah.

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Arsenal enter Fabian Ruiz negotiations

Arsenal have initiated discussions with Paris Saint-Germain for Spain international midfielder Fabian Ruiz, The Transfers Podcast can reveal.

Ruiz, 28, was among the best players at Euro 2024 - scoring twice, making two assists and being named in the UEFA team of the tournament as Spain won a record fourth title.

He has however endured a difficult time at club level since joining from Napoli in August 2022 for an initial €21.5 million, signing a contract until 2027.

Discussions are dependent on Arsenal moving a midfield player out.

It is possible that if they come to an agreement with PSG on a transfer fee the deal will be structured in the same way as the one they used to bring David Raya from Brentford - a loan with an obligation to buy a year later.

’New plan’ for Calafiori

Riccardo Calafiori is set to join Arsenal from Bologna in the next hours, but there has been a late change of plan as the Italy international prepares to swap Serie A for the Premier League, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

Although the deal is still fully expected to go ahead, Romano says there has been a slight logistical alternation.

“Arsenal have just scheduled new plan for Riccardo Calafiori,” he reported via X.

FABRIZIO ROMANO TRANSFER NEWS: Chelsea deal CLOSE, Calafiori LATEST, Man Utd RUMOURS

“Understand first part of medical will take place in London with player due to travel soon.

“Final check in the US and then Calafiori will sign five year deal as a new Arsenal player.

“Here we go, confirmed.”

Current ETV

R. Calafiori

D (CL)

Bologna

R. Calafiori

D (CL)

Bologna

ETV Range

€12.9M - €21.5M

Smith Rowe closing in on record move

Emile Smith Rowe is close to leaving Arsenal for a club-record fee. Fulham have made a bid worth around €47 million for the creative midfielder, who has struggled to break into Mikel Arteta’s plans lately.

Indeed, the Gunners’ boss went a long way to confirming a deal will take place imminently.

“There are things happening in the background, so we felt it was best not to use him,” Arteta said following the 1-1 friendly draw with Bournemouth in the US.

Arsenal’s record sale remains the €40m that took Marc Overmars to Barcelona way back in 2000.

Current ETV

Emile Smith Rowe

M (C)

Arsenal

Emile Smith Rowe

M (C)

Arsenal

ETV Range

€9.1M - €15.1M

Marseille advancing on Nketiah deal

Marseille are hoping to land Eddie Nketiah from Arsenal, with the Ligue 1 club now pushing to sign the attacker, according to L’Equipe.

Personal terms are “almost” agreed with the forward, who would replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, though it is likely to be difficult for Marseille to reach an accord with the Gunners on the forward. Previously the Emirates side have been pushing for a deal worth €60m.

It was reported in The Mirror on Wednesday that Arsenal are willing to listen to offers for Nketiah this summer – but they will only allow the Hale End graduate to depart if a sizeable offer lands for him.

Should Marseille miss out on Nketiah, they could turn towards another former Arsenal player in the form of Alexis Sanchez or Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan.

Current ETV

Eddie Nketiah

F (CL), AM (L)

Arsenal

Eddie Nketiah

F (CL), AM (L)

Arsenal

ETV Range

€10.7M - €17.9M

Arsenal lead Mikel Merino race

Arsenal may just have found themselves the central midfielder that manager Mikel Arteta has been craving this summer in the form of Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino, FootballTransfers can reveal.

Sources with knowledge of the situation have informed us that the Gunners are at the front of the queue for the Real Sociedad midfielder and that talks are ongoing behind the scenes.

Negotiations have yet to reach an advanced stage between Arsenal and the LaLiga side as no transfer fee has thus far been agreed upon. Personal terms are, for the most part, not expected to be an issue with Merino.

One potential sticking point could be the length of his contract, with the player having a different idea from both Arsenal and his current employers. The 28-year-old wants his next contract to run for five years.

Current ETV

Mikel Merino

M (C)

Real Sociedad

Mikel Merino

M (C)

Real Sociedad

ETV Range

€15.9M - €26.5M

Nelson to Leicester talks held

Fringe attacker Reiss Nelson has been linked with a move away from Arsenal this summer, despite starting the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth in California.

Sky Sports reports that the Gunners have held talks with Leicester over a deal for Nelson, who has three years left on his deal at the Emirates, plus the potential to add one more.

The 24-year-old is said to have “made it clear” that he wants to see what options arise for him in the transfer window. Previously on loan at Hoffenheim and Feyenoord, he is seeking a permanent transfer.