Three deals Arsenal are working to complete on transfer deadline day
We may be in February already but the January transfer window remains open. But only for today.
The winter window closes at 11pm on Monday and Arsenal are still looking to complete a number of deals. Mikel Arteta is keen to strengthen his squad to remain in touch with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.
The Gunners are chasing the Reds and new signings could propel them closer to Arne Slot’s side, with six points between the two teams. Arteta has made no secret of his desire to bring in a forward, although he admitted it had to be for the “right player” and not a signing for the sake of it.
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Arsenal have spent the last four weeks failing to find that right player. But they need to rectify that today. And it’s not the only deal they are working on on deadline day. Here football.london takes a look at what the Gunners are doing behind the scenes.
Striker signing
As we’ve mentioned above, Arsenal need attacking reinforcements. But who will that be?
Aston Villa knocked them back in an approach for Ollie Watkins, while Marcus Rashford, who was moderately linked, appears to be heading to Villa Park to join Watkins after they sold Jhon Duran.
Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko look like no-gos in this window, so where do Arsenal turn next? Tottenham agreed a deal with Bayern Munich for Mathys Tel, but he turned them down and the striker has also been linked with Arsenal.
Could the Gunners get one over on their fierce north London rivals and steal their key deadline day signing? Arsenal are understood to be in contact with Tel's representatives and this could be the big one to watch on deadline day.
However, Manchester United are reported to be Tel's favoured destination which would put Arsenal back to square one.
Martin Zubimendi deal
Arsenal have been working on a deal to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad for much of the transfer window. But it has yet to be completed.
It looks as if a deal to sign Zubimendi will be completed, with the Gunners beating Liverpool to the signing of the 25-year-old. However, the deal may go through in the summer.
Arsenal could put the finishing touches to the deal on transfer deadline day and may well have already asked the question about bringing him in mid-season, but whatever happens, they are working on closing this transfer as soon as possible.
Left-back move
Kieran Tierney has been tipped to rejoin former club Celtic. And that deal will surely go through in the summer. But the Scottish giants had hoped to get it over the line in the winter window.
Tierney is out of contract at the Emirates Stadium this summer and will leave the club on a free. The Gunners could have negotiated a fee for the left-back, with Celtic keen to sign now, but that move has been vetoed.
Oleksandr Zinchenko is another tipped with a move away from north London as he does not appear to have a long-term future, but it would be a surprise if any move is sanctioned on deadline day now.
