Here are your evening headlines for Sunday, October 4.
Bayer move step closer to Kolasinac signing
Sead Kolasinac is expected to leave Arsenal before the transfer window closes and a move to Bayer Leverkusen has reportedly inched closer to completion.
The Bosnian defender was left out of the Gunners’ match-day squad for the win over Sheffield United this afternoon and he will be allowed to leave the Emirates for the Bundesliga side in a deal worth around £10million.
Bayer needed to get full-back Wendell off their books before they completed a deal for Kolasinac. And according to Kicker, via GetGermanFootballNews , the Brazilian’s agent is to fly into Germany today to hold talks over a switch to Hertha.
Souness blasts Luiz decision
David Luiz should have been sent off during Arsenal’s win over Sheffield United, according to Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness.
During the first half of the Gunners' 2-1 win at the Emirates, Luiz pulled the shirt of Oliver Burke as the two battled for the ball after a poor pass from Gabriel.
With Bernd Leno well out of his goal to make a clearance, Luiz’s action could have been viewed as denying a clear goalscoring opportunity as he hindered the Scotland international’s attempt to claim the ball.
And that is the view Souness took when analysing the incident.
“It’s a sending off," Souness said."He’s pulled his shirt. It’s a sloppy pass from Gabriel, not enough pace on it, David Luiz has to take a touch and he pulls his shirt.
"He’s pulled his shirt, the question to ask is how much is he taking off the pace of Ollie Burke running for the ball? If he doesn’t pull his shirt, he’s at least a metre further away than what that picture shows.
"It’s about opinions, he may have got there in enough time to get it before Leno, take it around him and tuck it into an empty net."
Smith disappointed with failure to land Aouar
Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith believes Houssem Aouar would have filled the creative void left by Santi Cazorla at the Emirates.
The Gunners were linked with the Lyon midfielder for much of the summer but were unable to agree a fee for the France international.
And last night, RMC Sport claimed OL have now made it clear Aouar will not leave the club this summer and that negotiations over a potential move to Arsenal have ended.
Smith believes the failure to land the 22-year-old is a “big shame” for Mikel Arteta as he continues his quest to re-establish the club as a top-four force.
“It sounds like that transfer is dead which would be a big shame because he's that kind of creative player that (Mesut) Ozil was for a few years, what Santi Cazorla was," Smith said on Sky Sports.
"Somebody that can find the early pass, and when you've got Aubameyang, Willian, Lacazette, whoever, just ahead - I think that’s what they're missing at the moment.
"They have some good, solid midfield players, but they haven't got anyone with the vision that perhaps Aouar would provide."
