Here are your Arsenal morning headlines for Tuesday, 29 September.
Hard-nosed Arsenal hampering transfer business
Arsenal’s insistence on offloading players on a permanent basis could be having a detrimental effect on their pursuit of their top targets.
Lucas Torreira is one player linked with a move away within the next week, but Tuttosport report that interest from Atletico Madrid and Torino has cooled due to the Gunners’ demands.
Mikel Arteta’s side are intent on including an obligation-to-buy agreement within any loan deal, which is deterring both clubs at present.
Atletico and Torino are keen to agree a more flexible option-to-buy agreement in a season-long loan deal for the midfielder, but Arsenal remain reticent and would rather move Torreira off their books permanently.
An obligation would allow Arsenal to plan ahead, knowing how much they would receive next summer in the way of a fee, which would in turn help meet the asking price of Houssem Aouar.
At present, the club’s hard-nosed approach is hindering Arteta in that endeavour.
Gunners to seal Aouar move by the weekend
Arsenal have been issued with a transfer ultimatum by Olympique Lyonnais president Jean-Michel Aulas.
The Frenchman has stated that if any club – including Arsenal – wish to do business with Lyon during what is left of this window, they must do so within the next three days.
Aulas is intent on keeping the squad settled from Saturday onwards, ahead of a huge clash against Olympique Marseille on Sunday.
For Arsenal, this means they only have three days to solve the transfer conundrum surrounding Houssem Aouar which has been a running theme throughout this window.
The Gunners have already seen one bid rejected for the 22-year-old, and if they are to return with an improved offer, they will need to do so swiftly.
Football.London understands the club are intent on staying in the hunt for Aouar’s signature, with an initial €40million bid in the offing.
Arsenal legend pleads for ‘imperative’ reinforcements
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has urged Mikel Arteta to seal a move for Aouar before the transfer window closes following the 3-1 defeat by Liverpool last night.
Arsenal found themselves hemmed into their own half for much of the game, struggling to create opportunities as the hosts sustained pressure on the Gunners.
“It felt like a training game for Liverpool in respect of Arsenal were saying, ‘you can try and get out but we will press you,’” Wright said at full-time.
The ex-West Ham and Crystal Palace forward suggested the club needed a creative, press-resistant midfielder of Aouar’s ilk to help combat Liverpool’s intensity and ensure safe passage of the ball to teammates further upfield.
Wright described it as “imperative” that Arsenal complete the transfer before next Monday’s deadline.
You can read Wright’s full quotes on the 3-1 defeat here.
