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Arsenal are working behind the scenes to add more quality to their squad ahead of a vital season. Mikel Arteta’s side put up a good fight in the Premier League title race before coming up short in the final weeks.
Meanwhile, the Gunners are interested in Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande. Elsewhere, West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice is on the cusp of arriving at the Emirates.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on June 30, 2023:
Arsenal eyeing Ousmane Diomande
Arsenal are among the clubs interested in Ousmane Diomande, according to Caught Offside.
The Sporting defender is looking for a new challenge this summer and is enticed by the idea of moving to the Premier League. Arteta is eager to add more steel to his backline this year and has set his sights on Ajax defender Jurrien Timber. However, the Spanish manager also has an eye for emerging talents and has been impressed by Diomande.
The 19-year-old is highly rated across Europe and is being monitored by Manchester City and Newcastle United. However, the player has a £68 million release clause in his contract, and Sporting want it to be paid in full to part ways with Diomande.
The 19-year-old’s contract runs till 2027, so the Portuguese side are under no pressure to offload him this summer.
Declan Rice one step away from Emirates
Declan Rice is very close to completing a move to the Emirates, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The English midfielder is a priority target for Arteta this summer, and Arsenal reportedly submitted a club-record £105 million for him this week. The 24-year-old’s contract with West Ham United expires next year, and he's looking for a new challenge.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano said that the Hammers have accepted the offer, and only the payment structure needs to be finalised.
“Wednesday ended up being the day of Declan Rice to Arsenal. During the night, an agreement was reached between Arsenal and West Ham, all parties are very relaxed – the two clubs and the player.
"It’s a historic deal for English football as Rice will become the country’s most expensive player ever for £100m plus £5m in add-ons,” wrote Romano.
He continued:
“It’s not quite ‘here we go’ yet, but it’s probably only a matter of hours. The only thing to be sorted is the payment terms – West Ham want £100m guaranteed in 18 months, so it’s about this detail and then it will be done.
"A medical has not yet been scheduled, but Arsenal have done a great job here, and it shouldn’t be much longer before it’s all wrapped up.”
Romano went on to praise Arteta and club technical director Edu for their efforts to secure Rice.
“Mikel Arteta and Edu deserve immense credit for the work they’ve done here, dating back to January,” wrote Romano.
He added:
“In the crucial hours when Manchester City submitted their bid for Rice, probably the most difficult and intense hours of the negotiations, Arteta remained convinced about having Rice as Arsenal’s star player.
"He kept pushing on the player side, convincing him about the project and how it’s perfect for Rice to become a crucial part of it.”
The Englishman was also wanted by Bayern Munich, among others, but the north London side have won the race for his services.
Kai Havertz delighted to join Gunners
Kai Havertz is excited to join Arsenal. The German left Chelsea to move to the Emirates this week. Arteta identified the 24-year-old as the perfect addition to his squad, and the Gunners managed to convince the Blues to let him go.
Speaking to the club’s website, Havertz also lauded the north London side’s 'family mentality'.
“It's super exciting for me personally. I'm so glad to join this amazing club. This club has such a big history, and I hope we we can achieve lots of things, and I'm just looking forward to meeting all the players, the staff, and yeah, it's going to be exciting,” said Havertz.
He continued:
"I think the family mentality that the team has on the pitch is one of the reasons why it so hard to play against Arsenal. I guess they have it off the pitch as well.
"So the team mentality in the squad is very, very high, and you can feel that. Obviously there's so many talented players, and there’s big room to achieve big things as well.”
Havertz’s ability to operate in multiple roles in attack and midfield makes him very suitable to Arteta’s tactics.
