The most recent media briefing at the Emirates Stadium includes commentary on articles about Marc Guehi and Pedro Neto, along with news about Arsenal transfers.
having accomplished their primary three items of business before the official start of the pre-season tour of America than many anticipated during the first week of the transfer window.
With Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber coming in, it appeared that Edu had done a great job preparing Mikel Arteta for a summer of planning and exits. As it turned out, there was a little bit of a race to the end.
The Gunners were desperately attempting to offload team members who have little chance of staying with the club, which had been the case for several of them since the opening day of the transfer season. Things became a little confusing when Timber, a player who had been utilized across the backline during the preseason and had greatly excelled, suffered an injury on the first day of the season.
After the extent of the injury was exposed, Arsenal was linked with prospective replacements for its new Dutch defender, and the late impact of a Saudi offer for Gabriel Magalhaes further complicated matters at a time when Arteta didn’t need it. The team was ready for any prospective sale to their Brazilia, though.
Ben Jacobs has now disclosed that a shortlist of three men was created, but that each of the candidates had some issues. “Arsenal declined to purchase insurance for the hurt Jurrien Timber. It was always going to depend on finding the proper fit before adding another defender, he told CaughtOffside.
“Alexander Bah of Benfica, Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace, and Victor Nelsson of Galatasaray were all linked, although there was never any substance. Bah is a right-back, while Nelsson and Guehi are center-backs. The latter has a contract through 2026, and Palace did not want to lose him. He is the kind of signer who would anticipate regular minutes.
In addition, Guehi has frequently been mentioned in connection with Arsenal, even before Timber’s injury and as a possible replacement for the 22-year-old.
Marc Guehi is a personal favorite and, if someone were to approach him and make an offer sooner rather than later, would be worth the rumoured £60 million ($75 million). At 23, he is still young enough to grow and get better under Arteta and matches the squad’s age profile.
He has a number of players he is familiar with through his experience with the Three Lions, is already a full England international, and possesses some genuinely admirable and coveted leadership qualities. He can play in a back three, which is helpful because Arteta’s build-up entails moving into a shape that exposes the back of the defense.
The last thing Arsenal wants is to be forced to choose between him, Gabriel, William Saliba, Timber, and Jakub Kiwior when Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko are healthy for the center-back positions. Simply said, the numbers would be too large to cram into a reasonable amount of time.
They may be a little more vulnerable to defensive injuries if the worst happens, and tales like this one could come back to haunt them.
However, they don’t seem to lack in the offensive department. There are many possibilities up front as a result of the signing of Havertz, even though his midfield experiment is still in progress and has thus far been underwhelming and ineffective. Due to the depth and lack of a clear path, Folarin Balogun left, and even the stress of Champions League football is unlikely to be too much for him to manage.
However, according to a report in the Telegraph, Arsenal contacted Wolves winger Pedro Neto once more to inquire about his availability. Despite the team’s inconsistent early-season performances, the 23-year-old has performed well for Gary O’Neil’s squad. In his first four games, he has already recorded three assists, including two last time out against Crystal Palace.
Although Neto’s record for the club isn’t very impressive—11 goals in 115 games and 16 assists—there have been moments during his tenure, in-between the injuries, that suggest he might be worth the £50 million ($61 million) price tag attached to him. One year ago
Arsenal reportedly considered signing him in 2022 but decided against it. They are keeping an eye on him, though, and if they like what they see in January, they might take another step into the market.
There aren’t many players who can match Neto’s speed and dribbling when he’s fit, according to football.london. The problem has been end product and fitness. This isn’t the best sign for a team fighting on numerous fronts, and Arsenal would be wise to hold off a little longer to see how his body holds up this season.
With only two injuries since 2021, he has missed 60 games. His splattered record dates back to 2018 and his breakout season at Lazio. For such a young player, especially one with so much potential, it is a major concern.
Where exactly Neto would fit at Arsenal is unclear given Leandro Trossard’s January move and rapid effect. Despite his adaptability, Trossard isn’t a first choice everywhere and didn’t take the field as the Gunners battled Manchester United on Sunday.
With these two already waiting for opportunities of their own and none of the other attackers up for sale, Neto is a strange one to be connected with Arsenal. Reiss Nelson has already established himself as a quality sub and has made significant contributions in the previous season.