Arsenal want to complete five deals worth £53m before transfer deadline day | OneFootball

Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nicolas Pepe and Nuno Tavares could all leave the Emirates Stadium before the transfer deadline.

Arsenal are looking to sell five players before the transfer deadline in an effort to trim their squad, according to reports.

The Gunners have brought in Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, Kai Havertz and David Raya this summer as they went for the approach of signing quality over quantity.

There have been quite a few exits too with Folarin Balogun, Granit Xhaka, Matt Turner, Auston Trusty and Pablo Mari have all left on permanent deals, while Kieran Tierney, Runar Alex Runarsson and Marquinhos have departed on loans.

But Arsenal are still desperate to trim their squad further with the Daily Star claiming that Mikel Arteta and technical director Edu are looking to get ‘rid of up to five players before Friday’s transfer deadline’.

Their ‘priority’ now before the deadline ‘is to reduce the squad size and avoid paying wages for players who won’t be involved this season’ with Edu ‘working on departures in recent days’.

Arsenal ‘would like to sell’ Nuno Tavares before the transfer deadline with hopes that talks with Nottingham Forest ‘could be revived’ over a loan or permanent move to the City Ground.

Former Bolton defender Rob Holding ‘could also be on his way out’ of the Emirates Stadium but reports that Luton could sign him are apparently ‘inaccurate’.

Albert Sambi Lokonga, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Crystal Palace, ‘remains available for transfer’ with Brighton, Burnley and Monaco linked at various points this summer.

Arsenal are also ‘open to selling’ Cedric Soares who no longer fits in the Gunners squad since they ‘moved in a new direction’ but they are ‘yet to receive any formal offers’.

The Gunners are yet to receive bids for Nicolas Pepe – who they signed for £72m in 2019 – but there has been interest from two clubs in Saudi Arabia and Turkish giants Besiktas, although the latter are only willing to sign the Ivorian if Arsenal ‘agree to terminate his contract mutually’.

Transfermarkt has calculated the market value of the quintet at €62m (£52m) in total with Tavares worth €18m, Soares €3m, Holding €8m, Lokonga €15m and Pepe €18m.

With Chelsea close to sealing a deal for Manchester City attacking midfielder Cole Palmer it’s now very unlikely that the Blues will pursue their interest in Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe.

Addressing Chelsea’s interest in Smith Rowe, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “There have been some other interesting Chelsea transfer rumours doing the rounds, but honestly I’m not aware of concrete negotiations for Emile Smith Rowe. Chelsea have been linked with 20 players or more this summer, but behind the scenes they wanted Cole Palmer.

“Smith Rowe was never top target for Chelsea or close to joining even, because Arsenal trust him and he’s part of Mikel Arteta’s project.”