Arteta confirms Arsenal transfer plans for remaining summer window | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal are still actively looking at options for further potential incomings in the final weeks of the transfer window, adding that outgoings are needed too.

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Arsenal have already had a busy summer of incomings, making six signings including three deals that could cost over £50m.

The Gunners have paid €65m (£56.3m) for Martin Zubimendi, €63.5m (£55m) plus €10m (£8.7m) add-ons for Viktor Gyokeres, £48.5m plus £3.5m add-ons for Noni Madueke, €15m (£13m) plus €4m add-ons (£3.5m) for Cristhian Mosquera, £10m plus £2m add-ons for Christian Norgaard, and £5m for Kepa Arrizabalaga.

In all, that brings the current cost of the summer business to around £188m, potentially rising to £205.5m after add-ons. Yet Mikel Arteta has suggested there’s still the possibility of further signings.

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“Let’s see,” Arteta said in answer to a press conference question on the subject. “Let’s see what happens, in terms of where the squad is in the next few weeks.

“But, we are actively looking at options. As well, there are a few players, maybe, that they have to leave as well. So, we will be open to see what happens.”

With the Gunners potentially investing as much as £200m in the current window, it makes sense that the club would need to start selling before buying anyone else. But more than that, Arsenal are simply running low on squad space.

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Since Gyokeres’ arrival, Arsenal’s Premier League squad is now full, with 25 senior players for 25 spots.

The situation is worse in UEFA competition, as Madueke doesn’t qualify as homegrown and Mosquera doesn’t qualify for the u21 list by UEFA’s definitions.

As a result, the Gunners have 26 players for a 25-man squad, and 18 non-homegrown players with a limit of 17. Even before any further signings, one non-homegrown player has to leave or be excluded from Champions League football.

If Arsenal want to bring in heavily-linked Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze, they’d then have to move another player on. Though given Eze’s homegrown status, it wouldn’t have to be a non-homegrown player making way in his case.