Arsenal can still complete $61m transfer with Mikel Arteta question as Marc Guehi 'considered'

Arsenal transfer news with the latest media briefing from the Emirates Stadium including reaction to stories on Marc Guehi and Pedro Neto

Arsenal were much more active in the final week of the transfer window than many imagined having completed their main three pieces of business before the pre-season tour of America got properly underway.

With Declan Rice through the door as well as Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, it looked like Edu had got his work spot on in setting up Mikel Arteta for a summer of planning and exits. As it happened there was a bit of a scramble to the finish.

The Gunners were frantically trying to move on players from the squad that have no future at the club, a case for many which had been clear since day one of the window. Add to that the injury on opening day to Timber, a player who had been used across the backline in pre-season and impressed thoroughly, and things got a bit messy.

Ben Jacobs has now revealed that there was a three-man shortlist drawn up, though each of the names had some concerns. “Arsenal decided against buying cover for the injured Jurrien Timber. Bringing in another defender was always only going to happen if the right fit became available,” he told CaughtOffside.

“The likes of Benfica’s Alexander Bah, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and Galatasaray’s Victor Nelsson were all linked, but there was never a great deal of substance. Bah is a right-back and Nelsson and Guehi centre-backs, with the latter under contract until 2026 and not a player Palace wanted to lose. He would be the type of signing who would expect regular minutes.”

football.london says: Marc Guehi is a personal favourite and frankly would be worth the reported £60million ($75m) if someone was to come and make an offer