Arsenal transfer news - Lokonga completes Luton loan amid £4m windfall and big Pepe decision
Your morning Arsenal transfer roundup on Saturday, September 2.
Holding leaves permanently
Rob Holding's seven-year association with Arsenal is over after the veteran defender joined Crystal Palace on a permanent basis.
The commanding centre-half joined the Gunners from Bolton Wanderers for £2million back in the summer of 2016, winning two FA Cups with the north London club. But he was unlikely to get much game time for Arsenal, with the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Ben White and Jakub Kiwior all above him in Mikel Arteta's pecking order.
So, he opted to join Palace, with sporting director Edu negotiating a fee worth £4million, football.london understands.
Tavares joins Forest
Nuno Tavares joined Nottingham Forest on transfer deadline day on an initial loan deal with a £12million option to buy.
The Portugal Under-21 international arrived at the Emirates Stadium in 2021 and had a mixed first season in north London, playing 28 matches and scoring one goal. After the arrival of Alex Zinchenko though, the former Benfica man was sent out on loan to Marseille, and despite a decent campaign in Ligue 1 he was no longer viewed as part of Mikel Arteta's plans.
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Tavares had attracted interest from Wolfsburg and Werder Bremen this summer. However, as football.london reported earlier this month, the player's preference has been to stay in the Premier League — eventually completing a move to Forest.
Lokonga to Luton
Another player who has left Arsenal on loan is midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga, who joined Luton Town yesterday.
Lokonga spent the second half of last season on loan at Crystal Palace and he has now joined newly-promoted
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