SALE COMPLETED: Arsenal has just sold first-team permanent starter as the player completes medical to join rival club
Arsenal have reportedly sealed their first sale of the summer transfer window already, with Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta waving goodbye to one “high level” player who’s completed a move to Europe.
Arsenal players who are poised to leave this summer
A fair few high-profile members of Arteta’s squad are currently bound for the N5 exit door.
Kieran Tierney’s pending move to Celtic will be a welcome return to Parkhead for the Scotland international, who gets to work under Brendan Rodgers six years after their pair parted company in 2019.
Meanwhile, it is reliably believed that Jorginho is set to join Flamengo once his £110,000-per-week Arsenal contract expires, but the Brazilian side are also exploring a deal to bring him in early, so he can take part in the Club World Cup next month (The Athletic).
Uncertainty continues to surround Thomas Partey’s long-term future with no fresh terms currently agreed as things stand, despite widely reported talks, but Arteta is adamant that he wants the Ghana international to stay.
“Yes,” said Arteta when asked if he wants Partey to extend his contract.
“I think consistency-wise it’s been his best season. The way he’s played, performed, his availability, has been exceptional and he’s a really important player for us.”
The writing appears on the wall for Albert Sambi Lokonga in terms of an exit, with the Belgian spending 2024/2025 on loan at Sevilla. The same can also be said for left-back Nuno Tavares, who’s impressed on a loan-to-buy deal at Lazio.
Nuno Tavares seals exit from Arsenal to Lazio
The Portuguese, despite some injury woes over the second half of the campaign, has racked up nine assists in all competitions and won over the Serie A side’s supporters with some impressive displays.
According to Il Messaggero, via Sport Witness, this form has been enough to convince Lazio to keep him there permanently.
The newspaper claims Lazio have paid £4 million to sign Tavares from Arsenal indefinitely, and the 25-year-old will complete his move to Europe after a regrettable four-year stint at the Emirates where he never quite established himself.
He performed well on various loan spells, with ex-Marseille boss Igor Tudor calling him a “high level” player during his temporary stint in Ligue 1. Arteta also had initial high hopes for him when Edu signed Tavares from Benfica in 2021.
“One of the biggest qualities he has is that he is not fazed at all when is playing,” said Arteta about Tavares. “He was not fazed to make a debut like he did, the risks that he takes, the actions that he puts in place.
“Plus what you can see, his physicality, he is naturally a very gifted athlete. He can run and he can change speed and direction, and technically he is very gifted. But, for me, the most important thing is that he is a defender and he needs to defend first, and then he can provide the rest of his qualities.”
