Arsenal have been heavily linked with the signature of two midfielders in this summer transfer window with the hope that they will conclude at least one of the deals before October 5.

Although it has been difficult for the Gunners as Houssem Aouar and Thomas Partey both have high price tags on their head by French Ligue 1 Lyon and Spanish La Liga outfit Atletico Madrid and it has been difficult for Arsenal to meet.

Atletico Madrid are requesting the sum of £45 million as the release clause for the Ghanaian international while Lyon have also insisted on £50 million for Houssem Aouar and earlier bids have been rejected but the Gunners are believed to be preparing an improved bid for the Ligue 1 player.

• EPL: Why this Man United transfer move is a waste
• Atletico Madrid reportedly call Arsenal midfielder, raises Partey hope
• EPL: Aubameyang Admits He Turned Down Barcelona To Stay With Gunners

Arsenal legend Nigel Winterburn in his opinion claims that it is a positive thing for Arsenal to be linked with players like Houssem Aouar and Thomas Partey but noted that they must sell some of the existing midfielders in the team to create space.

He, therefore, prefers the signing of Thomas Partey ahead of Houssem Aouar, noting that the Atletico Madrid midfielder is quick, solid, and powerful without the ball as much as on it.

He added that the ability of Partey to take the ball in tight situations and go past the opposing midfield players will open space in and around the opponent’s defence for goals to be scored.

According to sources close to Arsenal Central, the Gunners have reached an agreement with Lyon over their player, Houssem Aouar.

It was also revealed that the player is in London for his medicals.

The latest news would be a welcomed development for Arsenal who have seen several bids turned down by Lyon for Houssem Aouar.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has targeted the French junior international as his major target in the transfer window having been aware of his quality during his days as the Manchester City assistant manager.

• Mohamed Elneny’s agent flies to Turkey for transfer talks
• Arsenal join English clubs in race for Reading youngster
• EPL: One of these players will join Arsenal after defeat at Liverpool

Arteta was in the dugout in place of the suspended Pep Guardiola when Houssem Aouar and Lyon outclassed Manchester City in a Champions League clash that ended in a 2-1 win for the French team.

Lyon initially placed a €60m price tag on Aouar on the back of his impressive outings in last season’s Champions League but they have been forced to lower their valuation due to the lack of genuine interest in him.

Only the Gunners have followed up their interest with bids for the 22-year-old playmaker.

Others like Juventus, Manchester City and Real Madrid were also interested in him.

Arteta’s team has struggled for creativity in the middle of the park this season and Houssem Aouar could be the man to fix this problem.

Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac is on the verge of returning to the German Bundesliga after Gunners boss Mikel Arteta approved his transfer.

German publication Sport Bild disclosed that the Arsenal left-back is on his way to Bayer Leverkusen after the German Bundesliga club agreed on an €11m deal for him.

The Bosnian player has been told by Arteta that he can leave the club in this transfer window.

Sead Kolasinac was initially linked with a move back to Germany because of family reasons before the player decided to stay and fight for a place in the first XI at Arsenal.

• Arsenal News: Torreira Torino Transfer Torpedoed
• £8.5m transfer done, agent confirms talks, star player set to leave
• Talk Held – Arsenal in For Another Borussia Dortmund Player in The Summer

West Ham United, Bayer Leverkusen, AS Roma and former club Schalke 04 have all been linked with Sead Kolasinac and it looks like Leverkusen will be his next destination.

According to Bild, Leverkusen will pay €11m plus add-ons for the Gunners player and that the German club don’t have any problems with his hefty weekly salary.

Sead Kolasinac earns around £100,000 weekly at Arsenal plus £40,000 anytime he makes the matchday squad.

He signed for Arsenal on a free transfer in 2017 after his contract at Schalke 04 ran out.

Arsenal are trying to move on some players in the final days of the transfer window to accommodate new signings.

Renowned transfer news guru Fabrizio Romano has debunked transfer reports that Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi is closing in on a move to Italian Serie A club Lazio.

Earlier reports had claimed that the Gunners centre back is in talks to join the Italians in the next few days.

Fabrizio Romano said that there’s no Lazio transfer for German international Mustafi at the moment.

The Gunners want to sign new players in the final days of this but they are cash strapped. They need to sell players to raise funds for new signings and Mustafi is said to be one of the Arsenal players on the transfer list at the Emirates Stadium.

• EPL: Arsenal Table Houssem Aouar Bid
• EPL: Liverpool-linked Defender Apologises Over ‘Unfortunate’ Spitting Row
• William Sends Message To Man United Player After Defeat To Man City

Shkodran Mustafi is presently injured after the injury issue he picked up towards the end of the last Premier League campaign.

He’s expected to return to full training next month.

Mustafi faces a real battle for relevant in the Arsenal team after the Gunners signed some centre backs this summer.

The German has been pushed further down the centre back pecking order after the £25m signing of Gabriel from Lille.

Young centre back William Saliba is back at the Emirates Stadium after he completed the Saint Etienne loan spell that his transfer from Saint Etienne to Arsenal contained.

Premier League giants Arsenal have identified AS Roma midfielder Amadou Diawara as the defensive midfield alternative to top target Thomas Partey.

This is according to Italian publication II Massaggero which revealed that the Gunners would turn to the Guinean international if they can’t sign Partey from Spanish La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

AS Roma are open to selling the 23-year-old and the capital club values him at £19m.

The Italians are also one of the clubs interested in Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira and the clubs could potentially work on a swap deal that would see the two players move in the opposite direction.

• EPL: Arsenal to take this big decision to land Aouar, fans may not like it though
• EPL: Liverpool-linked Defender Apologises Over ‘Unfortunate’ Spitting Row
• EPL: Will Chris Smalling remain with Man United this season?

Other clubs interested in Lucas Torreira include Fiorentina, Torino and Atletico Madrid.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wants to sign a new defensive midfielder in the last days of the current transfer market and Atletico Madrid player Thomas Partey is his top target for that position.

The Gunners have been told to pay the €50m release clause for Thomas Partey upfront by Atletico Madrid but they are low on cash according to reports.

Amadou Diawara is the alternative for Thomas Partey.

The AS Roma midfielder has spent one year in the Italian capital following his transfer from Napoli last summer.

Manchester United have agreed on a shock transfer for Arsenal star Ainsley Maitland-Niles, according to reliable transfer news source Plettigoal.

It was revealed that the transfer is 80% done and that recently capped England international Ainsley Maitland-Niles will move to Arsenal in the next few days.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles made his debut for the Three Lions of England during the last international break earlier this month. He was a second-half substitute as the English team played out a goalless draw at the home of Denmark in the UEFA Nations League.

• EPL: Arsenal set to overtake Man United in the chase for Alex Luna
• Why Torreira’s reported move to Atletico cannot be confirmed yet
• EPL: Napoli’s sporting director ends Man United, City transfer hope

He was linked with a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of the present transfer window but the Gunners were not able to reach an agreement for him.

BBC Sport disclosed that Wolves made a bid of £20m including add-ons for the player but it was rejected by Arsenal.

The Gunners had made Ainsley Maitland-Niles available for a transfer as at then before they had a change of mind following his impressive performance in the Community Shield clash with Liverpool.

The aforementioned report said that Manchester United will pay €22m for his transfer to Arsenal plus add-ons.

He would be the second summer signing at Old Trafford after Donny Van De Beek.

English Premier League outfit Arsenal have been told that they should either sign Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar by Friday this week or miss out on the player this summer window.

There have been talks of the Gunners interest in Houssem Aouar for the past weeks but there have not been any headway in their bid. An initial bid of player plus cash was rejected by the French Ligue 1 outfit and that is where he satiation stands.

• Lucas Torreira already a gonner, just one stumbling block
• Arsenal in talks with Lazio over possible deal
• Solskjaer reveals the truth about Smalling’s Roma move

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas had earlier admitted the interest of the North London outfit on the player but noted that they are far from the valuation of the player, hinting that the Houssem Aouar might not be allowed to leave.

Now it is reported that Jean-Michel Aulas has given Arsenal an ultimatum to sign Houssem Aouar by Friday or never again, when he spoke to Telefoot, stressing that he wants all Lyon’s summer business to be concluded by Friday.

This development, therefore means that the North London outfit will have to make it fast to get the young midfielder or face other targets in the market.

Meanwhile, manager Mikel Arteta has already predicted that it will be a very busy last summer transfer window week for his team and other clubs as a number of activities would be happening.

Arsenal failed to continue their winning streak against Liverpool in the Premier League encounter on Monday night after enjoying two wins in their last two meetings.

The Gunners went down by 3 goals to one and it is obvious that there is a need to improve the squad with just few days left to the close of the summer transfer window. This has also been confirmed by manager Mikel Arteta who claims the next one week will be a busy one for the club.

French Ligue 1 outfit Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar is one the faces that are likely to be seen at Arsenal before the end of the summer transfer window. The Gunners have been making failed shots to snap up his signature’

• Premier League Predictions for 2020-2021
• Report: Leeds United Plotting Loan Deal For Shaqiri
• Report: Matteo Guendouzi Requests Arsenal Exit

Jorginho is another player that could make a move to the Emirates Stadium from West London club, Chelsea as his spell at the club might be coming to an end. He seems to have fallen down the pecking order and seeks a move.

Reports claim Arsenal is considering the option of his service if they fail to get Houssem Aouar and Thomas Partey.

Alex Luna is another player who is highly linked to Arsenal this summer transfer window. The 16-year-old scored 16 goals in 2020 and has been tipped to be promoted to Atletico Rafaela’s first team next season. He could also be tempted to Arsenal with Mikel Arteta keen on his signature.