Arsenal are positioning themselves for a dramatic conclusion to the transfer window as high-stakes negotiations accelerate on multiple fronts. The Gunners are edging closer to a record-breaking player sale, with Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal making significant progress in talks to sign Gabriel Martinelli for a fee exceeding £50 million. With just one year remaining on his contract—though the club retains an option to extend by a further year—the Brazilian forward was left out of matchday squads for both the FA Community Shield and the Premier League opener against Coventry City. A deal above £50 million would surpass the £35 million received from Liverpool for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017 as the highest transfer fee received in Arsenal’s history. Al Hilal are also pursuing Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins in an ambitious double raid on English football.
Martinelli’s potential exit is directly shaping Arsenal’s pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez. While Barcelona have maintained a strong interest in the Argentine all summer, Arsenal have made a decisive move, holding direct negotiations with Atletico’s hierarchy in London. Alvarez altered his transfer stance following talks with manager Mikel Arteta, opening up the prospect of late drama before the deadline. The situation in Madrid remains tense after Diego Simeone confirmed it was a planned decision for Alvarez not to join his teammates in showing appreciation to Atletico fans after Sunday’s match. Arsenal also retain an interest in Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen, whose name surfaced during earlier discussions regarding Martinelli.
Alongside their frontline reshaping, Arsenal have reached a £51 million agreement plus add-ons with Aston Villa for defender Ezri Konsa. The 28-year-old center-back is scheduled to undergo his medical on Thursday as Arteta continues to bolster his squad in the final week of the window. Major movements are developing elsewhere across Europe as well. Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has accepted a €61 million move to Al Qadsiah and is awaiting permission to fly to Saudi Arabia, while Inter and Liverpool have finalized a €35 million deal to take midfielder Curtis Jones to the Italian champions.
Across the continent, several high-profile sagas are reaching a resolution. Crystal Palace are preparing an audacious £50 million bid to lure Jarrod Bowen back to the Premier League, while Barcelona omitted left-back Alejandro Balde from their squad for their LaLiga opener. In Germany, Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane was voted the 2026 player of the year by sports journalists, finishing ahead of teammate Michael Olise. Meanwhile, Turkey international Kenan Yildiz, who featured at the World Cup in North America, has registered 27 goals and 21 assists in 131 appearances since joining Juventus from Bayern Munich’s youth setup in 2022. Couhaib Driouech is also set to depart PSV following a collapsed move to Rangers.
