It sure sounds like Sesko will happen…

🚨🔴⚪️ Understand Arsenal are now advancing in negotiations for Benjamin Šeško after initial concrete talks reported last week.

Discussions underway and proceeding well between all parties involved, player & clubs.

No agreement yet now or expected this weekend; but advancing. pic.twitter.com/ts98ABs1X2

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 6, 2025

I think the problem with the wonderkid is his age and position. He plays pretty much the same role as Nwaneri and Max Dowman. You'd then have 3 wonderkids at the ages of 18, 17 and 15. Add in they are lining up behind two younger top class players in Odegaard and Saka and you have to ask how you can get them development time.

🚨🧤 Arsenal make Kepa top target for GK position.

With Garcia pursuit over, #AFC see opportunity to add GK w/ PL+CL exp for a £5m fee.

Kepa expected to have options but not discounting AFC despite Raya being established as No 1.

For @TheAthleticFChttps://t.co/uXKVZffYae

— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) June 6, 2025

I actually really like this. 5 million for a solid back up keeper would be much preferred to the Garcia option

Pretty crazy for kepa to go from Most Expensive GK in the world to Bournemoth to #2 at arsenal in 6 years

I can't believe his release clause is only 5m.

Kepa transfer is just about completed. Really a best case scenario there, hard to believe Chelsea once paid 72 million pounds for him

I haven't seen a contract length yet but hopefully we finally do t have to worry about this for at least a couple years

Would have preferred Garcia (think he could have potentially beat out Raya) but Kepa will be a solid stop gap while we develop to plethora of young GKs we've purchased the last 2 yrs. Hopefully one of them is ready to take over in a couple years.

chjoak said:

---

Would have preferred Garcia (think he could have potentially beat out Raya) but Kepa will be a solid stop gap while we develop to plethora of young GKs we've purchased the last 2 yrs. Hopefully one of them is ready to take over in a couple years.

---

Raya has been outstanding, I'm great with not spending the money on someone that might be better (and probably only incrementally better) and get a good cheap backup

Saw a rumor that Zubimendi might be getting cold feet. Just silly season rumor?

ChipFTAC01 said:

---

Saw a rumor that Zubimendi might be getting cold feet. Just silly season rumor?

---

Think it is speculation caused by their new SD suggesting he "think things over" through the international break. Sociedad is also pushing any non-RC deals into July for accting purposes.

FWIW, Fabrizio said during a podcast on DAZN that the Zubimendi deal is practically done to Arsenal. Sami Mokbel said that the deal is so close to being finished that there would be legal issues if either side pulled out now.

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/zubimendi-arsenal-move-jeopardy-real-133200056.html

Quote:

---

The 26-year-old has delayed his decision after hearing about Madrid's interest, blowing the transfer race wide open.

Madrid's new manager Xabi Alonso wants to bring in a top-class midfielder in the summer window, with Zubimendi the handpicked target.

---

I'm not worried about it. The source is from Marca newspaper (aka Real Madrid's personal puff media) and its the same guy who said Declan Rice was confirmed going to Bayern. There's a reason Marca is considered a tier 3 source even by Madrid fans

I wouldn't worry about it until someone on Arsenal's end expresses doubt. Everyone associated with Arsenal sounds very confident it will happen.

I think it is certainly possible Sociedad is using accounting and other reasons to delay it in hopes Real Madrid comes in to help drive up the price, but this mostly seems like wish casting from Madrid media so far.

🚨 Arsenal regard Martin Zubimendi move from Real Sociedad as done & signed. 26yo Spain midfielder expected to report at start of pre-season with #AFC. Real Madrid sources say #RMFC never actively pursued situation. That + more transfer info @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/RNAmQJuvU9

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) June 10, 2025

⚡️Rodrygo has been approached by Premier League clubs, with Arteta convinced he would have a big role at Arsenal
➕The player will speak to Madrid and Alonso to express that he wants to feel important and that he feels most comfortable as LW@TheAthleticFChttps://t.co/6pMhnQuW7x pic.twitter.com/YvmaLAcwIt

— Mario Cortegana (@MarioCortegana) June 10, 2025

Also been seeing rumors that Kiwior is expected to stay. That would surprise me a bit. Wonder if Arteta has promised to rotate more given his end of season showing?

Santi Cazorla sending his boyhood club Real Oviedo through to the Segunda Division play-off final & a chance to gain promotion back to La Liga. ✨

THIS. 🥹💙

🎥 @PremSportsTV pic.twitter.com/i5qPaZCVFy

— afcstuff (@afcstuff) June 11, 2025

Ghost of Andrew Eaton said:

---

Santi Cazorla sending his boyhood club Real Oviedo through to the Segunda Division play-off final & a chance to gain promotion back to La Liga. ✨

THIS. 🥹💙

🎥 @PremSportsTV pic.twitter.com/i5qPaZCVFy

— afcstuff (@afcstuff) June 11, 2025

---

One of my favorites, that's awesome

Ghost of Andrew Eaton said:

---

Santi Cazorla sending his boyhood club Real Oviedo through to the Segunda Division play-off final & a chance to gain promotion back to La Liga. ✨

THIS. 🥹💙

🎥 @PremSportsTV pic.twitter.com/i5qPaZCVFy

— afcstuff (@afcstuff) June 11, 2025

---

Incredible that he was able to recover from that surgery/infection and keep playing. And then not only that but playing into his 40s for his boyhood club now on basically minimum wages (for a pro) and hopefully will take them into La Liga. One of our best players in the last 20 years and a joy to watch

I recently was a coach at a soccer camp and it seemed like most of our Nigerian kids were Arsenal fans and I notice the same thing at my school. Any ideas on why that might be?

Ghost of Andrew Eaton said:

---

I recently was a coach at a soccer camp and it seemed like most of our Nigerian kids were Arsenal fans and I notice the same thing at my school. Any ideas on why that might be?

---

I'm not Nigerian or otherwise African, but if I had to guess, it goes back to the Wenger days when the team had a lot of African/Black players. And the club has always been at the forefront of connecting with the larger Black community. That's something Ian Wright and those guys talk about A LOT, and I guess that goes back before Wenger.

And Nwankwo Kanu from the Invincibles is Nigerian.


Presently, Bukayo Saka's parents are Nigerian immigrants and his name is distinctly Nigerian, so there's that too. I bet those kids want to be the next Bukayo.

TXAggie2011 said:

---

Ghost of Andrew Eaton said:

---

I recently was a coach at a soccer camp and it seemed like most of our Nigerian kids were Arsenal fans and I notice the same thing at my school. Any ideas on why that might be?

---

I'm not Nigerian or otherwise African, but if I had to guess, it goes back to the Wenger days when the team had a lot of African/Black players. And the club has always been at the forefront of connecting with the larger Black community. That's something Ian Wright and those guys talk about A LOT, and I guess that goes back before Wenger.

And Nwankwo Kanu from the Invincibles is Nigerian.


Presently, Bukayo Saka's parents are Nigerian immigrants and his name is distinctly Nigerian, so there's that too. I bet those kids want to be the next Bukayo.

---

Thanks. Most of the kids wear a Saka kit but the other one I notice Xhaka, which I find odd. Maybe they were on sale.

I think I'd prefer Sesko but if that keeps hitting bumps, sounds like we can make a deal with Gyokeres

🚨🇸🇪 Viktor Gyökeres’ priority is to join Arsenal this summer despite calls from Manchester United in the recent weeks.

Gyökeres always an option amid Šeško talks with no deal sealed so far, Arsenal keep assessing situation.

United remain keen but believe deal now unlikely. pic.twitter.com/iTdDbkEcCV

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 14, 2025

This summer is starting to feel not great lol. We just seem very unprepared to do business in a window where we really need big things to happen. Obviously still time to go, but you'd think they be more ready to go than this

wangus12 said:

---

This summer is starting to feel not great lol. We just seem very unprepared to do business in a window where we really need big things to happen. Obviously still time to go, but you'd think they be more ready to go than this

---

To be fair.....
- Zubi should be done if not for Sociedad insisting on a delay for accting purposes.
- Sesko would be done by now if Leipzig had not decided to play hardball.

I also think the Club World Abomination Cup accelerated business for the involved clubs, which is making us feel even further behind that we might otherwise feel.

If the Zubi deal isn't announced July 1, I will be frustrated.

Isn't it understood that the Zubi deal is essentially done?

🚨🟡🔵 EXCLUSIVE: Serie A side Parma have decided to appoint Carlos Cuesta as new manager!

Talks at final stages with Arsenal to get green light and appoint 29 year old Spanish manager who’s now leaving Assistant Head Coach role at Arsenal.

Record appointment for Serie A. 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/jjFKl6xsML

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 17, 2025

Got a new spot to farm out some youngsters

No big names reporting yet but seeing some claims out of Germany that a deal has been agreed for Sesko

Also, our first Partey replacement link..... a source from Sevilla is claiming that we are "monitoring" 23yo French/Cameroonian DM/CM Lucien Agoume. FBRef numbers are decent, very defense oriented. WhoScored ratings are solid, arguably on par with Partey's. TM says he is worth 8m euro. Little thin but has solid height at 6'2". Reading a bit more. Sounds like he may have stunted his development a bit by being too focused signing for a big club at a young age and got lost in the loan system. Joined Sevilla last summer and started putting things together the final month or so of the season. Supposedly Arsenal have been keeping an eye on him since joining Sevilla.