Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar can plan for the remainder of Arsenal's summer transfer window in the knowledge that two key deals have been completed and a verbal agreement is in place for another.

Whilst new signings to improve the first-team squad are, of course, important for the Gunners to challenge for the Premier League title once again next season, it's equally imperative to tie down their best players. Already this calendar year, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka have put pen to paper on new deals.

William Saliba is expected to follow suit shortly as football.london understands the Frenchman has verbally agreed to sign a new four-year contract, keeping him at the Emirates Stadium until 2027 at the latest and all that remains is for his signature and therefore an official announcement.

With the trio aged either 22 or younger, it is safe to say they will play a huge part in the club's quest for success in the present and in the future, although they all must be registered in Arsenal's 25-man Premier League squad in order to be eligible for the competition next season.

This marks a change from last season when they were classed as 21 or under which allowed them to be part of the separate list. But Under-21 players for the 2023/24 campaign must be born on or after 1 January 2002, Saka, Martinelli and Saliba will be considered 'homegrown' along with Benjamin White, Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Rob Holding, Aaron Ramsdale, Reiss Nelson, Arthur Okonkwo and Folarin Balogun.

As this ruling will result in a minimum of three new names being registered in the Gunners' Premier League squad for next season, what impact will it have amid talk of an imminent double announcement with regard to Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber joining to push the club's spending past the £200million mark?

Well, Rice would be considered homegrown taking the overall number to 11 but this scenario would only allow for 14 overseas players to be named - usually 17 is the limit - and as things currently stand, the Gunners will have to make space in order to register Timber and two others.

This is because Gabriel Magalhaes, Mohamed Elneny, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Leandro Trossard, Matt Turner, Granit Xhaka, Oleksandr Zinchenko, new signing Kai Havertz, Runar Alex Runarsson, Cedric Soares, Nuno Tavares, Auston Trusty, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nicolas Pepe fall into the overseas players' category.

Having said that, Arsenal have already begun the process of avoiding a squad registration issue as football.london understands Xhaka, Balogun, Pepe and Trusty are all expected to depart this summer as could Okonkwo, Runarsson, Cedric, Tavares and Lokonga with regular first-team football by no means a guarantee next season.

So assuming Rice and Timber sign but the aforementioned nine players are let go, the Gunners would be left with nine homegrown and 15 overseas players thus successfully adhering to the Premier League rules when permitted to name a 25-man squad when the summer transfer window closes at the beginning of September.

[football.london]

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka could complete his long-awaited move to Bayer Leverkusen this week as Declan Rice’s arrival nears.

Bayer Leverkusen may finally snap up Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka in the coming days with a £20million deal close. 

That is according to The Mirror, who report that there is real hope that Xhaka’s move will finally go through.

Xhaka has been linked with Leverkusen for months now and had something of a farewell on the final day of the Premier League season.

That was more than a month ago now and there has been little movement on Xhaka’s expected departure.

However, it’s now thought that Xhaka could be just days away from completing his return to Germany.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach star has been identified as a key target for Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso – a former midfielder himself.

A £20million deal now seems to be nearing completion with Xhaka bringing his seven-year spell at Arsenal to an end after joining for £30million in 2016.

Arsenal may be waiting for Declan Rice arrival to green-light Granit Xhaka deal

Arsenal are on the verge of adding another midfielder this summer with Declan Rice set to join from West Ham United.

The Gunners do have Kai Havertz on board from Chelsea and the German may well be deployed in a midfield role at times.

Rice is the key though, giving Arsenal an option to play deep but also in a box-to-box role – just like Xhaka.

Arsenal getting closer to signing Rice and rumours of Xhaka’s deal being close again don’t feel like a coincidence.

The Gunners would hate to lose Xhaka without having Rice either on board or on the verge of arriving.

This really signals a new era for Arsenal’s midfield, and Xhaka at least leaves as an Arsenal favourite – something which didn’t seem likely back in the 2019-20 season.

[hitc]

Completing a successful loan spell at Osasuna, Ez Abde is set to return to Barcelona with newfangled motivation and an increased reputation. The Catalan’s need for a direct left-wing profile has been well documented by now, with attempts previously being made for Carrasco.

However, owing to drained finances, Abde is expected to fill that void in the squad. Mundo Deportivo has come out to share Abde’s official departure from Osasuna as the Moroccan leaves a heartfelt message, recollecting memories from his time in Pamplona.

“Thank you. I have felt at home and I have enjoyed myself like a small child“, the 21-year-old speedster wrote on Instagram, a public platform where he has amassed nearly two million followers.

Abde morphed into a regular team player, chiming in with important contributions on an array of occasions. He particularly thanked his teammates and the coaching staff, led by Jagoba Arrasate, “for having received me as one of the family. I just have to say thank you again.“

The Moroccan sensation has appeared in 35 league games and contributed four goals to Osasuna’s seventh-place finish. Abde was instrumental in the Copa del Rey with his two goals against Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla, which provided the squad with the opportunity to play in their second final after a whopping duration of 18 years.

He now leaves with a positive atmosphere accompanying him as fans of Osasuna appreciate his short but memorable spell. As the Catalans gear up for a crucial season, they will look forward to retaining Abde, unless an offer worth studying comes their way. Interest from the English and Spanish League certainly lingers in the background.

[Barcanewsnetwork]

Arsenal are set to follow up the signing of Declan Rice by launching a surprise move for his West Ham team-mate Ben Johnson as Mikel Arteta continues to look for ways to improve his squad. The Gunners are expected to complete a record transfer for Rice in the coming days after finally agreeing a fee with their London rivals, and reports suggest they are not finished raiding David Moyes' squad with another move in the pipeline.

Rice has agreed to sign a long-term contract ahead of his £105million transfer, with Arsenal paying £100m up front and a further £5m in add-ons. It would represent the highest fee spent on a British player and the second-most expensive deal in English history behind Chelsea's signing of Enzo Fernandez.

And he could be joined by a familiar face in swapping one side of London for the north, with reports suggesting Johnson is a shock target for Arsenal.

The 23-year-old made 17 appearances in the Premier League last season, nine of which were starts, as he was used intermittently by Moyes throughout the season.

However, he has had to settle for a deputy role behind first-choice right-back Vladimir Coufal and has been tipped to leave the club this summer.

But according to The West Ham Way, Arsenal have joined Everton in the race to sign the defender, who can play as a full-back or centre-back. His current deal is set to expire in 2024 and the academy graduate is yet to agree terms on a contract extension, with his wage demands too high in comparison to regular starters.

That could force West Ham to sell him this summer for a cut-price fee, with interest from elsewhere in the Premier League. The Guardian reported recently that Everton were keen on the youngster, but Arsenal could now rival them for his signature.

Johnson may be regarded as a backup option by Arteta with Gabriel, William Saliba and Ben White all regarded as important members of the squad. He may be needed as Rob Holding is likely to leave the club, with Express Sport exclusively reporting the centre-back is in talks over a loan to Besiktas.

Arteta has wasted no time in identifying improvements for his squad after narrowly missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City. They finished second behind Pep Guardiola's men, having led the treble winners by eight points before collapsing in the final weeks of the campaign.

And with the £65m signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea already confirmed and Rice and Jurrien Timber set to join him at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's spending is set to soar past £200million.

[Express.co.uk]

Fresh facts have emerged that the governors and National Assembly members elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are putting pressure on a former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to accept to lead the party in the capacity of national chairman, THISDAY has learnt.

A Benue High Court had sacked Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman, leaving the leadership of the main opposition party in the hands of Ambassador Illya Umar Damagun, who is in an acting capacity.

The PDP, it was learnt, is planning for a total reorganisation of the party, if the presidential election tribunal did not favour its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

A member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) told THISDAY that:  “Those mounting pressure on Saraki are visiting his Maitama, Abuja; and Ikoyi, Lagos, homes under the guise of discussing the future of the main opposition party. While some make it a single-person visit, others come as small groups.”
The source stated further that the various individuals have been expressing worry that the opposition party will die under the Tinubu presidency if not led by a person who can pull every member or group back into the fold and build a strong party.

Another member of the NWC said that with the current situation of the party, which has left the national secretariat as a graveyard with no activity, the only solution is a reorganisation with somebody like Saraki at the helm of affairs.

According to him, Saraki is a natural unifier who enjoys wide acceptability and goodwill among all groups including the G-5 Group, Atiku’s acolytes, the non-aligned members, and others, such as the members of the NWC.

Saraki, he said, did very well when in 2021 he handled the reconciliation assignment of the party that brought life back into the party when it was hemorrhaging after the 2019 loss of the presidential election.

“Saraki also enjoys the support of elder statesmen like Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Aliyu Gusau, and the rest of them. His acceptance by the youths is also a strong factor”, the NWC member said.

However, it was gathered that the former Senate President has continued to rebuff the overtures.

A source close to the former Senate president told THISDAY that he has insisted that the discussion about the next executive should not come up until after the litigation over the presidential election result has been finally resolved.

The source added that Saraki has cautioned those who spoke to him about the need to avoid opening a fresh crisis by trying to terminate the tenure of the present NWC members.

The source said that Saraki also said to have made it clear that he would rather operate from the background to help the party than to take a formal party position.

It is, however, believed that those close to the former Senate President within the party are unrelenting about getting him to lead the party.

Those mounting the pressure on him, it was learnt, are said to be planning to involve his associates in the business world in the move to get him to help rebuild the party.

When contacted, some chieftains of the PDP said that they would not be drawn into the discussion as the time was not ripe for it.
 

“We are in the tribunal now. I won’t be a party to this discussion. We are still in the tribunals for now,” a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, told THISDAY.

[ThisDay]

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC-Edo) has said that if he had lost his senatorial ambition, his blood pressure would have risen to 360 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

Oshiomhole said this yesterday during the post inauguration/thank-you party hosted in his honour by friends and well-wishers at his country home, Iyamho, Etsako, Edo State.

“If you had not voted for me, my blood pressure would have now been 240/0360; that is if I was still alive. This is because jubilation by the opponent would have been such that they would come and lock my small door and break my small bones, but you said no,” Oshiomhole told his audience, adding that it would have been a shame if he lost like some former governors.

He thanked the people of Edo North for voting for him to represent them in the National Assembly after leaving office as governor.

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He also thanked the people for voting for Bola Tinubu at the presidential election, adding that Edo North district was the only district where Tinubu won in Edo.

He pledged his commitment to represent Edo North very well, adding that he has an obligation to ensure that the state benefits more from the President Tinubu administration.

France captain Kylian Mbappe has called for an end to violent protests that erupted in the country after the fatal shooting of a teenager by police.

The 17-year-old boy, named publicly only as ‘Nahel M’, was shot at a traffic stop in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday. The killing triggered consecutive nights of demonstrations across the capital and in other parts of France, many of which descended into violent clashes with police and vandalism and looting of businesses.

Protests have continued despite the police officer concerned being detained and charged with voluntary homicide on Thursday. But Mbappe has taken to social media to appeal for calm on behalf of the French national team.

“Like all French people, we were marked and shocked by the brutal death of young Nahel,” he wrote. “Firstly, our thoughts go out to him and his family to whom we extend our sincere condolences.

“Obviously, we cannot remain insensitive to the circumstances in which this unacceptable death has taken place.

“Since this tragic event, we have been witnessing the expression of popular anger whose essence we understand, but whose form we cannot endorse.

“With many of us coming from working-class neighbourhoods, these feelings of pain and sadness, we also share them.

“But to this suffering is added that of assisting powerlessness to a real process of self-destruction.

“Violence solves nothing, even less when it inevitably and tirelessly turns against those who express it, their families, loved ones and neighbours.”

The statement concluded with a plea: “The time of violence must end to make way to that of mourning, dialogue and reconstruction.”

Mbappe, who was raised in Paris suburb of Bondy, had on Wednesday expressed his heartbreak at what he called an “unacceptable situation”, but given the escalation which has forced the French government to deploy 45,000 police officers, the call for calm from someone as influential as Mbappe will be welcomed by authorities.

Despite that, Friday night saw more unrest with the cities of Lyon and Marseille particularly chaotic. Mbappe and the government will be hoping his message helps defuse matters over the weekend.

Napoli star Victor Osimhen, currently enjoying his vacation in Lagos, has again shown his unwavering connection to the Italian champion with a symbolic social media post that keeps his Italian fans engaged.

The Nigerian forward took to social media to share photos of himself donning the iconic Buitoni shirt Napoli wore during their first championship victory.

To add a touch of nostalgia, Osimhen proudly sported the revered number 10 on his back, paying homage to the legendary Diego Maradona.

Osimhen’s post has already generated thousands of reactions from fans.

While rumours swirl about his future, Osimhen remains focused on his affiliation with the blue club, seemingly undeterred by transfer speculation.

Last season, the talented striker played a pivotal role in Napoli’s triumphant campaign, netting an impressive 26 goals in the league and providing four assists. The club clinched

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has been urging Osimhen to stay in Naples and aim for another Scudetto, following in the footsteps of the late Argentine legend.

Osimhen’s fondness for Napoli further hints at the possibility of extending his stay in Serie A.

However, it is no secret that the Nigerian forward harbors dreams of playing in the Premier League, with Chelsea and Manchester United emerging as prominent contenders to secure his services.

As Osimhen’s future hangs in the balance, many eagerly await his decision, pondering whether he will embark on a new challenge in England or continue his journey in Italy, aiming to replicate the feats of his revered predecessor.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has faulted the decision of the Federal Government on the dissolution of the Governing Councils of all federal universities in the country.

The union said that the move was inimical and a major setback toward the growth and development of university education in Nigeria.

The Chairman of the University of Jos chapter of the union, Dr Chris Yilgwan, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Jos.

NAN reports that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had on June 22, announced the dissolution of governing councils of all federal universities and boards of other agencies and parastatals in the country.

Yilgwan, who condemned the move, insisted that such a trend, if allowed to continue, would cripple the university system.

According to Yilgwan, the dissolution contravened the Act establishing federal universities, adding that it will stagnate the progress of the institutions.

“The recent dissolution of the governing councils of federal universities by the National Universities Commission, does not conform with the Miscellaneous Act of 2003 as amended.

“The Act provided a statutory tenure of governing councils of universities and so they cannot be dissolved at will like other boards.

“The governing council is the highest decision-making body of every university, and once it is dissolved without immediate replacement, it stalls every major decision in the university.

“So, we consider the dissolution as inimical to the progress of the university system and call on the federal government to rescind its decision,” he said.

He appealed to the government at all levels to allow the universities to operate in accordance with the law establishing them.