Arsenal Transfer News: Edinson Cavani, Julian Draxler Targeted Before Deadline?

Arsène Wenger has suggested that Arsenal could yet make a late addition to his squad ahead of the close of the transfer window, but stressed that he remains some way off completing a deal. Ahead of the end of next Tuesday’s deadline, Arsenal’s only signing so far this summer remains goalkeeper Petr Cech from Chelsea. Still, Arsenal have made a habit of securing late deals in past transfer windows, including their record signing Mesut Özil two years ago. And Wenger has not ruled out a similar late splash this time around.

“I don’t know [if Arsenal will sign anybody],” he said in his press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash with Newcastle United. “I’m always confident that a last minute solution is available, because the transfer market is especially moving in the last four or five days, but at the moment I cannot promise you that. We work very hard I have a team around me that world day and night to find all good solutions, but at the moment we are not close to signing anybody.”

The player Arsenal had been linked with most in recent weeks was Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema. But the forward’s public statement on social media earlier this week that he was staying at the Bernabeu has, Wenger admitted, killed any hope the Gunners had of bringing in the France international. Yet with just two goals scored in their first three Premier League games this season, a striker may still remain on Wenger’s agenda.

Immediately after Benzema’s snub, speculation turned to Arsenal being interested in Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani. The Uruguay international has been frequently linked with the Gunners in the past year or so, fueled by Cavani showing frustration at being regularly played out of position since signing from Napoli in 2013. And The Independent has suggested that Wenger’s latest comments were made in relation to attempts to sign the 28-year-old.

However, there looks less chance than ever of him now being sold. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic aged 33 and having just a year remaining on his contract, PSG have made it clear on numerous occasions this summer that they have no intention of letting Cavani go.

Cavani is not the only player linked of late. The name of Julian Draxler has made a reappearance in the rumors pages, 18 months after Arsenal came close to signing the gifted attacking midfielder from Schalke. Now the Daily Express reports that interest remains in the 21-year-old, with the prospects of him moving now said to be enhanced by him rejecting a new contract. Rather than Arsenal, it is Juventus who appear much close to his signature, however. And Arsenal are unlikely to be too disappointed if they do not secure his signature, given that they are already arguably overstocked for attack-minded midfielders.

Arsenal’s greater need is for a defensive midfielder, but they now look unlikely to get Sevilla’s Grzegorz Krychowiak. There had been plenty of speculation that Arsenal were considering triggering the Poland international’s 30 million euros (£21.8 million) buyout clause. Yet, like Benzema, Krychowiak, has tweeted that he will be remaining at his current club for the current campaign.