Sunday brought no confirmed signings for Arsenal, but it brought plenty of movement underneath the surface, and that is exactly the shape this window has taken all summer. Mikel Arteta’s side are working multiple fronts at once – tying up an exit, pushing hard for a marquee forward, and managing a World Cup contingent that is still eight players strong – and each strand edged forward on 12th July without a single domino actually falling.
That is the most delicate balancing act the club have faced in years: sign Álvarez before pre-season starts, wrap up the Trossard exit so the wage bill and squad list are clean, and get clarity on two more forward targets in Morgan Rogers and Eli Junior Kroupi – all while eight of Arteta’s players are still on World Cup duty on the other side of the Atlantic.
How fast is the Trossard exit actually moving?
According to a fresh update carried on the site today, Leandro Trossard is closing in on personal terms with Besiktas, with Arsenal preparing the final paperwork on a reported €20m transfer. Wage details and a signing-on bonus are the last pieces still being finalised, and the move is expected to be completed once Belgium’s World Cup involvement is done. Read the full story on Trossard’s Besiktas breakthrough and what it means for Arteta’s next move.
The exit matters for more than housekeeping reasons. Trossard’s departure frees a squad slot and wage room in exactly the position Arsenal are hunting a replacement for, which is why his Besiktas move and the Álvarez pursuit are being read as two sides of the same piece of business.
How close are Arsenal to signing Julián Álvarez?
Arsenal are pushing to get a deal for the Atlético Madrid forward done before players report back for pre-season, with Álvarez himself understood to be open to a return to the Premier League even though a stay in Spain remains his stated preference. Full detail is in today’s piece on Arsenal’s push to seal a stunning Álvarez deal before pre-season.
No fee has been agreed, and Atlético’s public stance remains that any sale would need to clear a nine-figure release clause. The direction of travel, though, is towards Arsenal being the most active suitor of the clubs credited with interest.
Where do Arsenal stand on Morgan Rogers and Eli Junior Kroupi?
Two further forward targets moved on parallel tracks. Arsenal have stepped up their interest in Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and are not expected to be scared off by a record-breaking valuation – the full case for why the club won’t blink is set out in today’s analysis of Arsenal’s ambition on Morgan Rogers.
Separately, Arsenal picked up a boost in their pursuit of Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi after Paris Saint-Germain were reported to have stepped back from the race, though an £80m-plus valuation remains the central obstacle. See Arsenal’s Kroupi opening and the £80m warning that still stands for the detail on Bournemouth’s stance.
How are Arsenal’s World Cup contingent holding up?
Eight Arsenal players are still involved at the World Cup, and Sunday’s competitive angle was less about form than fitness. Declan Rice was withdrawn at half-time during England’s win over Norway, which sent the Gunners into the quarter-final/semi-final stretch with a fresh injury concern to monitor – covered in full in today’s report on the eight Arsenal stars still chasing World Cup glory.
Rice’s withdrawal was framed by fitness concerns rather than injury certainty, and Bukayo Saka is being watched just as closely – both are carrying knocks that leave Arteta with pre-season selection decisions to make, as detailed in why Saka and Rice’s fitness scares are worrying Arsenal. There was a lighter moment too: Rice was pictured consoling Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard once England’s win confirmed Norway’s exit, a gesture recapped in Declan Rice’s classy Odegaard gesture after England’s win.
When do Arsenal report back for pre-season?
The bulk of Arteta’s non-World Cup squad are due back at London Colney on 20 July, though some players carrying knocks – including Ben White and Jurrien Timber – are expected to head to an optional fitness camp in Marbella first. Full scheduling detail is in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal return date and the Marbella plans taking shape. With Álvarez, Rogers and Kroupi all unresolved and the World Cup still running, Arteta’s pre-season squad picture won’t be settled by the time training resumes – it may not even be close.
12th July at a glance
| Player | Direction | Club | Status (12 July 2026) | Reported fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leandro Trossard | Out | Besiktas | Personal terms/bonus being finalised | ~€20m |
| Julián Álvarez | Target | Atlético Madrid | Arsenal pushing to complete before pre-season | No fee agreed; nine-figure release clause |
| Morgan Rogers | Target | Aston Villa | Arsenal interest stepped up | Record-breaking valuation reported |
| Eli Junior Kroupi | Target | Bournemouth | PSG reportedly stepped back; still contested | £80m+ valuation |
Arsenal Transfer Window Facts – 12th July 2026
Has Arsenal completed the Leandro Trossard transfer?
No. As of 12th July 2026, a fee is understood to be agreed with Besiktas but the move has not been confirmed by either club, with wage terms and a signing-on bonus still being finalised.
Have Arsenal agreed a fee for Julián Álvarez?
No. As of 12th July 2026, no fee has been agreed with Atlético Madrid; Arsenal are working to complete a deal before pre-season training resumes.
When do Arsenal’s squad report back for pre-season?
Most of the non-World Cup squad are due at London Colney on 20 July 2026, with an optional fitness camp in Marbella for some players beforehand.
How many Arsenal players remain in the World Cup as of 12 July?
Eight, following England’s win over Norway, though Declan Rice’s half-time withdrawal has added a fitness concern for Arteta to monitor.
The real test comes once the World Cup contingent returns to club duty – that’s when Trossard’s exit and the Álvarez, Rogers and Kroupi pursuits need to move from positioning to paperwork.
