Arsenal are trying to move on three fronts at once, and none of them have broken cover yet. Mikel Arteta’s side head into the final fortnight before pre-season with live interest in a marquee centre-forward, a stalled move for a Newcastle United midfielder, and a winger swap that is waiting on someone else’s decision entirely. Add four Gunners still playing for their countries at the World Cup, and 13th July has been one of the busiest quiet days of the summer — plenty of movement, nothing signed.
That is the tension running through Arsenal’s window: momentum without a finish line. Julian Alvarez has had direct contact from the club’s sporting director, Bruno Guimaraes is available in theory but not at Arsenal’s price, and Christos Tzolis cannot join until Trossard decides whether he is leaving.
The pace of the individual stories tells its own story. Newcastle want close to £100m for Guimaraes — roughly what Tottenham paid for Sandro Tonali — against an Arsenal offer capped at £60m including add-ons. Barcelona still have an offer worth just over €100m on the table for Alvarez. And Kyran Thompson, a 16-year-old who hadn’t kicked a first-team ball, still had five clubs fighting for his signature. If academy prospects are drawing that kind of interest, what does it say about the value Arsenal are being asked to pay for the finished article?
Who are Arsenal trying to sign this summer?
Arsenal’s most advanced work is on Julian Alvarez. Sporting director Andrea Berta has held direct talks with the Atletico Madrid forward, and TEAMtalk reports that Atletico would sanction a move if the Argentina international decides to leave Spain. Arsenal have stayed in regular contact with Alvarez’s representatives throughout the summer, though Barcelona remain his preferred destination with an offer of just over €100m already on the table, and Paris Saint-Germain are also monitoring the situation. Full detail on the standoff is in Arsenal’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez.
Bruno Guimaraes is the harder puzzle. Arsenal entered the race after intermediaries suggested Newcastle could accept an offer near £50m for their captain, but the Telegraph reports the asking price has since hardened to something closer to the £100m Tottenham paid for Sandro Tonali. Arsenal have discussed proposals worth no more than £60m including add-ons, and Newcastle also want the majority of any fee paid up front — full breakdown in Arsenal’s Guimaraes decision.
Then there’s Christos Tzolis, whose move from Club Brugge is effectively agreed in outline but stuck behind someone else’s decision — see below.
What’s the latest on Leandro Trossard’s Besiktas exit?
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are waiting on Leandro Trossard to give his personal approval to a switch to Besiktas before they press ahead with signing Tzolis as his replacement on the left. The Belgian’s final say is understood to be the only obstacle left in that deal, with the Greek international already lined up to fill the vacancy. The full picture is in Arsenal’s Tzolis-Trossard domino.
Which Arsenal youngster is leaving for Newcastle?
Arsenal have lost academy winger Kyran Thompson to Newcastle United after the 16-year-old rejected the chance to stay in north London when his contract expired this summer. Fabrizio Romano reports Thompson chose Newcastle from five offers, including interest from Tottenham Hotspur, with a medical and contract signing expected to follow. The England Under-17 international moves as a free agent, though Arsenal should receive training compensation for his development — see Arsenal’s academy exit to Newcastle.
How are Arsenal’s World Cup stars getting on?
Arsenal are guaranteed at least one player in the World Cup final after William Saliba’s France were drawn against Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and David Raya’s Spain in Tuesday’s semi-final in Dallas. Yahoo Sports, citing L’Equipe, reports Saliba has been following a modified training programme to manage ongoing back pain but has started and completed every minute for France regardless — details in Arsenal’s World Cup finalist guarantee.
Zubimendi’s own tournament has been more complicated. Spain’s midfield strength has limited him to a supporting role behind Mikel Merino during their run to the last four, a contradiction explored fully in how Arsenal’s Zubimendi is coping with Spain’s rotation.
Off the pitch, Arsenal quietly passed a landmark: the club’s official milestone report confirms that Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze featuring in England’s 2-1 World Cup quarter-final win over Norway took the total number of England caps won during players’ Arsenal careers past 1,000, to 1,002. Only Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have accumulated more — the full history is in Arsenal’s England caps milestone.
Arsenal’s live transfer situations at a glance
| Player | Direction | Current status (13 July) | Reported fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julian Alvarez | In (Atletico Madrid) | Direct talks held; Barcelona preferred | Barcelona bid just over €100m | TEAMtalk |
| Bruno Guimaraes | In (Newcastle United) | Valuation gap; Arsenal capped at £60m | Newcastle want close to £100m | The Telegraph |
| Christos Tzolis | In (Club Brugge) | Agreed in outline, pending Trossard exit | Not yet disclosed | Fabrizio Romano |
| Leandro Trossard | Out (Besiktas) | Awaiting his personal approval | Not yet disclosed | Fabrizio Romano |
| Kyran Thompson | Out (Newcastle United) | Agreed; medical and contract to follow | Free transfer (training compensation due) | Fabrizio Romano |
Arsenal Talking Points: Summer 2026 Transfer Window Facts
Have Arsenal completed a first-team signing this summer? No. As of 13 July 2026, no senior arrival has been finalised. Arsenal are in direct talks over Julian Alvarez and remain engaged on Bruno Guimaraes, but neither deal has been agreed.
Is Leandro Trossard definitely leaving Arsenal? Not yet confirmed. As of 13 July 2026, Trossard has yet to give the personal approval Arsenal are waiting on before finalising his move to Besiktas, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Will Bruno Guimaraes join Arsenal this summer? Undecided. As of 13 July 2026, Newcastle are demanding a fee close to £100m while Arsenal have discussed proposals worth no more than £60m including add-ons, per the Telegraph.
How many England caps have been won by Arsenal players? 1,002, after Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze featured in England’s 2-1 World Cup quarter-final win over Norway, per Arsenal’s official milestone report.
Has Arsenal’s academy exodus continued this summer? Yes. Winger Kyran Thompson has agreed to join Newcastle as a free agent after his Arsenal contract expired, choosing the move from five offers that included Tottenham Hotspur.
Keep it here for the day-by-day version of Arsenal’s window — every confirmed arrival, departure and World Cup development gets logged as it happens, cross-referenced against our full Arsenal news coverage.
