City win the Monga race after Arsenal walk away
Arsenal pulled out of the Jeremy Monga deal. Manchester City are now closing in on the Leicester City 16-year-old winger for around £10m, with Enzo Maresca driving the move (1). Arsenal saw the valuation as too high and stepped aside. The Athletic's Ornstein and Romano both confirmed it on Thursday (1).
Kiwior sold to Porto, the deal is done
Jakub Kiwior has been sold permanently to FC Porto (2). The move adds funds after Arsenal already brought in Piero Hincapie to compete with Gabriel and William Saliba. No fee was disclosed, but the defensive reshuffle is complete.
Newcastle laugh off Arsenal's £55m Bruno bid
Bryan King called it an insult. Arsenal reportedly offered £55m for Bruno Guimaraes, but Newcastle want £80m for their captain (6). Selling Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali has left Guimaraes unsettled, which helps your cause (9). But the price is firm.
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Atletico could snatch Hjulmand while Arsenal chase Bruno
Morten Hjulmand might slip away. Atletico Madrid are pushing for the Sporting midfielder while Arsenal focus on Bruno Guimaraes (7). If Newcastle refuse to budge on their £80m captain, losing both targets is a real possibility.
Trossard stalls on Besiktas, wage demands the sticking point
Leandro Trossard has a €20m offer from Besiktas on the table but is delaying his decision to focus entirely on the World Cup (5). The issue is not the fee. Trossard's wage demands are the real barrier (12).
Havertz: 'I'm sorry, we messed up'
Kai Havertz did not hold back after Germany's World Cup exit. "I'm speechless. My second World Cup, and we've messed up for the second time. The last few tournaments were a disaster. The only thing I can say is I'm sorry," he said (4). He called for the squad to take a long, hard look at themselves.
Rice played right-back in pain, Shearer wants him to stay there
Declan Rice came off in stoppage time against DR Congo in what Thomas Tuchel called "terrible pain" (4). Rice himself said he will recover and be fit for England's round-of-16 match against Mexico on Sunday. Alan Shearer wants Tuchel to keep him at right-back: "He can add quality there" (11).
Martinelli scores, Saliba beats Gyokeres
Gabriel Martinelli grabbed the winner as Brazil booked their last-16 spot. William Saliba's France beat Viktor Gyokeres and Sweden (4). All 15 Arsenal players at the World Cup made it through the group stage.
Tillman names Arsenal as his dream club
Malik Tillman put it plainly after USA beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–0 on Thursday: "If there was one club I would love to play for, it's Arsenal" (13). The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder said the system and the coach make it his ideal fit. His World Cup performances back up the talk.
City also trying to poach academy talent Nduka
It is not just Monga. Manchester City are also trying to sign Arsenal youth prospect Mishel Nduka as his contract runs down, barely a year after he joined (8).
Nighswonger returns, Arsenal Women building for next season
Jenna Nighswonger is back. The left-back's loan at Aston Villa was not made permanent, and Aston Villa confirmed her return to Arsenal Women (3). The club are also closing in on attackers Selina Cerci and Lisa Baum for the 2026-27 campaign.
Quick hits: Konsa, Barcola, and Madueke on standards
Friday's gossip round-up links Arsenal with Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, alongside the ongoing Bruno Guimaraes pursuit (15). Separately, Bradley Barcola is rumored to prefer Arsenal over Liverpool (14). And Noni Madueke summed up life at the club: "Playing for Arsenal and England, you don't really need anyone else to keep you at the highest level" (10).
Fan reactions
The Declan Rice injury scare is the biggest talking point among fans on Thursday night. Most are holding their breath after seeing him play through "terrible pain" and hoping Tuchel does not push him too hard against Mexico. On the transfer front, the mood is split on Jeremy Monga. Some fans are frustrated the club walked away over £10m for one of the country's top prospects, while others back the decision not to overpay. Read the full discussion here.
