Arsenal sweat on derby injuries as Bartishvili move nears
Arsenal host Chelsea with William Saliba ruled out by a back injury, Jurrien Timber out and Cristhian Mosquera a doubt ahead of Sunday's derby.
Peter Crouch predicts Chelsea will beat Arsenal 3-2 at the Emirates, citing the Blues' sharp attack but also warning they look vulnerable defensively.
Fabrizio Romano says Andria Bartishvili is on his way to London for a medical after Arsenal agreed a deal. The 17-year-old Georgian will join officially in 2027.
Arsenal remain keen on Julian Alvarez for January, despite his Barcelona preference. Reports claim they would relocate family and even discuss a future 'Barcelona clause'.
Andria Bartishvili has arrived for an Arsenal medical before a five-year deal, while Gabriel Martinelli's £55.7m plus £4.3m move to Al-Hilal is close to completion.
Reiss Nelson has completed a Feyenoord medical, Andria Bartishvili has arrived in London to finalise his Arsenal move, and Arteta pulled the plug on Malick Fofana.
Christos Tzolis says Myles Lewis-Skelly 'speaks a lot' behind the scenes at Arsenal, alongside senior figures, underlining the teenager's growing leadership in the squad.
Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori is up for August Player of the Month after 2 assists, 2 clean sheets and strong displays in wins over Coventry City and Aston Villa.
Gabriel Jesus joined Barcelona after 4 years at Arsenal, ending with 32 goals in 123 games. Bright starts were repeatedly derailed by injuries, though he left as a Premier League winner.
Rio Ferdinand calls Christos Tzolis Arsenal's bargain of the window, praising his early impact, value at £34m and the balance of Arteta's summer business.
Arsenal have averaged 6.5 offsides per game in their first 2 matches, hinting at a tactical shift. Aston Villa's high line may explain much of it, with Odegaard a possible factor.
Bryan King said he was surprised Arsenal did not move for Nico Gonzalez after his bright Newcastle start, though the Gunners chose Bruno Guimaraes to strengthen midfield.
Dan Smith predicts Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea, arguing the Gunners may rely on their defence after a window that left them weaker in attack than key rivals.
Opinion: Arsenal's attacking depth is thinner, especially on the left, but options such as Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres still give cover.
Analytics expert Alex Stewart says Christos Tzolis' numbers, physical profile and set-piece delivery suggest he can boost Arsenal's attack despite an expected adaptation period.
Jamie Carragher says Arsenal missed the 'gamechanger' they wanted, failing to land Vinicius Junior or Julian Alvarez and ending the window without a world-class attacker.
Opinion: Arsenal risk harming their title defence after weakening their attack, cutting wages and selling forwards without replacements, leaving Arteta short in key areas.
Arsenal are reportedly considering a January move for Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi after missing out on an attacker, with his fractured metatarsal having complicated a summer transfer.
