Exclusive: Arsenal playing waiting game for next summer business with no offers received for Balogun, Tierney

Arsenal are “delighted” with the signings they have made this summer and won’t be adding any more until they can complete some sales, Charles Watts has told TEAMtalk.

So far this summer, Arsenal have signed Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice from Chelsea, Ajax and West Ham respectively. The only regular starter they have lost from last season’s squad has been Granit Xhaka to Bayer Leverkusen.

Next on the agenda for Arsenal will be to oversee some more exits. However, they have not yet received any concrete bids for some of the players who could be likely to leave.

For example, Folarin Balogun could be a prime suspect to be sold this summer after his impressive form on loan at Reims last season. A potential lack of regular gametime back at the Emirates Stadium may prompt him to seek a permanent exit.

However, his main suitors, Inter Milan, have not yet put any money on the table for the USA striker.

Similarly, Watts expected clubs to be “banging down the door” for Kieran Tierney, but that has not yet been the case.

Watts has told TEAMtalk: “The summer now revolves around outgoings. They’ve done the business they really want, they’re delighted with it. Now they need to move some players on.

“That is very much to focus on what they’re working on at the moment but they are having to wait for the offers to arrive. At the moment, even with someone like Balogun, who’s very much a hot property and in demand, while Inter Milan are certainly looking at him, they haven’t actually made a bid yet.

“And until those bids start arriving, then there’s not really that much Arsenal could do. It’s a waiting game.

“Kieran Tierney, for example, nothing has come in for him yet which is a surprise. I thought there would be clubs banging down the door.”

Arsenal could be frustrated at lack of progress

The transfer window remains open until September 1, which means time is still on Arsenal’s side.

But in an ideal world, they would be keen to complete some more outgoing deals sooner rather than later.

“There’s still a long time in the window left and for Arsenal, it’s probably a little bit frustrating and they would like to really get it moving quicker. But until the bids start coming in, it’s tough for them to do anything. Arsenal are not actively pushing these players out the door.

“At the moment the focus of Arsenal is on moving players out. I don’t really expect anyone to come in until they’ve moved some players out. I’d be very surprised if they make another major signing without moving some on and bringing some money in so I don’t think anything’s moved on.”

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