Arsenal transfer thunders towards completion after personal terms agreed and Edu gamble reaps huge reward

An Arsenal transfer could be fully finalised as early as today after the personal terms hurdle was overcome, and Edu’s persistence in holding out for the best deal possible looks to have paid off.

Edu has worked wonders in the sporting director role at Arsenal, with his masterful manoeuvring of the transfer market helping to assemble a squad many believe are favourites to win the Premier League.

Arsenal have secured two major signings this summer, with David Raya (£27m) and Riccardo Calafiori (£42m) on board.

Elsewhere, personal terms are agreed with Mikel Merino on a four-year contract. Real Sociedad president, Jokin Apperibay, was in England on Wednesday to finalise a club-to-club agreement with Arsenal.

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Elsewhere, Arsenal secured favourable terms when selling Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham for a package worth £34m.

The £34m fee is split into £27m plus £7m in add-ons that are understood to be easily achievable. Furthermore, Arsenal successfully inserted a sell-on clause into the deal worth in excess of 10 percent.

The sales of homegrown stars represent pure profit on the books and is an indication as to why Edu has refused to budge from his £30m-£35m valuation of Eddie Nketiah.

The striker is surplus to requirements under Arteta and a sale has been greenlit. However, despite Nketiah previously agreeing personal terms with Marseille, the move crumbled after the French giant bid just £23m.

A mooted move to Bournemouth was also shelved when the Cherries signed Evanilson from FC Porto as their replacement for Dominic Solanke.

Furthermore, Crystal Palace hold long-standing interest in Nketiah, though have shown no sign they’ll table the size of bid Edu craves.

Thankfully for the Gunners, Nottingham Forest have acted on their interest and a lucrative sale to the City Ground is roaring towards completion.

Nketiah agrees personal terms with Nottingham Forest

TEAMtalk exclusively revealed earlier this week that Forest were preparing a bumper contract offer.

It’s our understanding Forest were prepared to match or at the very least come close to matching Nketiah’s £120,000-a-week salary.

Their big financial commitment has paid dividends, with Fabrizio Romano revealing an agreement on personal terms has been struck.

Taking to X, the trusted transfer guru stated: “Eddie Nketiah has just agreed on personal terms with Nottingham Forest as talks are advancing to final stages with Arsenal.

“Nottingham Forest confident to get it done soon.”

Club-to-club agreement ‘close’ – David Ornstein

The Athletic’s David Ornstein provided an update of his own on Wednesday, describing a club-to-club agreement as being ‘close.’

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side do have a plan B in the form of Feyenoord frontman Santiago Gimenez.

But Nketiah is Forest’s preferred option from the pair and Feyenoord have made it clear a deal for Gimenez will cost Forest far more than it will to sign Nketiah.

Furthermore, Gimenez is not agitating for a move, thus ensuring Feyenoord are in a strong bargaining position.

With personal terms now in place, news on a an agreement over the transfer fee and payment terms/structure between Forest and Arsenal should quickly follow.

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