Arsenal's Bold Transfer Moves: Martinelli and Osimhen Swap

Galatasaray’s interest in Gabriel Martinelli was already a bold move. Then the plot twisted. Within a day, Arsenal were said to have been offered something far more complicated – and far more tempting – than a straight sale.

The proposal on the table? Victor Osimhen, the Nigeria striker long linked with a Premier League move, in a blockbuster swap for Martinelli. For a club openly hunting a new No 9, that kind of offer forces serious reflection. Goals, power, a focal point through the middle – Osimhen brings all of it.

And that might not be the end of it. Ethan Nwaneri, Arsenal’s precocious academy jewel, has been mentioned as another potential piece in what would be a mega deal. A winger, a centre-forward and one of England’s brightest teenagers all tied into a single negotiation. High stakes. High risk. High reward.

Reijnders draws a crowd

Tijjani Reijnders faces a different sort of uncertainty. Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City are being built with clear patterns and precise roles, but where exactly the Dutch midfielder fits is far from obvious. That lack of clarity has already started the transfer carousel turning.

Nottingham Forest have been linked, and that alone has alerted other suitors. Al Qadsiah, managed by Brendan Rodgers and backed by Saudi money, are ready to test the market with a £51m offer. It is the kind of fee that makes every club stop and listen, whatever their tactical plans.

Newcastle count the cost – and the cash

Newcastle United, meanwhile, are trying to stitch together a new midfield after losing Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães to Spurs and Arsenal. Two pillars gone, but around £175m banked softens the blow and sharpens the ambition.

Carlos Baleba of Brighton has emerged as a leading target to anchor the middle of the pitch. Young, dynamic, Premier League-ready – exactly the profile Newcastle need. On the right side of defence, Rafik Belghali is also in their sights. A £12m move would take him to St James’ Park and give Eddie Howe another option in a position that has lacked depth.

Leeds circle Elvedi

Leeds United are working on something more straightforward. Nico Elvedi, the Switzerland international centre-back, wants out of Borussia Mönchengladbach. He has only a year left on his deal and knows Daniel Farke well from their time together in Germany.

That history matters. It makes Elland Road the obvious destination, and with the clock ticking on his contract, Leeds sense an opportunity they expect to convert.

Forest’s quiet business

Not every transfer is built for back-page headlines. Nottingham Forest are close to adding Steven Benda, the former Swansea goalkeeper, on a free transfer. Third-choice keepers rarely cause a stir, but they win managers’ trust and solve problems before they start.

Benda is unlikely to be greeted by a packed East Midlands Airport, yet he fills an important role in a squad that has learned the hard way how much depth matters across a long Premier League season.

Palace build depth – and look back to an old star

Crystal Palace are busy strengthening the edges of their squad. Anan Khalaili is set to arrive from Union Saint-Gilloise, brought in to push Daniel Muñoz at right-back and raise the level of competition in a key position.

At centre-back, Palace are ready for a fight. They are tracking Lecce defender Tiago Gabriel, valued at £25m and previously the subject of a bid from Benfica. Bournemouth are in the race too, setting up a Premier League tug-of-war for a player whose profile is rising fast.

And then there is a familiar face back at the training ground.

Wilfried Zaha, currently without a club, is training with Palace to maintain his fitness. He came through the academy at Selhurst Park, earned a big move to Manchester United, and then returned for a second spell that turned him into a modern club icon. Now he is on the grass again, boots laced, running with the group.

The question hangs in the south London air: with Zaha available and the squad evolving, do Palace take one more gamble on a player who has already defined an era for them?