August 25th 2025.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has set his sights on bolstering his defensive line this week. The Gunners have reportedly made a move for Girona defender Arnau Martinez, despite previous links to Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie. With the transfer window closing on September 1st, Arteta is determined to add another defender to his squad.
While Arsenal have already acquired the services of centre-back Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia, they are not done with their transfer business yet. Despite having a strong group of defenders, Arteta believes that bringing in Martinez could provide even more depth and competition within the team. According to reports, the Gunners have submitted a bid of €8 million plus an additional €2 million in add-ons for the 22-year-old Spaniard.
Martinez has spent his entire professional career at Girona, making 163 appearances for the Spanish club. He primarily plays as a right-back but can also slot in as a centre-back, showcasing his versatility and adaptability. With Ben White and Jurrien Timber already competing for the right-back spot, and Gabriel and William Saliba forming a solid centre-back partnership, Martinez would provide valuable competition for a relatively low fee.
Hincapie, who has also been linked with Arsenal, has a release clause of £52 million in his Bayer Leverkusen contract. However, the Gunners are not willing to pay such a hefty amount and are hoping for a cheaper deal for the 23-year-old Ecuadorian. If they are successful in securing the services of Martinez, it is likely that their pursuit of Hincapie will come to an end.
In order to bring in any additional players, Arsenal will have to offload some of their fringe players before the transfer window closes. Porto are planning to make an improved bid for Jakub Kiwior, who Arsenal had previously rejected an offer from. Oleksandr Zinchenko has also been linked with a move away from the club, but his destination is still uncertain after initial interest from AC Milan.
So far this summer, the Gunners have seen the departures of Nuno Tavares to Lazio, Marquiinhos to Cruzeiro, and Karl Hein on loan to Werder Bremen. However, with the expensive signings of Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze, Arsenal have spent over £230 million more than they have received in the transfer market. It remains to be seen if they will make any more moves before the transfer window closes, but one thing is for sure - Arteta is determined to strengthen his defensive options.
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