Arsenal Transfer News Roundup: Gunners eyeing Eric Garcia; Crystal Palace looking to sign Takehiro Tomiyasu, and more - August 27, 2023
The Arsenal bandwagon came to a stuttering stop against Fulham on Saturday (August 26) at the Emirates, where they were held to a 2-2 draw. Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah helped the hosts go 2-1 up, but the 10-man Cottagers equalised through Palhinha late on.
Meanwhile, the Gunners are planning a loan move for Barcelona defender Eric Garcia. Elsewhere, Crystal Palace are interested in Gunners defender Takehiro Tomiyasu.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on August 27, 2023:
Arsenal eyeing Eric Garcia
Arsenal have set their sights on Eric Garcia, according to Football Transfers. The Gunners are looking at defensive reinforcements right now following the unfortunate ACL injury to Jurrien Timber.
The Dutchman only joined the north London side from Ajax this summer but is now set to spend a chunk of the season on the sidelines. Arteta is eager to rope in cover for the backline and has found a candidate in Garcia.
The Spanish defender is surplus to requirements at Barcelona, and Xavi has already sanctioned his departure. Garcia's versatility makes him a superb fit under Arteta, and Arsenal are planning to bring him on loan.
While the Blaugrana would prefer to offload him permanently, they could be open to a loan departure too.
Crystal Palace looking to sign Takehiro Tomiyasu
Crystal Palace are interested in Takehiro Tomiyasu, according to The Daily Mail. The Japanese right-back has not been a first-team regular at Arsenal since arriving last summer.
He competed with Ben White for a place in Arteta's team last season. The arrival of Timber complicated matters for Tomiyasu this summer, giving rise to speculation about his future.
The recent injury to Timber has opened up a window of opportunity for the Japanese. However, Artera has opted to use Thomas Partey as an unorthodox option for the right-back role recently.
In such circumstances, Palace are hoping to convince the Gunners to part ways with Tomiyasu. However, the north London side could be reluctant to let him leave unless they rope in a replacement.
Mikel Arteta disappointed after dropping points against Fulham
Mikel Arteta has been left disappointed after his team failed to hold on to a lead against 10-man Fulham. Arsenal rallied from a goal down to go 2-1 up, but the Cottagers came away from the Emirates with a point.
After the game, as cited by the club’s website, Arteta praised his team for getting back into the game after conceding an early goal.
"It is really difficult to accept that we haven’t won the game. Obviously we made life really hard for ourselves giving the goal away in the first minute, but after that, the team had the response that we all expected," said Arteta.
He continued:
“We dominated the game from the start to the finish, and we generated, I cannot remember, how many big chances and how many situations. We gave absolutely nothing to the opponent and got back into the game and scored the second one, and then the game has to finish there."
However, the Spanish manager also lamented his team's lack of concentration during set-pieces that cost them two points.
“When you have a set-play, you have to defend the box with your lives, and if you don't, you give a chance to the opponent, and they have taken that, but, otherwise, I don’t know what else you have to do to win a game," said Arteta.
He concluded:
"In any other sport, you would win by a lot of points, but this is football, and the margins are small. The boxes defined the game today, and we are really disappointed.”
The Gunners, though, remain undefeated in the league, having won their opening two games.