Arsenal Transfer News Roundup: Gunners eyeing Georgiy Sudakov; Folarin Balogun opens up on Emirates exit, and more - October 14, 2023
Arsenal are second in the Premier League after eight games, behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur on goals scored. Mikel Arteta's team have won six and drawn twice in the league.
Meanwhile, the Gunners have joined the race to sign Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Georgiy Sudakov. Elsewhere, Monaco forward Folarin Balogun has opened up on his departure from the Emirates this summer.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on October 14, 2023:
Arsenal eyeing Georgiy Sudakov
Arsenal are among the clubs interested in Georgiy Sudakov, according to TeamTalk.
The Ukrainian midfielder has caught the eye with Shakhtar Donetsk recently. The 21-year-old has two goals in eight appearances for the Ukrainian side this season. Juventus have identified him as a possible candidate to replace Paul Pogba but face competition from the Premier League.
Apart from the Gunners, Manchester City, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion also have their eyes on Sudakov. Arteta has been monitoring the 21-year-old for a while but faces stiff competition for his services.
Folarin Balogun opens up on Emirates exit
Folarin Balogun has opened up on his exit from Arsenal this summer. The USNMT international left the Emirates to join Monaco on a £34 million deal.
The 22-year-old rose through the ranks at the Gunners but struggled to break into the first team. Inter Milan and Chelsea were interested in the player, but he ended up joining the Ligue 1 side.
Speaking to ESPN, Balogun hinted that Arteta had no role in his exit from north London.
"He (Arteta) didn’t really say much, he just said that when I came back he just said well done, and he encouraged me to keep going.
"Then me coming back in a preseason, it was just more about me seeing whether I fit into his plans and seeing if I can continue to play some games," said Balogun.
He continued:
"He said that he would try to get me involved as best as he could, but, of course, he also told me that the people higher up were making decisions on me and seeing what would be best for me.
"So the conversations between me and him were good, but it was more about the club, what they wanted to do."
Balogun added that he was never anxious about his future over the summer.
"It (his future up in the air) wasn’t something that made me feel anxious; it was just more a case of seeing what wanted to be done. It was out of my hands, that’s how I felt. It wasn’t something I could control," said Balogun.
The 22-year-old has hit the ground running since joining Monaco, amassing three goals and one assist in five games across competitions.
Thierry Henry coy about Gunners job
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has refused to indulge in talks of eventually replacing Mikel Arteta.
The French striker is a legendary figure at the Emirates. He's currently in charge of the France Under 21s and has twice been associated with the Belgian national team as assistant coach.
Henry is part of folklore at the Gunners and remains a candidate for the hot seat at the club in the future. However, on The Rest Is Football podcast, Henry said that he doesn't want to talk about the Gunners job and put Arteta on the spot:
"It’s very difficult for me to say that because when I say something about Arsenal, it goes places. I have mad respect for Mikel.
"He’s done extremely well in the last two years. I have realised when it comes to talking about coaching, talking about Arsenal. … I have too much respect for the overall situation," said Henry.
He continued:
"Otherwise, Mikel will be asked, ‘Thierry Henry said…’ – you don’t need this type of question in a press conference. We don’t need to do that."
Arteta has transformed the north London side into a force in recent times.