Seven pieces of Arsenal transfer business Edu and Mikel Arteta must address ahead of deadline

The end of the transfer window is almost here, and Arsenal still have plenty of business still to take care of.

Friday afternoon will see the summer transfer window come to an end, and both Mikel Arteta and Edu will be busy working on deals ahead of that point, with a number of exits and a possible incoming still to wrap up. Arsenal want to be Premier League title challengers this season, and there is little margin for error, something the club are clearly well aware of after racking up a spending bill of more than £200million so far this summer.

Here we take you through the key pieces of business Arsenal must address before the end of the window.

Emile Smith Rowe

Fresh reports have claimed Emile Smith Rowe has been put up for sale ahead of the deadline.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to balance the books after a summer of spending, and the 23-year-old is likely to be left unhappy with his involvement this season given the level of competition in central midfield and out wide. Smith Rowe will want regular starts at his level and age, and Arsenal could command a fee of £30million or more for his services.

The question will be whether the Gunners can avoid selling him to a direct rival, while a loan deal could be another option if they want to keep him long term.

Rob Holding

Holding will almost certainly leave, and there is interest according to reports.

Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Sevilla and Mallorca have submitted enquiries, while Premier League clubs are also said to be interested. Arsenal should have no issues getting Holding out ahead of the deadline.

Cedric Soares

It has gone quiet on the Cedric Soares front around a month after he was said to be attracting interest.

Arsenal may struggle to get him out the door permanently at this stage, and a loan deal could be the best option if time slips away. Soares is now 31 years of age, and he is unlikely to command a big fee.

Albert Sambi Lokonga

Lokonga is another who looks set for the exit door despite there being plenty of excitement surrounding him previously.

The midfielder looks most likely to join Burnley at this stage, and on a season-long loan deal. Arsenal may yet believe he can offer more in the future, but he needs to play regular football this season. There is also said to be interest from elsewhere in the Premier League.

Nicolas Pepe

Pepe remains a complex case for Arsenal as they look to recoup some of their hge investment.

It seems there is interest from Germany and Saudi Arabia in the winger, but Arsenal are going to have to take a huge loss if they want to shift him permanently, with clubs not likely to pay huge figures, not even in Saudi Arabia.

Though, for the Gunners, the priority will be getting Pepe’s wage off their books.

Nuno Tavares

Nottingham Forest are said to be interested in a move for Nuno Tavares ahead of the deadline, and it does seem likely the full -back will find a new club. A loan deal is most likely at this stage, and that might suit Arsenal, with the defender still only 23 years of age.

Even if Arsenal don’t want to bring him back, they need him playing and in the shop window.

A new defender

On the incomings front, Arsenal most likely need another defender following the loss of new signing Jurrien Timber to injury.

The problem is whether the Gunners are going to spend a big fee to land a defender with the knowledge that Timber is going to come back in the future. No high-level defender is going to come cheap at this stage of the window, and high-quality players are difficult to sign on loan.

On top of all that, the Gunners need a versatile defender who can cover at both centre-back and full-back in an ideal world. This is going to be tough for Arsenal, who need to agree some sales to balance the books if they are going to spend significantly on a new defender.