Deadline Day - LIVE BLOG

By Nick Lander

This page needs manually refreshing.

23:50 - Well, that's the live blog over for this window. Thank you for joining in the ride through an historic day for Arsenal as the club transfer record was smashed by a colossal £27m with Mesut Özil's arrival from Real Madrid. Arsenal have now paid the 2nd most for a player (within the Premier League), after Chelsea's £50m for Fernando Torres. The club also brought in goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano from Palermo.

The rest of the season awaits and with a midfield of that quality, who knows what it will bring!

23:32 - Özil also turned down PSG. The French champions made a larger offer than the Gunners, but the Wenger effect was a bigger pull and brought the German international to the Emirates.

23:25 - Sounds like United managed to sneak Fellaini through and possibly Coentrao too...

23:19 - Harry Redknapp is giving his first interview from the window of a car this deadline day. Likely to say something about having tried to sign Özil any minute...

23:00 - THE TRANSFER WINDOW IS NOW SHUT

Have there been any late deals snuck through under the radar? Did Manchester United manage to complete the signing of Marouane Fellaini?

22:57 - Jack Wilshere bills Özil as the "signing of the summer," tweeting: "Signing of the summer! Easily! Fantastic player, plays the 'Arsenal way'. Welcome @MesutOzil1088 absolutely buzzing!

22:53 - Özil takes the number 11 shirt.

22:51 - Many Arsenal players have Facebooked or Tweeted their welcome to Özil already, Santi Cazorla said: "Welcome @MesutOzil1088 such an amazing player"

22:47 - That will almost certainly be the end of Arsenal's transfer dealings for the summer, unless we've a massive surprise on the way in the next 13 minutes.

Are we happy with the summer then?

22:45 - Mesut Özil's message to Real Madrid fans from his official Facebook page: "Dear fans of Real Madrid,

"Thank you very much for three wonderful years with all of you. My time at Real Madrid was unique and special for me. Sometimes things develop differently, than I would have expected them to a few days ago. Although I’m leaving Real Madrid I wish you and the team the very best for the future.

"Now I’m looking forward to my new club: THE GUNNERS!"

22:34 - Özil quotes from Arsenal.com "I am thrilled to be joining a club of the stature of Arsenal and am looking forward to playing in the Premier League. It will be great for my own personal development as a player and I am particularly looking forward to working with Arsène Wenger.

“From our negotiations it is clear the Club has huge ambition and I look forward to being part of an exciting future.”

22:32 - Everton now apparently in pole position for Lukaku... (SkySports)

22:26 - A little bit more on Demba Ba too... He apparently refused to move anywhere other than Arsenal, which Jose Mourinho refused to allow. That's forced him to allow Romelu Lukaku to move to West Brom on loan.

22:23 - He's spoken. There's a new German in the squad.

22:20 - David Ornstein now saying that Özil will be announced inside the next half an hour.

22:15 - John Cross says that Özil is definitely done and dusted, just not yet been announced.

22:00 - JUST ONE MORE HOUR NOW

21:48 - The Daily Express are reporting that Arsenal have been in touch with PSG about Javier Pastore. Slight possibility that he would be allowed to leave if they manage to bring Mata in, but that doesn't sound particularly likely.

21:40 - Some suggestion that Arsenal have had an enquiry over Javier Mascherano knocked back by Barcelona, must say I think that's an unlikely sounding move.

20:44 - As it stands Nicklas Bendtner will stay at Arsenal as back up to Giroud, that is unless Wenger manages to secure an alternative to Ba before 23:00 tonight.

20:28 - David Ornstein (BBC Sport) and John Cross (Daily Mirror) both reporting that Demba Ba to Arsenal is dead. Arsenal seen as too much of rival to loan to.

Can't say I'm too disappointed, but Arsenal now need to move fast for alternative targets, another striker is a must. No real depth there were Giroud to get injured.

See 20:10 for who I'd like...

20:13 - BBC Sport reporting that Özil's signing is "is being processed. Essentially done and dusted."

20:10 - Spurs apparently not interested in Ba.

I still think we should be aiming higher, either Torres or Rooney.

19:46 - Developments on the Demba Ba front. SkySports reporting that Chelsea have agreed terms with an unnamed Premier League club for his loan. They did however say that the club is not Arsenal or Tottenham, who have both made offers.

19:26 - Arsenal.com have Wenger saying that: “Viviano is a player that we have rated for some time and we are very pleased to have signed him on loan. He’s experienced and has proved himself at a high level, and provides us with excellent cover to our existing goalkeepers.”

19:12 - Emiliano Viviano has been officially annouced by Arsenal now though...

19:05 - Still no announcement on Özil, but Pitch Invasion TV now reporting that Arsenal have returned to Manchester United with a new offer for Wayne Rooney.

18:25 - So, are you happy with another keeper being brought in? Tweet me, @nlander94, message the N5 Blog on Facbook and use the comments below. And of course don't forget to use #N5BlogLive when you're tweeting!

18:22 - Palermo have confirmed that Emiliano Viviano has joined Arsenal on loan for the season.

The Gunners have paid a £1m loan fee and have the option to buy for £5m at the end of the season.

18:01 - Also when I said official conformation of Özil in the next half hour an hour and a half ago, I lied.

18:00 - FIVE HOURS OF THE TRANSFER WINDOW REMAINIG

16:48 - It does sound like Juan Mata is on his way out of Chelsea, but not going to Arsenal. BBC Sport reporting that he's in talks with PSG.

16:31 - Still waiting on official conformation on , but in the meantime, his Twitter account (@MesutOzil1088) has more followers than Arsenal's...

Anyone would think there wasn't very much happening...

16:18 - Arsenal are expected to announce Mesut Özil's signature inside the next half hour or so.

16:14 - Less than seven hours to go and Twitter says that the Danish press have said Bendtner's on the verge of that move to Palace.

15:17 - All quiet at the moment. Suspect things may get a bit busier this evening.

To recap, Demba Ba on loan is a distinct possibility, but Chelsea are demanding a £3m loan fee. Seems high, not only that, Chelsea aren't keen on letting him go to a direct rival and there's a fair bit of competition for him, from the likes of Napoli, Valencia and Newcastle.

Mesut Özil and Emiliano Viviano both seem to be on the verge of being announced. Özil coming for €50m and Viviano initially coming in on a season-long loan.

14:45 - Sounds like Nicklas Bendtner may indeed be on his way. Apparently spotted at Crystal Palace's training ground.

Be slightly surprising if that one comes off and I'm sure selling him elsewhere in the Premier League may well come back to haunt us.

14:11 - The size of the loan fee for Ba is making the deal sound less and less attractive...

13:51 - SkySports now running the Ba story. You're after the wrong striker Arsenal, THE WRONG ONE!!

13:15 - Must say, I cannot see why Chelsea would go through with a loan deal for Demba Ba. Were anything possible, surely that would have to be a permanent deal.

Still some mutterings about Angel Di Maria too. If we're in for a winger though, I think I'd prefer Barcelona's Cristian Tello.

13:11 - Possible that there will also be exits today. Club still trying to offload Park Chu-Young and Nicklas Bendtner. Unlikely, but you never know.

12:50 - Sounds like Özil's medical may well be done... Will absolutely smash Arsenal's transfer record. Forced out of Madrid, good signing for the Gunners.

12:46 - There are now a few mumblings appearing on the blogosphere and Twitter about Fernando Torres to Arsenal... Definitely to be taken with a pinch of salt, but they apparently originate from the print edition of La Marca. Don't know if anyone can confirm?

But get involved anyway!! Tweet me, @nlander94, message the N5 Blog on Facbook and use the comments below. And of course don't forget to use #N5BlogLive when you're tweeting!

12:34 - Plenty of chants of "Where's your monkey gone?" at the Emirates yesterday, and Gareth Bale has now been presented as a Real Madrid player.

Elsewhere, Liverpool have been busy, signing Mamadou Sahko, Victor Moses (loan) and Tiago Ilori.

12:23 - Being reported now that Özil has agreed a £115,00 per week contract. Fee of £42.4m.

Guillem Balague says on SkySports that it was all agreed on Friday.

12:00 - JUST ELEVEN HOURS LEFT

11:55 - The Mirror's John Cross is reporting that Arsenal have persuaded Özil to join. Likely ends any interest in Newcastle's Cabaye, much to their relief.

It does sound then, like Viviano and Özil will soon be announced.

11:53 - FranceFootball are reporting that Arsenal have made a move for Demba Ba.

I still maintain that Torres would be a far better buy. We can afford him, why not do for it?!

11:47 - One player Arsenal definitely won't be signing is Josuha Guilavogui he's joined Athletico Madrid. He had been linked with a move to N5 over the last couple of weeks.

11:20 - All quiet on the transfer front really. SkySports saying that Arsenal are 'confident' on Özil, but that any deal will be signed in Germany, where the 24-year-old is with the national team.

11:00 - TWELVE HOURS OF THE TRANSFER WINDOW REMAIN

10:54 - Away from transfers for a moment, Olivier Giroud won the Arsenal.com man of the match for yesterday. Can't argue with that. Possibly his best performance in an Arsenal shirt?

10:46 - Worth pointing out also, you will need to manually refresh this page. Sadly I can't set this up to auto-refresh, so make sure you do to keep up with what's going on!

Just as importantly, get involved! Tweet me - @nlander94, use the hash-tag #N5BlogLive, comment on the Facebook page wall or in the comments section below.

10:41 - BBC Sport are reporting that Manchester United are definitely not in for Özil. If he will leave Madrid, it seems the Gunners have a pretty free run to sign him. United's focus is on raiding Everton for Marouane Fellaini.

10:32 - So far of course, Arsenal have only brought in Yaya Sanogo and Mathieu Flamini on free transfers.

What do you think of my Torres idea and who do you want to see come in? Get involved by tweeting me(@nlander94), using the hash-tag #N5BlogLive, commenting on the Facebook page wall or through the comments below. 

10:17 - Also possible that Arsene Wenger is interested in bringing in some of Angel Di Maria, Julian Draxler, Abel Hernandez, Demba Ba and Yohan Cabaye.

If Arsenal are going in for a Chelsea striker though, I'd much prefer Fernando Torres. Perhaps a deal could be done around the £20m mark...

10:09 - As well as Özil the Gunners are widely expected to complete a season-long loan deal for Palermo goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano, with a medical said to be scheduled for this morning.

10:03 - All the speculation last night in the wake of the North London Derby was about Mesut Özil joining from Real Madrid. Arsenal are believed to have had a £42.5m bid accepted, but is the player keen on leaving Los Blancos? That remains to be seen, with La Marca reporting this morning that the move was stalling...

There have also been reports of rival interest from Manchester United and free-spending PSG.

09:58 - Welcome to the first ever Live N5 Blog. I'm going to be taking you all the way through deadline day, complete with all the rumours and done deals coming out of the club and the best from elsewhere.

Get involved by tweeting me, @nlander94, by commenting on the Facebook page wall and through the comments below.

After a brilliant victory yesterday in the NLD, can Arsenal make it two memorable days in a row? It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy the deadline day ride!!

La Liga Duo Set for Arsenal - Plus RVP Latest

Sahin is said to be set for a season-long loan in N5

By Nick Lander

Santi Cazorla is widely expected to be confirmed as an Arsenal player in the next couple of days - possibly even later this evening (Thursday). The Spanish international is set to leave Malaga's financial difficulties behind and join Arsenal on a 4 year, £70,000 per week deal. There are still large discrepancies in the reporting of his transfer fee, but it is probably €16m or £12.5m which is an absolute bargain - though the fee could be as high as €24m.

The attacking midfielder missed training today, with his club's permission, and is understood to be scheduled for an Arsenal today. A player who's creativity has been compared to former Gunner Cesc Fabregas' Cazorla's signature will be a very shrewd piece of business from Arsene Wenger, who will have secured a fantastic player for a reasonable price - something which is increasingly difficult in today's market.

Another player who is set to move to Arsenal is Real Madrid's Nuri Sahin. Despite Wenger outright denying it in his final Asia Tour press conference, the Turkish midfielder is reported to be on the verge of securing a season-long loan spell in North London. The talented midfielder has struggled for game time in the Spanish capital, following his move from Borussia Dortmund last summer, partially through injury.

With Jack Wilshere unlikely to return until October at the earliest, Sahin would effectively be signed as cover for the Englishman. The Gunners will also be missing Tomas Rosicky from their midfield at the start of the season, and doubts over Abou Diaby's ability to stay fit for an extended period of time still linger.

Some quarters of the media have begun to suggest that Wenger's recent activity in the transfer market has begun to change Robin van Persie's mind about leaving the club. The striker is understood to prefer a move abroad, rather than to either of the Manchester clubs, but Juventus are the only foreign side to have placed a bid and their manager, Antonio Conte, is facing a lengthy suspension after being found to have played a part in the latest match fixing scandal to blight Italian football, whilst with previous club Siena. Van Persie publicly expressed this intentions to snub a new Arsenal deal at the beginning of July. It has now been suggested that the mood of the entire Arsenal squad has lifted with the imminent arrival of Cazorla and that van Persie is seriously considering a U-turn.

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Arsenal Reject van Persie Bids

By Nick Lander

Arsenal are believed to have received and rejected three bids for Robin van Persie this morning. Understood to be from Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus, none of the bids topped £15m, way below the Gunners' £20m asking price.

Van Persie announced that he would not sign an Arsenal contract extension at the beginning of July, and there has been a flurry of speculation since. The striker joined Arsenal for just £2.75m back in 2004 from Feyenoord. With 48 goals in his last 55 Premier League games, van Persie is on form - it took him 139 games to score his first 48 Premiership goals - and the Gunners are unwilling to even enter formal talks with any bidding party until they receive an offer of at least £20m.

Having scored a goal every 111 minutes he was on the pitch in 2011/12 with a league high 58% of his shots on target, it is unsurprising the amount of interest there is in Arsenal's captain. In addition to the three clubs who have already bid, AC Milan are expected to get involved at some stage, and both Real Madrid and Barcelona are understood to have an interest in signing the Dutchman.

Following these bids, van Persie is now set to be left behind from Arsenal's forthcoming Asia tour, in order to work on his fitness (finalise a move elsewhere). If their valuation of their player is not met, Arsenal are believed to be prepared to hold him to the final year of his contract and lose him for nothing next summer.

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Ganso, Rodriguez, Paulinho on Arsenal Radar

Jese Rodriguez

By Nick Lander

Arsenal are believed to be considering a move for Real Madrid youngster Jese Rodriguez. The Spain Under-19 international plays in Madrid's B team. A talented attacker, he bagged 5 goals during this summers European U-19 Championships for Spain, scoring the winner in the final. Last summer he was part of Jose Mourinho's 1st team squad during pre-season, but was then returned to the B team, so he obviously has potential. A move is no certainty, but Madrid would probably accept an offer in the region of £10m for the 19 year old, who is growing unsettled because of his lack of first team opportunities.

Ganso is set for a European move

22 year old Santos playmaker Ganso is also said to be of interest to the Gunners, who will be scouting him this evening (Friday) as he plays for the Brazil Olympic team against Aaron Ramsey's TeamGB in a friendly at the Riverside. The midfielder, who has 8 caps for Brazil, is set for a move away from his homeland after talks over a new contract broke down. AC Milan, Chelsea and Tottenham are also believed to be considering moves for the Brazilian, but the Daily Mail is reporting that Arsene Wenger is on the verge of sanctioning a £15m move for him.

The Gunners are also believed to have made a £9m offer for Brazilian attacking midfielder Paulinho. The Corinthians youngster turned in some impressive performances last season, earning himself a place in the Brazilian team of the year. A clever and creative player, Inter Milan are also reported to be interested in the 23 year old.

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Van Persie Rejects Arsenal - including club response

By Nick Lander

Robin van Persie has today confirmed that he will not be extending his stay at Arsenal, in a statement released through his official website.

Arsenal's Captain says that he has made his decision due to differing visions between himself and Arsene Wenger over how the club should move forward. He had a meeting with Wenger and Ivan Gazidis just before Euro 2012, based on which "it has again become clear to [him] that [they], in many aspects, disagree on the way Arsenal should move forward."

Van Persie has confirmed that he will have further meetings with Gazidis in the near future, but he will not sign a new deal, having "thought long and hard about it." The striker also says that he has not discussed a contract with the club "financial terms or a contract have not been discussed" as those are something which are "not [his] priority at all." His full statement is available here.

Arsenal could hold van Persie to his contract, but are likely then to miss out on receiving a transfer fee for the striker, although success in 2012/13 could convince him to extend his stay. Arsenal's other option is to sell him this summer. Manchester City are definitely interested and are believed to be considering a £20m, £200k per week offer. Abroad, Italian side Juventus have reportedly already tabled a miserly offer of £8m. It has also been suggested that Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are interested too.

The club has responded to their Captain's statement, saying that they "are confident that he will fulfil his commitments to the Club." They go on to say that they are preparing for next season with "Arsenal's best interests in mind." A statement which does not really say anything, and which suggests that the Gunners' talismanic captain may be sold for the right price. The full statement can be found here.

For Arsenal fans, it will be a very bitter pill to swallow if van Persie opts to follow in the footsteps of Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri and join Premier League champions City, and if he does he is unlikely to be remembered with much fondness. The wounds caused by Samir Nasri's protracted transfer there last summer are still very fresh.

If he decides to move abroad, van Persie will be remembered more fondly, but a move to Serie A is likely to be seen as a step down, and neither Barcelona or Real Madrid have shown firm interest as yet. Were RVP to move to Catalonia, it would have to be questioned whether he could get into the Barcelona team on a regular basis - although the same was asked of Fabregas last summer and he has done alright.

What actually happens remains to be seen, but any move is unlikely to be made in the next couple of weeks, with van Persie, Wenger and Gazidis all still believed to be on holiday. After the debacle of last summer, Arsenal fans will be hoping that an outcome (whichever way it goes) is reached sooner, rather than later, enabling the club to get on with preparations for the new season without any uncertainty.

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