No news is good news, they say. Whoever 'they' is, 'they' need to know it's not the case when you're trying to strengthen a squad.
Perhaps the delay in the announcements is down to the fact the season has just finished and one of Arsenal's targets, Man City skipper Gundogan, was involved in the FA Cup final. Despite being the wrong side of 30, no one is going to complain if he signs for Arsenal on a free transfer. The chances of it happening are remote, though, as La Liga is beckoning. However, the player has aspirations to be a coach, so if Arsenal give Gundogan the chance to help out in that respect, it could help them seal the deal.
Chance of Gundogan signing: 5/10.
Many believe that Moses Caceido signing for Arsenal is almost a 'done deal'. Seeing as it's going to cost a monstrous £75m, I can't really see it happening at that price. Maybe if Brighton drop their asking price to £50-60m, a deal could be completed. The fly in the ointment is Brighton don't need to sell the player, whom Arsenal tried unsuccessfully to sign in January. Caceido recently signed a new deal. For that reason, I don't think a deal will be finalised.
Chance of Caceido signing: 4/10.
Finally, let's consider Declan Rice. Is he a £100m player? If you ask West Ham fans, they'll say he's not had a great season. As an outside watching the occasional Hammers game, he's looked the real deal on the occasions that I've watched. In the past, Arsenal have coughed up big cash for tough-tackling midfielders: Brian Talbot comes to mind. Could Rice be the next? I think 'yes', but there's a lot of negotiating to do before it happens. Although Arsenal clearly want Rice to become a legend at the club like his namesake Pat did, £100m sounds a tad expensive. Is Rice worth as much as an attacking midfielder like Jack Grealish, who has only recently begun justifying his exorbitant price tag?
Chance of Rice signing: 7/10
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