Arsenal transfer news LIVE: £78m Martin Zubimendi decision, Pedro Neto interest, latest updates today

Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live Arsenal transfer news blog on Tuesday, August 18!

The Gunners are counting down towards their opening 2026-27 Premier League fixture against newly-promoted Coventry City after easing past Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield on Sunday afternoon.

Stay entirely up to date with the latest Arsenal done deals and rumours with our social-led live blog below!

Today's Arsenal transfer headlines

Jose Mourinho 'responds' to interest in Arsenal midfielder

Arsenal told Pedro Neto asking price

Arsenal transfer news today: What's happening on August 18?

Arsenal's summer began to take its most decisive shape in the days following their Community Shield victory over Manchester City, with the club now locked in a three-way Premier League contest to sign Chelsea's Pedro Neto as a direct response to the failed pursuit of Vinicius Junior.

Chelsea reportedly set a revised £100m asking price for the 26-year-old Portugal international, having originally valued the winger at closer to £70m earlier in the window before the Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola benchmarks from the same summer shifted their thinking.

Neto has made 103 appearances since joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £54m deal, contributing across the right-wing and right wing-back positions, and Chelsea are understood to be prepared to sanction his sale at the right price despite his apparent standing in Xabi Alonso's system.

Arsenal are said to be closely monitoring his situation alongside Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, with Mikel Arteta reportedly viewing Neto as an attainable profile following the summer's string of failed wide-attacker pursuits.

A further defensive avenue also remained open, with Arsenal continuing to hold discussions over an outside route to Ezri Konsa after their second proposal to Aston Villa fell short of the £60m asking price, and their contact with Atletico Madrid over Marc Pubill producing preliminary talks but no formal offer.

Staying in the Spanish capital, Jose Mourinho's response to apparent interest in Martin Zubimendi was revealed, as Arsenal hold out for a £78m fee.

Gabriel Martinelli's rejection of Galatasaray's £38.4 million bid confirmed the Brazil international intends to stay unless a more compelling destination emerges, meaning Arsenal head into the final weeks of the window with their first-team attacking options largely intact but still awaiting the wide signing Arteta has been pursuing since the start of summer.