Arsenal agree deal with Ajax as Gunners close in on second summer signing


Arsenal have agreed a fee with Ajax and are closing in on the signing of goalkeeper Tommy Setford.

Earlier this month, the Gunners completed the £27,000,000 purchase of David Raya from Brentford after the Spain international impressed on loan last season.

Mikel Arteta, along with specialist coach Inaki Cana, are in the process of overhauling Arsenal’s goalkeeping department this summer.

Aaron Ramsdale will be allowed to leave if a suitable offer arrives and Arsenal have targeted Espanyol’s Joan Garcia as a his replacement.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have already seen one bid for Wolves’ Dan Bentley, understood to be in the region of £50,000, rejected by the Premier League club.

The 30-year-old Bentley has been identified as a capable No.3 to cover for Karl Hein who will leave on loan having signed a new contract.

Setford, meanwhile, will undergo a medical next week ahead of a deal that could eventually cost Arsenal up t £1 million, according to The Athletic.


Tommy Setford is set to sign for Arsenal from Ajax

Arsenal and Arteta, meanwhile, have made a more circumspect start to their transfer dealings this summer, compared to 12 months ago when they acted with impressive decisiveness.

‘Yes, it’s a very different summer with the Euros and the Copa America, it is different,’ said Arteta earlier this week.

‘You can tell everything is a bit slower. The market and a lot of the constraints the new rules in place have caused clubs to be more aware and it’s a bit more delicate to do business in the way that we’ve done in the last few seasons.

‘We’ve adapted to that and we still want to deliver what we want thoughout the transfer window to have a much more competitive team and improve the squad in every area that we can.’