Arsenal transfer news: Ever Banega, Cristian Pavon, Petr Cech
New head of football Raul Sanllehi aiming to clinch Argentine transfer double

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Bag Banega
Arsenal are after Ever Banega, according to an exclusive in The Sun. Unai Emery knows the Argentine international well from his time at Sevilla and is said to be keen for a reunion with the midfielder.
The newspaper reports that Raul Sanllehi thinks that clinching the deal would be a great way to kick off his new role as Arsenal’s head of football following Ivan Gazidis’s departure to AC Milan.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
According to Spanish sources, 30-year-old Banega “has an £18m buy-out clause” if the Gunners wish to prise him from his current deal, which expires at the end of next season.
That could happen as soon as January, with Emery aware that Banega may not have many playing years left.
Sanllehi targets Pavon
Another Argentine star to have caught Sanllehi’s eye is Boca Juniors winger Cristian Pavon. Football.London reports that Sanllehi has already held talks with Boca about the 22-year-old.
Pavon has “established himself as a fan favourite” at Boca, says The Sun, and is reportedly also a target for Manchester City.
Cech faces uncertain future
Petr Cech has admitted he is playing for his future at Arsenal, reports Sky Sports. The veteran goalkeeper says he is feeling the heat from Bernd Leno following an indifferent start to the season with the Gunners.
Leno to start?
Cech, 36, has started all of Arsenal’s Premier League games this season but he has looked unsure at times under Emery’s new approach.
That’s led to calls in some quarters for the selection of Leno, who arrived at the Emirates in the summer in a £19.2m move from Bayer Leverkusen.
Leno is expected to get his chance tonight when Arsenal play Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League.
A good performance from the 26-year-old will only increase the pressure on Cech, who has yet to be offered a contract extension, with less than 12 months remaining on his current deal.
See what happens
Asked if he expected to sign a new deal with the Gunners, Cech said: “I’m in the last year of the contract so I guess it depends on my performances, the way I play and the way I stay fit throughout the season, then we’ll see what happens next.”
Cech saw off competition from Colombian keeper David Ospina in recent seasons for the No. 1 shirt and says he has no problem with the challenge from Leno.
“When you bring players in, you do that to improve the squad and to make it competitive and Bernd is here, trains every day and tries to get his spot, which keeps everyone in the goalkeeping group on their toes including me,” he said.
“I have to work hard not only to make sure the manager picks me for the weekend but as well that he sticks with me.”
Complicated
Admitting that the goalkeeper situation at the Gunners is “complicated”, Cech continued: “Only one can play, so the competition is bigger. At the moment I’ve been playing and I try to do my best and hope the manager is happy with my performances.
“In sport this is the way it goes - you always have someone waiting for your failure so they can jump in and you have to find a way to keep your spot.”
According to the Daily Mirror, Leno for Cech will be one of a number of changes made by Emery for tonight’s Europa League opener, with Mohamed Elneny, Danny Welbeck and Stephan Lichtsteiner all expected to start for the Gunners.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
What to know when filing a hurricane insurance claim
The Explainer A step-by-step to figure out what insurance will cover and what else you can do beyond filing a claim
By Becca Stanek Published
-
How fees impact your investment portfolio — and how to save on them
The Explainer Even seemingly small fees can take a big bite out of returns
By Becca Stanek Published
-
Enemy without
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published
-
Pros and cons of VAR in football
Pros and Cons String of mistakes has put new technology under the microscope
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Man City’s financial charges: what next for the Premier League champions?
feature The club is alleged to have breached financial rules around 100 times over a nine-year period
By Mike Starling Published
-
Can Arsenal really win the Premier League title?
feature How the pundits reacted after the Gunners’ late 3-2 victory over Man Utd
By Mike Starling Published