Arsenal transfer scramble! Gunners asked about ‘10 wide players’ as Mikel Arteta desperately tries to get bodies on board before summer deadline

Arsenal have all but completed the transfer of Real Sociedad's Mikel Merino and will likely do so in the next few days. While the Sociedad star was the Gunners' main target for the summer, they have also been looking to sign 'wide players' before the end of the registration period.

The Gunners have made enquiries for ten wide players in recent weeks, according to The Independent's Reading the Game Newsletter. For Arsenal, Athletic Club's Nico Williams has been the major target on the wings, however, the Spain star is set to stay in the Basque region for another season and is said to prefer a move to Barcelona next summer.

While Williams would have been a signing to start regularly for Arteta's side, the Gunners are now looking towards a lower-profile, less costly winger to sign as a squad player, who would play a role similar to the one Leandro Trossard has enjoyed for the last year and a half.

With just over five days remaining until the end of the summer transfer window, Arsenal will have to hurry up their pursuit of a wide player or a winger, if they are intent on doing so. Regardless, Arteta will be focused solely on Premier League matters for now with Arsenal set to take on Brighton in their next game.