Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Petr Cech, Joel Campbell

Reports of Petr Cech's impending transfer from Chelsea to Arsenal are premature, according to BBC Sport's David Ornstein, although the two sides are still talking and making progress.

Earlier on Monday, reports emerged that the longtime Chelsea goalkeeper had completed his move to the Blues' city rivals, with MailSport (h/t Eurosport UK) leading the charge. The Gunners have been linked with Cech for months now, and the likes of BT Sport's Gary Lineker assumed the deal was as good as done:

But as of Monday night, no deal has been struck. Cech's move to north London still appears inevitable, although fans shouldn't start popping the champagne just yet.

David Ospina and Wojciech Szczesny both failed to convince defending the Gunners' goal during the 2014-15 campaign, and entering the transfer window, it was clear manager Arsene Wenger would try and land a top-class stopper to help push his team over the edge.

Bleacher Report's James McNicholas was one of many who identified Cech as the club's top priority, given his role as backup to Thibaut Courtois at Stamford Bridge. The veteran stopper is still a world-class option with plenty of football ahead of him, but at Chelsea, the advantage obviously went to the younger Courtois, who offers more long-term production in goal.

At 33 years of age, Cech still has plenty to offer, and the eventual fee Arsenal will be forced to pay will be relatively high for a goalkeeper. Most pundits assume he'll cost somewhere around £11 million, which would put him in the top six for most expensive stoppers of all time, per Infostrada Sports:

In today's market, such a fee would be minor, however, and you can't put a price on a quality, experienced Premier League veteran who will undoubtedly make the team better. Chelsea team-mate John Terry thinks his impact at the Emirates would be vast, per bet365:

It's rare to see a transfer of this magnitude between fierce rivals go down, but Cech's situation is almost unique. The Czech international has dedicated the bulk of his career to the Blues, and over the past decade, he has become one of the most successful players in Chelsea history.

Jose Mourinho would much rather not sell to a direct rival, but after years of loyal service, Cech has deserved the right to choose where he goes next. And with his family accustomed to life in London, Arsenal were always a logical destination.

Whether this move will shift the balance in the Premier League remains to be seen, but Arsenal's defensive solidity should be much improved heading into the 2015-16 campaign. With the experienced Cech in goal, there will be far less pressure on the back line, which had its critics last season.

For now, Chelsea remain the favourites to repeat as Premier League champions, but if Cech does make the move to the Emirates―and all signs indicate he will―Arsenal will make up a ton of ground.

Three-Way Battle for Joel Campbell

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Joel Campbell's time with the club appears all but over, as the Gunners have reportedly agreed to let the Costa Rica international leave the club for any fee starting at £5 million, according to the Daily Express' Bruce Archer.

Archer highlights Newcastle United as a possible destination, while Real Sociedad and Benfica are both willing to pay £6 million for the 22-year-old, according to the Sun's Charlie Wyett (subscription required).

A hero for his country at the 2014 World Cup, Campbell was finally given the chance to prove himself at the Emirates after spending the past few seasons out on loan. Manager Arsene Wenger never appeared to trust the young forward, however, and by January, Campbell had hardly played for the senior side. A loan to Villarreal soon followed.

He flashed tremendous potential on loan with Olympiacos and with the national team, and a change of scenery may just be what the youngster needs. Interest in his services should be high, and with a little bit of luck, the Gunners may be able to leverage said interest into a transfer sum north of £10 million, although that seems unlikely.

It's an unfortunate end to Campbell's time with the Gunners, but given the multitude of loans he had to endure, it shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Perhaps Arsenal will be able to insert a buyback clause into any potential deal, although you have to wonder why the player himself would ever agree to return to the club after receiving so few chances.

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