Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Joel Campbell and Jonny Evans Rumours

Arsenal winger Joel Campbell is set to leave the Emirates Stadium before the end of the summer transfer window.

According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via the Daily Telegraph), Sporting Lisbon are in talks with the Gunners about bringing Campbell to the Jose Alvalade Stadium on an initial loan deal with a view to a permanent transfer.

The Costa Rica international has found chances few and far between in north London since touching down in 2011, having been sent out on loan spells to Lorient, Real Betis, Olympiakos and Villarreal.

He did feature in 19 Premier League games in 2015/16, although manager Arsene Wenger primarily deployed Campbell as a second-half substitute.

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Many fans believed the 24-year-old would kick on to bigger and better things this term, but after being left out of Wenger’s matchday squad for the opening-day defeat to Liverpool, it seems Campbell isn’t in the Frenchman’s plans.

However, Arsenal do look a little bare in the wide positions without the Costa Rican. Serge Gnabry is set to depart for a loan deal in the Bundesliga, per Sky Sports' Lyall Thomas, leaving only Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alex Iwobi and Alexis Sanchez as threats from the flanks.

Needless to say, the Arsenal faithful haven’t taken kindly to Wenger’s decision to allow Campbell to leave, with Arsenal Related writing off the club’s chances of glory in 2016/17:

It’s certainly feasible that Campbell has packed his bags to allow another player into Wenger’s squad, yet so long as the manager keeps his cards close to his chest, supporters’ doubts will continue.

Elsewhere, West Bromwich Albion’s Jonny Evans has been linked with an emergency switch to the Emirates.

Injuries have significantly weakened Arsenal’s back line, and it seems Wenger has been forced to put his hand in his pocket and approach the former Manchester United defender.

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West Brom manager Tony Pulis has admitted he’ll have a tough time keeping hold of the 28-year-old if Arsenal come calling, via Vaishali Bjardwaj of London Evening Standard: “If Arsenal come in for Jonny we will do it between the clubs. I am not going to sit here and talk about doing a deal with anyone. We want him to stay with us because he's outstanding. Thing is with Jonny, I think he could play anywhere.”

Landing Evans won’t exactly fill supporters with optimism, as if Arsenal want to stand any chance of winning the Premier League, they need to be aiming higher.

The Gunners’ squad doesn’t have the fear factor it once did. As Liverpool demonstrated on the opening day, teams are happy to go to the Emirates and take the game to Arsenal, who simply can’t cope under pressure.

Wenger needs to bring in a lethal frontman to lead the line as well as a new centre-back to steady the ship. Time is very much running out, though.