Arsenal are reportedly in advanced talks with Hull City over sending midfielder Jon Toral to the Tigers before the transfer deadline.
The 22-year-old is a product of the Arsenal youth academy, but has struggled to make the step up and establish himself in the senior squad.
Having spent the last three seasons out on loan, including spells in the Championship, La Liga and with Rangers, it looks as though he’s set to finally land a permanent move elsewhere.
According to Sky Sports, Toral is close to completing a move to Hull, with Leonid Slutsky pushing to get them out of the Championship this season and back into the top flight.
Should the deal go through as expected, the midfield ace will become the third player to leave Arsenal in the last two days after Carl Jenkinson and Cohen Bramall sealed exits to join Birmingham City on loan for the rest of the season, as noted by Sky Sports.
It’s not quite the clear out that many expected with more established and senior players linked with exits this summer as Arsene Wenger has looked to reduce the numbers in his squad, but it’s a start with players deemed surplus to requirements being shipped out.
It remains to be seen whether or not more follow, or if indeed creating space in the squad and reducing the wage bill, albeit minimally with the players in question, allows Wenger to act again in the transfer market and bring in another new face.