» Arsenal Set To Sign Nigerian Starlets Kelechi Nwakali & Samuel Chukwueze «

Arsène Wenger is confident that Arsenal will complete the
signings of the Nigeria youth internationals Kelechi
Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze before the transfer
deadline on Monday.
But the manager suggested he would make no senior
additions to supplement the purchase of Mohamed Elneny
as the club’s injury situation had improved significantly.
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Wenger goes into Saturday’s FA Cup tie at home to
Burnley with only Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere as long-
term casualties. Francis Coquelin is back in contention
weeks ahead of schedule after a knee problem and Tomas
Rosicky also back from knee trouble.
Danny Welbeck has returned to full training, having been
out since April of last year with a knee injury, but he will
need a few more weeks before he is competitive again.
Wenger said that David Ospina would start in goal against
Burnley and he is expected to give Elneny, who joined two
weeks ago from Basel, his full debut. Per Mertesacker is
suspended after his red card in the home loss to Chelsea
last Sunday.
“The team news is quite good because we have many
players in training,” Wenger said. “The only ones who are
off training are Wilshere and Cazorla. We have 23 players in
training, although not everybody is fully competitive.
Welbeck still needs some training but he is back in full
training.
“Will there be any other business?
No, not at the moment. As I told you, I have 23 players in
training, plus two is 25 and unless people go out, we are
not on the verge of bringing anyone in.” Nwakali, an
attacking midfielder, was the player of the Under-17 World
Cup in Chile last year, which Nigeria won, and at which his
team-mate Chukwueze, a winger, also impressed.
They are part of the Diamond Football Academy in Nigeria.
“The talks are progressing well,” Wenger said. “Do I expect
them to be done this month? Yes. Of course, there are
work permit issues and medical issues, because they have
to take medicals. But it is progressing well.
“We identified Nwakali as the player of the tournament,
basically, and as a top player. We will see if we can
manage to get it over the line during this transfer period.
[If we can], we will do it. Chukwueze is [signing] as well.”