Declan Rice Ireland question answered as Arsenal ‘considered’ late transfer move

There’s not too much longer to wait until Premier League action returns for Arsenal with international fixtures now well underway.

For the Gunners, eyes turn to the North London Derby, a game where they will be without midfielders Declan Rice and Mikel Merino. Rice is serving a one-game suspension after his red card vs Brighton, while Merino has to wait for his debut after suffering a shoulder injury during training.

The game against Brighton ended in a 1-1 draw, ending the Gunners’ 100 percent win record this season going into the first international break. The game against Tottenham will be the perfect opportunity to bounce back with a potential North London Derby win providing a big boost.

While we wait for the game to come around, football.london have taken a look at some of the stories doing the rounds. We’ve also given our own thoughts on the situation.allegiances

Declan Rice reception verdict

Republic of Ireland defender Seamus Colman has brushed off a question about the reception that Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice will get when he comes up against the nation for England on Saturday.

The Arsenal man played three friendlies for Ireland before switching his allegiances to England. With eyes on him and Jack Grealish, in a similar situation at the weekend.

“Do they deserve it? I think that’s a leading question for me to give you a headline,” Colman told reporters when previewing the game.

“Listen, they chose who they wanted to represent. I’ve said it for long enough: whatever they feel they are, that’s what they chose to be.

“I know Declan came and played three games—I can only speak of Declan as a person. He’s a good guy, a top player, as everyone knows.

“But I just want lads that want to represent Ireland, and we’ve got that. We’re eager to do well.

“Those lads have gone their own way, and what reception they get, I don’t know. But it’s been a few years now, so it’s not something that concerns me anymore.”

FL Says: It is expected that both Rice and Grealish will be jeered and booed by the home crowd on Saturday, with the debate around switching allegiances once you’ve played friendlies also likely to rear its head again. For Rice, it will be business as usual.

Despite still only being 25 years old, he’s experienced enough to be able to cope with a hostile environment. With the midfielder not available for the North London Derby, he will be hoping to get as many minutes as possible for England in the Nations League this week.

Arsenal ‘considered’ late transfer move

Arsenal ‘considered’ a late move for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo in the final days of the summer transfer window, with the forward on their list of targets, according to reports.

The Daily Mail claimed that a potential move was ‘explored’ by Arsenal’s recruitment team during the transfer window as the Gunners wanted to strengthen their forward line. They completed a deadline day move for Raheem Sterling on loan from Chelsea.

FL says: Mbeumo has been a key player for Brentford so far this season, scoring three goals in three matches for the Bees as they adapt to life without Ivan Toney. The forward has probably been overshadowed by his teammate, but has been a big player for his club since their promotion in 2021.

The sale of Toney on deadline day means that had Arsenal decided to make a late move for Mbeumo, they may have found resistance from Brentford. The Bees are unlikely to have wanted to sell two key players late in the same window.