The Ornacle speaks: Two medicals scheduled for today

Early this morning, David Ornstein, the alpha and omega of all things Arsenal news-related, gave the Gunner fanbase the news they were hoping to hear following Uruguay’s untimely exit from the World Cup: much-discussed Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira would be arriving in London for his Arsenal medical, forgoing a return to Montevideo with his Uruguayan teammates in favor of wrapping up his move to Arsenal from Sampdoria.

Despite the fact that nearly everyone who has been following this transfer knew it was bound to happen, the news comes as great relief. Due to the World Cup, Torreira’s transfer to Arsenal was put in a holding pattern, inviting doubt into only the most skeptical Arsenal fans. For the rest, it was a time of hopeful anxiety, as supporters prepared for the signing of a player that many have viewed as the missing defensive piece to Arsenal’s midfield.

While anyone with a passing interest in Arsenal knew about Torreira, none could have predicted the pursuit of Matteo Guendouzi from Ligue 2 side FC Lorient. Although the medical for the young French international comes as a surprise, the youth angle should not, as Arsenal were in heavy pursuit of PSG youngster Yacine Adli earlier in the summer and had all but announced his signing until he got cold feet and decided to remain in France.

With these two medicals scheduled, it should indicate a few things for Arsenal, namely that 1) Emery is not overlooking the club’s long-term future, 2) the Yacine Adli debacle was not going to linger or affect the goal of the transfer window, and 3) Arsenal’s incoming first-team summer transfer business is, for all intents and purposes, done and dusted, a drastic change to the laggard transfer windows of recent years.

Keep your eyes peeled for official announcements in the coming days.