Arsenal latest: Arda Guler makes transfer decision as private player meeting revealed

As Arsenal gear up to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this weekend, we take a look at the latest surrounding the reigning champions

Arsenal travel to Nottingham Forest on Sunday looking to strengthen their bid for back-to-back Premier League titles. The reigning champions have made a strong start to the campaign, although Manchester City currently set the pace.

With several trophies still in their sights, Mikel Arteta's side have carried their momentum from last season into the new term. Attention will also soon turn back to the transfer market as Arteta and his staff assess where the squad could be strengthened.

Arda Guler transfer hopes over

Arda Guler appears unlikely to make the switch to north London in the near future after reportedly agreeing on fresh terms with Real Madrid. The creative genius has been associated with the Gunners for several years but is supposedly close to penning a two-year extension at the Bernabeu.

Guler, whose existing deal is set to run until 2029, had previously been the subject of worries regarding his playing time under Jose Mourinho. Nevertheless, those concerns have been addressed after he's contributed one goal and five assists across nine outings this season, creating two goals in Wednesday's 4-3 Champions League triumph over Roma.

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It represents a potential setback for Arsenal if the English giants had genuinely intended to pursue the player. That will become virtually impossible if he commits to a fresh deal that won't run out for another four-and-a-half years.

The Gunners have talent in the wide positions at present, particularly on the right flank where Guler frequently features. Bukayo Saka appears destined to have that area locked down for the foreseeable future and Guler possesses too much quality to fulfil a back-up role.

The same cannot necessarily be said for the No. 10 role, however, where Martin Odegaard has functioned throughout most of this campaign. The Norway captain remains consistent in his performances but has encountered injury problems in recent seasons, while Arsenal will want to prepare for the post-Odegaard era.

A fresh contract serves as Guler's reward for worming his way into Real's XI, a project that first began when Arteta's friend Xabi Alonso was in charge. That progress has only continued under Mourinho, who appears adamant on ensuring the Turkey international stays put.

'Secret meeting' led to title win

Mikel Merino has disclosed how a secret meeting among Arsenal players got their Premier League title push over the line. Merino spent a large portion of the title-winning campaign injured but still had some key moments in a historic season.

The Gunners unnerved fans with certain results, including blowing a 2-0 lead to draw against Wolves in February, as well as losing to Manchester City and Bournemouth in April. However, Merino opened up about how the players took it upon themselves to ensure they were mentally prepared to end the club's 22-year drought.

"One slip, and all we heard was 'same old Arsenal'. To be honest, there were doubts inside the team too," he wrote for the Players Tribune. "Giving away a 2–0 lead should never happen. But the day after the game, the players had a meeting inside the dressing room, without the boss. Everyone spoke up.

"Nobody talked about tactics. This was about how a group of human beings handle adversity together. I spoke about how I saw the team from the outside, and I said that this was something we as players had to handle, because the boss couldn't do everything for us.

"When one person has so many tasks at one club, you need leaders who can figure things out on their own. Well, at this club, we do.

"In my view, that was the day we won the title. Even when we lost to Bournemouth and City, that meeting kept us together. We decided to use all the criticism as fuel, and thanks to social media we saw everything."