Arsenal's Next Phase: Midfield Plans and Key Signings
Arsenal’s title party is barely over, but the next phase of Mikel Arteta’s project is already roaring into life. A Premier League crown finally rests in North London again; now comes the hard part – staying there.
Scott on the radar as midfield plans take shape
Arsenal’s recruitment team has turned its gaze to the south coast. Alex Scott, valued at around £60million by Bournemouth, is being closely monitored as the club weighs up its midfield options for another tilt at the title and a Champions League campaign.
Scott’s stock has risen sharply. The 22-year-old will head to America with England’s training squad this summer and, after helping Bournemouth into European football, has become one of the most coveted young midfielders in the league. His club missed out on the Champions League after Liverpool finished fifth, but Europa League nights are coming to the Vitality Stadium.
Arsenal’s interest is framed by concerns over Martin Zubimendi’s form towards the end of the season. The Spaniard has formed a strong partnership with Declan Rice for much of this title-winning campaign, yet Myles Lewis-Skelly’s recent elevation has underlined that nothing is guaranteed in Arteta’s engine room.
Chelsea and Manchester United are also tracking Scott. The battle for the next great Premier League midfielder is already forming, and Arsenal do not want to watch it from the sidelines.
Julián Álvarez: tug of war with Spain in the way
Up front, the story is more complicated. Julián Álvarez, fresh from another prolific season – 20 goals and 10 assists after hitting 29 the year before – is the kind of forward who would sharpen any champion’s attack.
Barcelona and Arsenal are circling. Or at least, they would like to be.
Reports suggest Álvarez would prefer to remain in Spain this summer, a stance that hands Barcelona a clear advantage over the Gunners. The Catalan club’s finances, though, are a familiar obstacle. Any move will be difficult to execute, and Fabrizio Romano has stated there are no active talks for the forward at this stage.
For Arsenal, who have already coaxed strong performances out of Viktor Gyökeres but crave another top-level striker to share the load, Álvarez would be a statement signing. For now, it remains an ambition rather than a negotiation.
Selhurst Park turns red and white
If there was any doubt about how much this title meant, Selhurst Park answered it.
Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy in front of thousands of travelling supporters, days after ending a 22-year wait to be crowned champions of England. The match itself – a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke – felt almost secondary to what followed.
Tickets for the away end were treated like treasure. Fans on trains into South London traded stories of eye-watering offers to give them up. Nobody budged. You don’t sell your place in history.
When Martin Ødegaard finally hoisted the trophy, after receiving his winners’ medal, the away end dissolved into chaos and catharsis. Two decades of frustration, near-misses and rebuilds poured out in one roar.
On the touchline, the architect of it all could no longer hold back.
Arteta’s tears, and a manager on the brink of an era
Mikel Arteta stood on the Selhurst Park pitch, kissed his wife, and cried.
This was not the manager who had finished second three years running, forced to watch others celebrate while he picked through the wreckage. This was a coach finally holding the trophy that had eluded him, the culmination of more than six years of relentless work since he took the Arsenal job.
His players and backroom staff turned the away end into a travelling street party. Arteta, usually so controlled, allowed himself to be swept up in it. The emotion told its own story: this title had been built, not bought.
His reward will not just be memories. He is set to become the longest-serving current manager across England’s top four divisions once Pep Guardiola leaves Manchester City and Harrogate Town drop out of the EFL. As of tomorrow, Arteta will have been in charge for six years and 150 days, the longest active reign in English football.
The symmetry is striking. Before taking over at Arsenal, he spent three years as Guardiola’s assistant at City. Now, with his mentor stepping away from the Premier League, Arteta has the chance to carve out his own decade-long dynasty in North London.
The club hierarchy intend to back that vision. Reports claim Arteta will be handed a new contract and a £250million transfer budget this summer. Sporting Director Andrea Berta is expected to prioritise attacking reinforcements, with Álvarez and Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi among the names linked. Central midfield remains another key area, with Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali both under consideration.
The message from owners Stan and Josh Kroenke, laid out before the Burnley game, was clear: this is only the beginning.
Trossard calm over future and competition
Not everyone’s future is straightforward, but Leandro Trossard sounds in no rush to leave.
The Belgian, who has a year left on his current deal, has strongly hinted he expects to remain at the Emirates beyond the World Cup. Speculation has swirled around his name, especially with Arsenal linked to another left-sided attacker such as Nico Williams, yet Trossard is unfazed by the idea of extra competition.
“At the moment, yes. I still have one year on my contract and hopefully first we win the Champions League. Then I think next season can be another very nice season,” he said when asked if he sees himself staying. On new arrivals, he added: “They can bring in whoever they want. I know that I can hold my own.”
It is the kind of self-assurance Arteta demands. Whether the club cashes in or doubles down remains to be seen.
Exodus or evolution?
Behind the celebrations, there is the cold arithmetic of squad building. CBS Sports reported this week that as many as eight Arsenal players could leave this summer: Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, Martin Ødegaard and Cristhian Mosquera were all named.
Arteta rotated heavily for the final league game at Crystal Palace, with Mosquera, Martinelli and Jesus starting, while Ødegaard and Havertz watched from the bench before likely cameos. The Champions League final against PSG looms, and so does a summer of hard choices.
To fund another major window, Arsenal will have to sell. The question is how ruthless they are prepared to be with a title-winning group.
Hein, Kepa and the goalkeeping shuffle
One decision appears close to final.
Goalkeeper Karl Hein is set to leave Arsenal permanently after slipping down the pecking order. The 24-year-old, effectively deemed surplus to requirements when Kepa Arrizabalaga arrived as understudy to David Raya, spent the season on loan at Werder Bremen.
It was a frustrating spell: just two appearances, though one was a Bundesliga debut away to Bayern Munich in a 4-0 defeat. Even so, Bremen are expected to sign him permanently in a deal worth around £2.6million, ending his eight-year stay in North London. Hein made only one senior appearance for Arsenal, a League Cup loss to Brighton in 2022.
Kepa’s own future is far from settled. Inter Milan are interested in the Spaniard, according to reports in Italy. Initially, the Nerazzurri had lined up Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario to replace Yann Sommer, but those plans have shifted. Josep Martinez is set to become No1, with Kepa identified as a potential No2.
Arsenal paid £5million to bring him from Chelsea last year and used him 11 times, all in cup competitions. Another quiet reshaping of Arteta’s squad may be coming in goal.
Kroupi, Bournemouth and a title-defining goal
Few players have had a bigger say in Arsenal’s season without wearing the shirt.
Eli Junior Kroupi’s late strike in Bournemouth’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City confirmed Arsenal as champions. The France Under-21 forward has since admitted his phone has been buzzing with messages from Gunners players.
“Yes I have received many messages but I tell myself that I didn’t do this for Arsenal. I do this for Bournemouth,” he told Stadium Astro. “I can say I scored against Arsenal, I scored against City. It doesn’t change anything, I just wanted to help my team.”
The next step in his career remains open. Bournemouth need just a point away to Nottingham Forest today to secure Champions League qualification, a result that could shape where Kroupi plays his football next season. Arsenal are among the clubs linked with him this summer as they look to add firepower and versatility to their forward line.
Barcelona eye Kiwior as Arsenal weigh up defence
At the back, there is interest in one of Arsenal’s most adaptable defenders.
Barcelona are assessing a move for Jakub Kiwior, who has spent the season on loan at Porto. The Polish international has been extensively scouted by the La Liga champions, with Hansi Flick keen to add a quick, left-footed centre-back capable of operating in a high line and possession-heavy system.
Kiwior, 26, fits the profile. Comfortable stepping out with the ball and able to play at left-back or in defensive midfield, he offers the kind of flexibility that appeals to top clubs. Barca’s first choice is understood to be Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni, but the Italian may prove too expensive, nudging Kiwior higher up their list.
For Arsenal, it is another potential fork in the road: cash in on a valuable asset or keep a versatile defender for the grind of another multi-front campaign.
Fernandes and the next evolution of the midfield
If there is one area Arteta refuses to let stagnate, it is midfield.
Declan Rice and Zubimendi have powered Arsenal through much of this title charge, yet the late-season emergence of Lewis-Skelly and the links to new names show the club are already planning the next iteration.
According to The Times, Arteta is a keen admirer of Mateus Fernandes, particularly his influence in both penalty areas. With Arsenal facing the challenge of defending their title and navigating another deep European run, extra depth in midfield feels less like a luxury and more like a necessity – especially if Rice were to suffer any significant injury.
Fernandes would not arrive as a headline-grabber, but as a piece of insurance for a side that intends to go the distance again.
Tzolis leaves the door ajar
On the wings, another name has entered the frame.
Christos Tzolis, reborn at Club Brugge after a difficult spell at Norwich, has smashed past 20 goals from out wide in each of his two seasons in Belgium. That form has attracted the attention of Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City.
The 22-year-old is not pushing any particular badge. “It’s not up to me to decide,” he told DAZN when asked about his Premier League suitors. “We’ll see what the best option is for me. It’s not just about the name. We also have to ask ourselves what the best project is.”
For a club selling a project as much as a pay packet, Arsenal will believe they are firmly in that conversation.
A title has been won, the trophy has been kissed, and the tears have dried. Now comes the real test: can Arsenal turn one glorious season into an era?
