Arsenal are already planning their summer transfers ahead of the 2026/27 campaign
Arsenal are moving swiftly with their summer transfer dealings.
The Gunners’ 2025/26 season only ended last Saturday following a penalty shoot-out loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
Despite already being crowned Premier League champions at long last, the disappointment in Budapest clearly stung manager Mikel Arteta, who wasted no time signalling his determination to strengthen significantly in the upcoming transfer window in his post-match press conference.
Josh Kroenke, son of Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke, has hinted that sporting director Andrea Berta could be handed another £250million to spend on signings, matching the club’s record outlay last summer.
Green light given on Tonali
Ex-Gunners defender Nacho Monreal thinks Arsenal would have the world’s best midfield if they sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle this summer. Tonali, 26, emerged as a transfer target in the January window after Berta was made aware of the possibility of signing him.
The Italian’s own agent is understood to have reached out to Berta as Tonali is desperate to continue playing in the Champions League next season. The Magpies’ failure to secure European football, as well as reports of Arsenal being in the market for a new central midfielder, mean Tonali has re-emerged as a potential summer acquisition.
Article continues below
Despite Arteta boasting an enviable midfield base of Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Myles Lewis-Skelly, former Gunner Monreal is backing a move for Tonali, insisting his addition would make the Gunners’ midfield unmatched by any other team.
“If Arsenal sign Tonali, obviously they will have the best midfield in the world,” said Monreal, who played 251 times for the Gunners between 2013 and 2019. “But they signed Zubimendi last year for a lot of money, so it is a difficult one.
“To have both Tonali, Zubimendi, and Rice would be a lot, so I can only imagine that they would have to sell either Zubimendi or Declan Rice if they really want Tonali. In my opinion, they already have the two best defensive midfielders in the world.”
Shock Trent Alexander-Arnold move
Teddy Sheringham has thrown Trent Alexander-Arnold’s name into the mix as a potential Arsenal acquisition. Few could have predicted the former Liverpool defender being linked with the Gunners when he left the Reds to join Real Madrid on a free transfer last summer.
However, the 27-year-old endured a hugely disappointing first campaign in Spain, having been in and out of the starting-11 due to injuries and a lack of form. His prospects for next term look even bleaker with the impending signing of Dutch right-back Denzel Dumfries.
Jose Mourinho’s appointment as manager also spells bad news for Alexander-Arnold, given the Portuguese’s reliance on solid defending — something he is known to lack. That makes him an unlikely target when it comes to Arteta’s transfer wish-list. Yet, former Tottenham striker Sheringham believes the Gunners can mask Alexander-Arnold’s defensive frailties with their impressive structure, while he could offer them the X-factor they have missed in recent times.