Club are set to pass the £200m mark as they look to assemble a title-winning team
Arsenal’s proactivity in the transfer market can be interpreted as an admission that their squad was not strong enough last season.
The Gunners made five signings last summer (including two loans), but sanctioned 12 exits.
An injury crisis that ripped through Mikel Arteta’s squad exposed a debilitating lack of depth in key areas, particularly in attack.
Arteta retains the confidence of the boardroom and large swathes of the fanbase, but after five trophyless seasons and three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League, pressure is starting to build.
Expectations will increase further in light of Arsenal’s spending.
Viktor Gyokeres scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting Lisbon last season (Photo: Getty)
Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga have already cost around £75m, and the £200m mark will be surpassed once deals for Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, and Cristhian Mosquera have been finalised.
The six recruits will strengthen Arteta’s squad significantly, and there could be further additions with Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze also on Arsenal’s radar.
Arteta has an abundance of options to choose from, but how will Arsenal shape up for the start of next season?
Kepa to rival Raya
David Raya will begin the campaign as first-choice, but he faces more serious competition for his place from Spanish compatriot Kepa Arrizabalaga than he did from Neto.
Kepa had a brilliant season on loan at Bournemouth, recording the fourth-best save percentage rate in the Premier League, just behind Raya.
Furthermore, he conceded two fewer goals than he should have based on the quality of shots faced, according to FBREF.
Sloppiness crept into Raya’s game towards the end of last season, and renewed competition will benefit him and Arsenal.
Mosquera signed as Saliba cover
Mosquera will provide cover for three of the four defensive positions, having played as centre-back on both sides and as a right-back for Valencia.
The 21-year-old may predominantly act as backup to William Saliba, given the similarities in their playing styles.
According to Opta, Mosquera won 76.4 per cent of his duels when dribbled at by an opponent, the best rate in La Liga.
Saliba was second to Nikola Milenkovic in the Premier League in that metric.
The backline mostly picks itself, as Saliba’s partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes has been pivotal to Arsenal conceding the fewest goals in the Premier League in each of the last two seasons, while Myles Lewis-Skelly has signed a long-term contract after an outstanding breakthrough campaign at left-back.
Right-back is trickier to call, but Jurrien Timber may have the edge over Ben White with the latter enduring an injury-ravaged campaign.
Arsenal’s 2025-26 signings
Completed
Martin Zubimendi (£55m from Real Sociedad)
Christian Norgaard (£15m from Brentford)
Kepa Arrizabalaga (£5m from Chelsea)
Agreed
Viktor Gyokeres (£63.5m from Sporting Lisbon)
Noni Madueke (£52m from Chelsea)
Cristhian Mosquera (£16m from Valencia)
Zubimendi to anchor midfield
Arsenal’s pursuit of Zubimendi was protracted, with the club first exploring a potential deal with Real Sociedad last summer when they bought Mikel Merino.
The 26-year-old will double up as a progressive passer and ball winner at the base of midfield.
Compared to his Sociedad teammates, Zubimendi ranked third for completed passes, second for tackles and top for interceptions per-90 minutes in 2024-25.
Norgaard will be Zubimendi’s understudy in that role.
Arsenal wanted to replace the experience lost by Jorginho and Thomas Partey’s exits, and the 31-year-old Dane will fill that void, having played 122 Premier League games over the past four seasons.
Partey was released four days before being charged with rape and sexual assault by the Crown Prosecution Service.
With Zubimendi and Norgaard filling the No 6 position, Declan Rice will be freed up to play in his best box-to-box role.
Club captain Martin Odegaard had a poor season by his standards, but is the first-choice playmaker.
He could face renewed competition from Kai Havertz and potentially Eze if he moves across London.
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Finally, a new No 9
Arsenal have looked a centre-forward short ever since Gabriel Jesus succumbed to injury problems and a loss of form.
Havertz has led the line well over the past season-and-a-half, but lacks the ruthlessness of an elite No 9.
The hope will be that Gyokeres fills that void.
The Swede scored 97 goals in 102 matches for Sporting Lisbon, firing them to a first league trophy in three years and back-to-back titles for the first time since the 1950s.
Arsenal will hope he can help end their 22-year wait for a Premier League crown.
Bukayo Saka should relish playing alongside Gyokeres, given his relentless off-the-ball running and is a guaranteed starter on the right wing.
Madueke’s arrival does at least give Arteta the option to rest and rotate Saka more.
The ex-Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate could challenge Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing, too.
Madueke started in that position in four of his last five league games for Chelsea, as well as in the Conference League final.
How Arsenal could line up next season
4-3-3: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Gyokeres, Madueke