Arsenal were so close to adding the Champions League to their Premier League title triumph - now it appears Mikel Arteta wants to streamline and turbocharge his squad
05:00, 03 Jun 2026
Marcus Rashford of FC Barcelona during the La Liga EA Sports 2025/26 ''El Clasico'' match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on May 2026. (Photo by Gongora/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Marcus Rashford has been sent a transfer message(Image: NurPhoto, NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Arsenal came within two penalty misses of securing an unprecedented Premier League and Champions League double. It appears Mikel Arteta is focused on refining his squad ahead of another charge at silverware next term.
Following the trophy celebrations, the Gunners are considering reducing their bloated roster. Morgan Rogers and Julian Alvarez have both been touted for ambitious switches to the Emirates Stadium, moves that could cost the north Londoners upwards of £200million.
Nevertheless, offloading players, alongside pursuing other recruitment objectives, seems equally prominent in Arteta's thinking. Football.london examines the latest developments concerning Arsenal.
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Arsenal looking to flog eight stars
Arsenal are prepared to place as many as eight players on the market. This clear-out will help finance moves for Arteta's priority signings.
Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson, who spent the campaign on loan at Hamburg and Brentford respectively, are amongst those anticipated to depart. BBC Sport have additionally reported the club will entertain bids for Christian Norgaard, Ben White and Ethan Nwaneri.
Furthermore, Leandro Trossard, who started the Champions League final, along with Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, could also be moved on this summer, given the trio will enter the concluding years of their deals in July.
If Arsenal manage to offload the aforementioned players for substantial fees, a significant portion of those proceeds could be directed towards Arteta's shopping list.
Beyond Rogers and Alvarez, the BBC reports that Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi is also being considered as an alternative option.
Marcus Rashford given Arsenal green light
Barcelona's English forward #14 Marcus Rashford reacts during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on May 10, 2026
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Rashford's future beyond the World Cup is uncertain(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Paul Scholes reckons Rashford would be an ideal fit for Arsenal. The England international is eager to secure a permanent move to Barcelona, but the Catalan giants have already brought in Anthony Gordon and remain linked with Alvarez.
It's widely understood that Rashford has no intention of featuring for United this season, despite still being contracted to the Reds. Should a Barcelona switch fall through, Scholes believes Arsenal, who have been connected with the Three Lions star, would represent an excellent landing spot.
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"Barcelona have a deal in place to buy him but I think they're trying to get him cheaper," Scholes said on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast.
"That would be a great move, a great move for both parties. I think Arsenal would be a great move for him and the club."
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