Manchester United's surprise move for Youri Tielemans is yet another warning to Arsenal of their long-term strategy to catch their old rivals
12:47, 14 Jul 2026Updated 12:55, 14 Jul 2026
Arsenal will be keeping their eye on Manchester United after yet another shrewd transfer
View Image
Arsenal will be keeping their eye on Manchester United after yet another shrewd transfer(Image: Zohaib Alam - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Just a gentle reminder that Arsenal are Premier League champions. Based on the reaction to how the club’s summer is playing out, you might be deceived into thinking that they’re the side who finished back-to-back in 17th place.
That was Tottenham Hotspur, just for those in the minority who might have forgotten. Or those in the majority who just wanted to read that sentence.
For Arsenal, this summer is a strange one. They’ve won the league, which is immediate proof they have a side which is capable of and should currently be considered as being the best in the land.
FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
Arsenal will be the favourites going into next season’s title race regardless of the summer window, and even if they do spend big, as Liverpool did in 2025, it has proven to mean very little in terms of the outcome. Yet, it is easy to see, for those not so sensitive as to find anything slightly complimentary about a rival, something akin to sacrilege, that Arsenal’s old rivals are making smarter choices.
We discussed Chelsea’s failed move for Granit Xhaka as a sign that perhaps the Blues are changing their ways. Although the hilariously low bid went a long way to disproving such a fact.
But now it is Manchester United in the limelight. I posted on X, formerly Twitter, in August of last year before the new season: “It wouldn’t be controversial to say Man Utd, so far, have had a better window than Arsenal in an attacking sense. But still don’t have a better front three.”
Now, this is Twitter, having an opinion on the brilliance of sausage rolls will get you someone trying to argue the opposite. And therefore, there was some pushback on both points.
Some felt they did, in fact, have a better front three of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, and upon reflection, they did that season. Only Viktor Gyokeres (14) scored more Premier League goals than Cunha (10), Mbeumo (11), and Sesko (11).
In fact, the closest player to any of those was Bukayo Saka with seven, and Eberechi Eze with the same number, who managed only to score in four Premier League games, as five of his seven goals came in two games against Spurs.
It’s no wonder then that Arsenal are looking to add new firepower to the squad this summer. Although Michael Carrick’s side were blessed by how poor they were under Ruben Amorim in the sense that their situation of playing mainly one game a week for the season gave them an advantage.
But United, after these shrewd deals in 2025 are doing more. And Arsenal, and even those more sensitive in the fan base to a compliment about a rival, should be alerted to that.
Youri Tielemans is expected to join for £35million. A 29-year-old stalwart of the Premier League that Aston Villa would never have wanted to sell were it not for the bizarre inclusion of the release clause United exercised.
Andrey Santos, a talented midfielder who wasn’t getting his best realised at the chaotic club that is Chelsea, has also made a switch. Premier League proven talent is again arriving at Old Trafford.
It’s the market strategy Mikel Arteta adopted which has taken The Gunners back to the top. Do I think United will challenge Arsenal for the title next season… no.
Article continues below
The European schedule will dampen those efforts, and Arsenal will also improve their squad. But, if United’s revamped approach to transfers continues, do I see them becoming a more viable challenger in the years to come? Yes.
Not that controversial an opinion… right?