Football.london writers decide who Arsenal will move for next in the market after the completion of Christos Tzolis' transfer from Club Brugge
09:03, 24 Jul 2026Updated 09:05, 24 Jul 2026
Christos Tzolis has now officially become Arsenal's third summer signing and several more are expected before the window closes in early September. Piero Hincapie and Illan Meslier are the other two permanent arrivals while Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard are among those to have departed.
The latter's replacement is expected to be Tzolis but a second attacking addition is not off the cards despite firm target Morgan Rogers opting for a move to Chelsea. Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola has been linked while Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig has recently emerged as an option.
A midfield addition appears the priority though, with Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes at the very top of that shortlist. Bournemouth's Alex Scott is one alternative but Chelsea and Manchester United are also interested.
The injury to William Saliba may have changed things, however, as the Gunners look set to be without him for the first part of the 2026/27 season. Mikel Arteta does have several versatile options he can call on but the Arsenal boss may want another body in the door to help out.
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Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa has been linked while John Stones has seemingly become an option. With all of that being said, football.london's writers have taken a look at who Arsenal's next signing should be
Scott Trotter
It's easy to see why Arsenal might be considering a midfielder, given Declan Rice has been carrying an issue for months and enjoyed a busy summer after the Gunners full calendar in 2025/26. The flirtations with Bruno Guimaraes are yet to lead anyone, though it would see Mikel Arteta add a Premier League-proven player to their squad if they can prise him away from Newcastle.
It could be tempting to look elsewhere, too, however. Aurelien Tchouameni continues to be linked to Manchester United despite talk of extending his stay at Real Madrid. The Frenchman wouldn't come cheap but would bring a lot of quality and perhaps some cover in defence too, which could prove useful while William Saliba recovers. It remains to be seen if Arsenal's pockets are deep enough for that one.
Kieran Horn
Bruno Guimaraes appears destined to be Arsenal's next signing but the continuation of this saga with Newcastle suggests a deal may not go through.
Mikel Arteta's side have already missed out on a signing they deemed as too expensive and they could reach the same conclusion here, factoring in Guimaraes' contract and age. Instead, I would be going all out for 22-year-old Alex Scott by making an offer to Bournemouth that they cannot turn down.
By virtue of how much midfielders are going for this summer, any signing in that position will not be cheap so it makes sense to go for the one that has a ridiculously high ceiling and can both compliment and fill in for Declan Rice.
Focus on a marquee attacking addition and versatile defender signing after that because both are far less important than finding a replacement and/or partner for Rice.
Amie Wilson
Despite the signing of Christos Tzolis, it feels like Arsenal do need more in their attack, hence the interest in Morgan Rogers. Missing out on the England man, Arsenal now need to find an alternative.
A name that instantly sprang to mind for me was Morgan Gibbs-White. The Nottingham Forest man has a similar profile to Rogers and has been a standout player at the City Ground.
But, having already made £116 million on Elliot Anderson’s move to Man City, Forest are not likely to part with another one of their stars easily.
One thing that could work in Arsenal’s favour is that, despite signing a new deal last season, there is still just two years remaining on Gibbs-White’s contract with Forest, which runs until 2028.
Having missed out on the England squad for the World Cup, Arsenal could hope that the attacking midfielder pushes for a move to try and improve his England prospects going forward.
A deal for Gibbs-White could be a difficult one to do, but it’s one that Arsenal should pursue.
Patrick Austen-Hardy
Since he told Newcastle United he wants to leave, Bruno Guimaraes is there for the taking. Declan Rice is in dire need of a rest. If the Gunners are worried about long-term re-sale value of the Brazilian, they should also consider the effect the gruelling campaigns are having on Rice.
In the World Cup, he was visibly in pain and if he carries on the way he is, he'll be heading for an early retirement. Guimaraes is the perfect midfield partner for Rice and the ideal player to fill in for the ex-West Ham captain.
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As well as Rice, he would also be an excellent partner for Martin Zubimendi and even Myles Lewis-Skelly, should Arteta decide to persist on playing the teenager in midfield. Signing Guimaraes would effectively be bringing in two players - the South American first and foremost and a fresher and fitter Rice.
Arsenal should not quibble over £5m or £10m. If they want to spend the money, they should stride forward and bring him in as quick as possible, just as Chelsea did for Rogers.