Declan-Rice-Arsenal
Arsenal’s title success in the Premier League last season will forever live in the memory of everyone associated with the club, but such a triumph has only increased the demands of the fanbase.
The Gunners faithful will want to celebrate more glory days in May, with Mikel Arteta needing to deliver to match the expectations of the supporters at the Emirates.
The other five clubs in the big six have all appointed new managers since the start of 2026, which could hand the North Londoners the continuity needed to achieve added success.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts
However, to make extra sure of their title chances next term, the hierarchy have made key moves in the transfer window to inject added quality into the manager’s ranks.
Why Guimaraes’ arrival could take Declan Rice to the next level
As part of Arsenal’s operation to retain their title, the hierarchy have signalled their intent once again, after agreeing a £75m deal with Newcastle United for midfielder Bruno Guimarães.
The Brazilian has been pushing for the move throughout the summer window, and his wishes have come true, as he travels to North London to complete his medical in the coming days.
Bruno-Guimaraes-Newcastle
His arrival will be music to the ears of current Gunners star Declan Rice, who was undoubtedly one of the club’s shining lights during the 2025/26 title-winning campaign.
The £105m man made a staggering 55 appearances across all competitions last term, the most of any player in Arteta’s squad - not to mention his games for England at the World Cup.
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Declan Rice - games by season
Season
2025/26
2024/25
2023/24
2022/23
2021/22
2020/21
2019/20
2018/19
2017/18
As a result, the 27-year-old has been handed an extended break away from the first-team break, with Rice no doubt struggling with the sheer number of fixtures over the last 12 months.
However, the signing of Guimaraes will see another world-class midfielder arrive at the Emirates, subsequently taking the strain off the Englishman to perform on a consistent basis.
Rice-Arsenal-West-Ham
Squad rotation will undoubtedly increase as a result of the 28-year-old’s pending arrival, with the extra breaks that come with such changes allowing Rice to perform at a higher level on a consistent basis.
How Arsenal can land a £60m talent with shades of Rice
Despite the pending move for Guimaraes, the Arsenal hierarchy continue to make key moves in the transfer market to increase their chances of sustained success in 2026/27.
Vinícius Júnior undoubtedly remains the Gunners’ number one target at present, but it remains to be seen how achievable a deal is given Real Madrid’s reluctance to sell the attacker.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior reacts
However, other areas of the senior ranks could be further bolstered in due course, with Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa once again appearing on their radar.
It’s been reported by the Mail Online that Arteta’s men could well be preparing an offer for the English international before the end of the current transfer window.
The report states an offer has already been made for the 28-year-old’s signature, but the Gunners could return with a new bid to test Unai Emery’s side - who value the defender at the £60m mark.
General view as Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and teammates celebrate with the Premier League trophy
General view as Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and teammates celebrate with the Premier League trophy
Whilst Konsa operates in a different role to club-record signing Rice, a deal for the centre-back could be extremely similar to the one they made back in the summer of 2023.
It would see the Gunners pay a premium price for an English talent who has starred in the Premier League over recent seasons - with the 28-year-old racking up 231 appearances in such a division.
He would arrive at the Emirates as a player who can make an immediate impact in the backline - especially with William Saliba currently out with a back injury.
Konsa’s stats from the recent campaign in England’s top-flight showcase his immediate quality and demonstrate why he can easily be a starter for Arteta’s men.
He completed a staggering 96% of the passes he attempted last term - a tally higher than that of both Saliba and regular centre-back partner, Gabriel.
Burnley's Lyle Foster in action with Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa
The aforementioned figure was the best of any centre-back in the division, with such numbers making him the perfect fit for the manager’s possession-based system at the Emirates.
Even without the ball, the Villa star managed to impress, as seen by his tally of 67% ground duels won - also placing him in the top 10% of defenders across Europe’s top-five leagues.
Konsa has often proved to be a tough customer to get past in recent times, with the 28-year-old only being dribbled past four times within his 34 league outings last term.
Such a figure undoubtedly makes him one of Europe’s leading defensive talents, subsequently backing up Bukayo Saka’s claim that he’s “one of the best in the Premier League.”
£60m may seem like a steep fee given the Englishman’s age, but he’s at the perfect point in his career to immediately step into and improve the Gunners’ backline.
Konsa
Rice himself proved that such funds are worth the money, with the midfielder undoubtedly exceeding all expectations after his own move to North London three years ago.
Should a deal be completed and Konsa manages to get anywhere near the level of his compatriot, it would be no surprise to see the defender being touted as a world-class talent.
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