Arsenal projected lineup 2026-27: How will Bruno Guimaraes fit in, and is Gabriel Martinelli good enough? image
Fresh off a wildly successful season in which Arsenal won the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final, the Gunners hope to continue building toward English and European dominance as they prepare for the 2026/27 campaign.
Led by former midfielder and Pep Guardiola disciple Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have a deep and nearly complete squad built for long-term success over the course of a lengthy season that rewards those who can stave off attrition.
While questions remain about Arsenal's ability to score goals in large quantities, their defensive capabilities remain unmatched across Europe, providing a platform for them to craft another successful campaign this coming season.
The Sporting News looks at the Arsenal squad, how it shakes out and where each player is set to contribute toward the goal of more Arsenal silverware.
Arsenal projected lineup 2026-27
Arsenal projected starting lineup (4-3-3, right to left): D. Raya (GK) — J. Timber, Gabriel, W. Saliba, R. Calafiori — M. Odegaard, B. Guimaraes, D. Rice — B. Saka, K. Havertz, G. Martinelli.
Arsenal second XI (4-3-3, right to left): K. Arrizabalaga (GK) — B. White, C. Mosquera, P. Hincapie, M. Lewis-Skelly — M. Merino, M. Zubimendi, E. Eze — M. Dowman, V. Gyokeres, N. Madueke.
Other squad players: Illan Meslier (GK), Ethan Nwaneri, Fabio Viera, Christos Tzolis, Gabriel Jesus.
There is significant depth at Arsenal that other Premier League clubs simply do not possess, a boon for Mikel Arteta. Unfortunately for the Gunners, they will likely need to tap into that depth straight away.
Declan Rice is expected to miss considerable time to start the 2026/27 season as he recovers from a nerve issue in his hamstring. This will allow Bruno Guimaraes to slot in immediately, but theoretically presents lineup problems when Rice returns.
Additionally, William Saliba will miss weeks, if not months, to begin the campaign as he recovers from a back procedure after exacerbating a previous issue at the World Cup over the summer. Thankfully for Arteta, Arsenal have four starting-caliber centre-backs in the squad, so Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera should fill in comfortably.
There is a question for Arteta to answer at striker, as Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres are both pushing for starting minutes with both players fully fit, but there are likely plenty of minutes to go around as the season progresses and the Gunners push for trophies on multiple fronts.
MORE: What to know about Vinicius Jr's new contract at Real Madrid
Mikel Arteta tactics, style of play
Much was made of Mikel Arteta's tactics through the 2025/26 season, as set pieces became a hot-button topic throughout the campaign. It's no secret that Arsenal have seemingly broken set-piece play in the Premier League, but that's far from their only tactical focus.
The main philosophy of Arteta's tactics is built around dynamic ball progression, where one or more midfielders come to show for the ball, either ahead of the defensive line or by dropping into the defensive line. This allows the possession build-up to be tailored to the situation and opponent, rather than being static and thus easy to defend.
While not the main focus, Arsenal's set-piece prowess has made them able to avoid taking other risks during open play that might otherwise be necessary to break an opponent down. It has made them not only risk-averse, but also less possession-focused, allowing them to play off the ball more than most dominant teams while still limiting opposition chances.
On the ball, Arteta favors a 4-3-3, but off the ball, they switch to a more static 4-4-2 formation, with Bukayo Saka contributing much more defensively than most elite wingers in the modern era.
Arsenal new signings and outgoing transfers
Incoming signings
Outgoing departures
* Option to buy in loan deal triggered
Arsenal strengths and weaknesses for 2026-27 season
Strength: Versatility and athleticism
Obviously, Arsenal's defensive prowess is their greatest and strongest capability, having produced one of the most successful and impressive defensive campaigns ever last season. Yet it's far from their only, or most valuable, asset within the squad.
This Arsenal team has unmatched versatility in the squad, something nobody else in the Premier League can compete with. After years of dealing with debilitating injuries, the Arsenal front office decided to cover every position on the field with multiple options, and it has paid off.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, for example, can play at left-back or in midfield. Kai Havertz can play up front or in the middle, or even on the wing in a pinch. Both backup centre-backs have played out wide when necessary. New signing Bruno Guimaraes can play all over midfield and do whatever is asked of him.
Add in the physicality this team possesses, which only increased when Guimaraes arrived, and they have the moxie to compete not just in the Premier League, but outlast anyone else in Europe too. The biggest question is top-end talent.
Weakness: Left wing
As we just discussed, the floor of this squad is exceptional, and essentially unmatched across Europe. The problem for this team is the ceiling.
One position that has held them back the last few years is left wing, where Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have done just enough to avoid being a net negative, but hardly adding anything on an elite level. With Trossard sold to Besiktas and questions being asked about Martinelli, the club flirted with a Vinicius Jr. move, but came up short.
Instead, they moved for Christos Tzolis, who is unlikely to be anything more than a squad player.
Bukayo Saka draws so much attention on the right, it can often bog Arsenal down when there aren't any other attacking creative options to break down bunkered opponents. Can Arsenal survive without an elite left winger, or will the hole in the squad cause more problems this year than it did pieced together in the 2025/26 season?