Reuters/Matthew Childs
Arsenal know that Julian Alvarez does not want to return to the Premier League and sign for the champions this summer, and with Atletico Madrid proving obstinate in their refusal to sell him to Barcelona, it looks like Mikel Arteta may have to turn his attention elsewhere.
Leandro Trossard has been sold to Besiktas this summer. Gabriel Martinelli is closing in on a move to Al-Hilal. While the Gunners have added a £35m signing in the shape of Christos Tzolis, who has made a strong start to his career in north London, there's no question that they need more depth in attack.
Reuters/Matthew Childs
However, Arsenal director Andrea Berta has his fingers in multiple pies, interested in securing another midfield signing even after signing Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United for £75m.
Why Arsenal might need another midfielder
Arsenal won the Premier League last season (in case you've forgotten), and they have used this position of strength to reinforce their squad and consolidate Arteta's side's reputation as the best team in the country.
Guimaraes could be a game-changer in that regard. Newcastle's linchpin over the past several years, the Brazilian's technicality and combative swagger in the middle of the park could make him the perfect counterpoint alongside Declan Rice, whose power and all-action ability consumed so many opponents last year.
Martin Zubimendi's future at the Emirates is far from certain. Last year's £60m signing from Real Sociedad played a big part in winning the Premier League title, but there's no question that he tapered away over the business months of the campaign. Perhaps this was because of fatigue, but the midfield maestro certainly left something to be desired, a bit too ponderous and lacking the spark that someone like Guimaraes could provide.
Zubimendi, after only one year, is attracting interest from elsewhere. Chelsea are keen, and with Enzo Fernandez edging toward a blockbuster transfer to Manchester City, there's every chance that a £70m move could be in the pipeline.
Zubimendi-Summerville
While Arteta will rightly continue to sniff around for an elite forward, it's crucial that the champions don't leave themselves short-changed in the centre.
Arsenal planning late bid for Premier League midfielder
Arsenal supporters might hope to see their side bring over an elite forward like Alvarez before the end of the transfer window, but if Zubimendi is sold, Arteta might need to sign another midfielder.
According to recent reports, it's Bournemouth's Alex Scott who could be the star to join the champions, with the Cherries having set a £78m price tag amid interest from a host of the Premier League's finest.
Reuters/John Sibley
Chelsea and Liverpool and Manchester City are among the rivals in the race, but Arsenal are considering an 'official opening bid' as the window approaches crunch time, and if someone like Zubimendi does leave, Arteta could make his move.
For sure, Scott could be the perfect signing, someone who could serve as Guimaraes' understudy in the short-term before cementing himself as the centrepiece of the Emirates project in the long run. After all, Guimaraes turns 30 in little over a year, and Scott has the profile to step up and succeed him down the line, first learning from his craft.
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Premier League Stats (25/26)
Stats (* per 90)
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At Arsenal, the Guernsey-born prospect's ball-playing qualities would deepen, already boasting the intense duel-winning edge that has defined Guimaraes' long stint in the Premier League.
So silky on the ball, he dances his way forward, doing so in a more elegant manner than Rice. As Guimaraes sits deep and orchestrates over the course of the campaign, this could prove the perfect combination for Arteta's side, adding a dimension that reflects Guimarares in his younger days. In any case, this is a rising prospect who has all the trappings of a future all-action superstar.
Guimaraes has stepped away from the robust energy that characterised his first few years in the Premier League. But back then, when he first served at the heart of Eddie Howe's title-winning project, the South American was a lightning rod of movement at the heart of the pitch.
Scott could take a leaf from his book. Indeed, he has started the 2026/27 season with aplomb. He is proving that he has the ability to develop into one of Europe's finest midfielders, a box-crashing menace, but also a combative defender and a confident distributor as he zips about midfield.
REUTERS/Lee Smith
Hailed as a "special talent" by Bournemouth teammate Lewis Cook, Scott is ready to step up and perform for one of the best teams in the country.
Why not Arsenal?
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez