So close, and yet, so far. Arsenal have finished in second place in the Premier League for the third straight year, although this time, they failed to mount a reliable title challenge, with Liverpool winning the championship with ample time to spare. They did make some waves in Europe by brushing past PSV Eindhoven and Real Madrid en route to the UEFA Champions League semifinals, only to be obliterated by Paris Saint-Germain. Ultimately, however, Arsenal have ended the season without any major trophies to show for themselves for the fifth straight season. It is undeniable that Arsenal need to splurge in the transfer market – the only question is, where?
Goalkeeper
David Raya has emerged as a reliable pair of hands since joining from Brentford in 2023, displacing Aaron Ramsdale as Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper. Ramsdale departed to Southampton in the summer of 2024, with Neto joining on loan from Bournemouth. However, with the Brazilian set to return to Dean Court, the Gunners could be in line for a new goalkeeping acquisition. Espanyol’s Joan Garcia has drawn attention after a scintillating season that saw him emerge as one of LaLiga’s top shot-stoppers, whilst Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez has also been linked with a shock return to the Emirates. However, as long as Raya remains in North London, it’s unlikely that Arsenal will be splurging a ton of money in between the sticks.
Defense
There are already quite a few exits envisioned for Arsenal’s backline. Kieran Tierney will return to his boyhood club Celtic on a free transfer this summer, whilst backup fullbacks Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu could also make way in order to free up space in the team. The Gunners were previously linked with Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen before he penned a deal with Real Madrid, whilst manager Mikel Arteta has been a longtime admirer of Ajax’s Jorrel Hato. Ultimately, though, with William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber and Myles Lewis-Skelly impressing in defence, and the likes of Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Jakub Kiwior also capable of deputising in the backline, it’s clear that defence is Arsenal’s lowest priority.
Midfield
One year after signing Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad, Arsenal look set to acquire his former La Real teammate Martin Zubimendi to reinforce their midfield corps. Whilst Zubimendi will replace Jorginho, Arsenal could also find themselves in need of another midfielder if they fail to agree a new contract with Thomas Partey, whose deal expires on June 30. The likes of Lucien Agoume and Ayyoub Bouaddi have been linked as potential replacements for the Ghanaian, but with Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice in tow, there isn’t a need for a starting-calibre midfielder. They could also test the waters for an attacking midfielder, although they will be careful not to bring in someone who could prevent the precocious Ethan Nwaneri from getting regular minutes.
Attack
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that the bulk of Arsenal’s spending will come in attack. Ultimately, Arsenal’s lack of end product in the final third has come back to haunt them time and time again – this season, we saw both of their centre forwards, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, go down with season-ending injuries, forcing Merino to fill in as a makeshift 9. With Raheem Sterling returning to parent club Chelsea and other players like Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard linked with a potential exit, Arsenal will undeniably be in the market for a centre forward and a winger this summer. Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak, and Ollie Watkins are just a handful of the strikers who’ve been linked with the Gunners, whilst various wingers like Rodrygo and Bryan Mbuemo have also garnered interest from the club. If Arsenal are to finally win a major trophy, they’ll need a makeover in the final third.
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