At a Glance:
Bruno Fernandes usurped Declan Rice to the FWA Footballer of the Year award on Friday.
John Obi Mikel has made a prediction ahead of Arsenal’s game against West Ham United on Sunday.
An update has emerged regarding Kai Havertz’s prospective move to Bayern Munich.
Arsenal are preparing for a pivotal encounter against West Ham United on Sunday afternoon, with Mikel Arteta’s side looking to take another huge step towards the Premier League title at the London Stadium.
The Gunners are on the brink of winning the league for the first time since 2004. If Arteta’s side can overcome the Hammers, then they will merely need to navigate their way past Burnley and Crystal Palace to guarantee their status as champions.
Meanwhile, the North Londoners also have a Champions League final to look forward to after beating Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night at the Emirates. They’ll take on Paris Saint-Germain in the showpiece European event in Budapest at the end of the month, potentially looking to wrap up a historic double.
With that said, here is the latest Arsenal news today, including updates on Declan Rice, John Obi Mikel and Kai Havertz.
Bruno Fernandes beats Declan Rice to FWA Player of the Year
Bruno Fernandes was named the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year on Friday night. The Manchester United captain has enjoyed an outstanding season for the Red Devils, registering 19 assists and scoring eight goals.
The Portuguese beat a number of Arsenal candidates to the award, including the likes of Declan Rice, David Raya and Gabriel Magalhaes – all of whom were said to have placed high on the vote.
With respect to my colleagues in the football writing industry, I am stunned that Bruno Fernandes has been named FWA Footballer of the Year instead of Declan Rice. Rice has literally won more matches this season (35) than Fernandes has even played (34).https://t.co/AUurSMufnE
— Sam Dean (@SamJDean) May 8, 2026
Unsurprisingly, Rice being snubbed for this award hasn’t gone down well amongst Gunners supporters. Many feel that, given that the England international has been the key player in the team on the cusp of winning the title, he was the obvious candidate.
John Obi Mikel makes West Ham vs Arsenal prediction
West Ham will certainly provide Arsenal with a stern test on Sunday. The Hammers haven’t lost on home soil since January, and they’re desperately fighting to retain their Premier League status.
That said, Arsenal are in a good moment themselves after reaching the Champions League final, and should still have enough to claim all three points at the London Stadium. To nobody’s surprise, former Chelsea midfielder and vocal Arsenal sceptic John Obi Mikel does not fancy Arteta’s team in East London.
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😉 pic.twitter.com/ED0mGGxdzQ
— The Obi One Podcast (@obionepodcast) May 8, 2026
In fact, the Nigerian has predicted the Gunners to lose against West Ham, while he thinks City will close the gap by beating Brentford.
“The first pick, I’m going to pick my club, my team, Chelsea, to beat Liverpool away,” he said on his podcast.
“My second team? I’m going to go for Manchester City to beat Brentford at home. My third pick—of course, Arsenal against West Ham – I’m going to go for [a] West Ham win at home.”
Bayern Munich make Kai Havertz decision
Kai Havertz has endured a difficult season for Arsenal this term, plagued by persistent injury issues and inconsistent minutes on the pitch. These problems have prompted speculation linking him with a move away from North London this summer.
However, German journalist Christian Falk has claimed that rumours suggesting that Bayern Munich are looking at Havertz are wide of the mark.
🚨 @cfbayern: “It is NOT true that Bayern Munich have added Kai Havertz to their shortlist ahead of the summer. There were no talks, no negotiations. Havertz is already thinking about next season with Arsenal.”
“I think he would like to play for Bayern Munich in the future, but… pic.twitter.com/UL1AH0UE6d
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) May 8, 2026
“It is not true that Bayern Munich have added Kai Havertz to their shortlist ahead of the summer,” Falk stated.
“There were no talks, no negotiations. Havertz is already thinking about next season with Arsenal.”
“I think he would like to play for Bayern Munich in the future, but at the moment, his name wasn’t discussed by the supervisory board. He’s not, at present, on Bayern’s summer shortlist.”