Fresh from ending their 22-year wait for a Premier League title, spirits are sky-high at the Emirates Stadium. Mikel Arteta is determined to ensure Arsenal remain on top and is expected to be backed heavily in the transfer market, with the Gunners targeting reinforcements in midfield, on the left wing and in attack.
The club made its first signing of the summer last week by turning Piero Hincapie’s loan move from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent deal worth £34.5million. The 24-year-old Ecuador international is expected to be the first of several arrivals before the Gunners kick off the 2026-27 campaign at home to newly-promoted Coventry City on August 21.
Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta have reportedly been handed a staggering £250m transfer war chest as Arsenal look to build on last season’s title triumph. Mirror Football has taken a closer look at who could soon be heading to north London as the club’s hierarchy look to strengthen from a position of power.
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A new left winger is a priority for Arsenal this summer and the Gunners are understood to be leading the race to sign Morgan Rogers, who is currently representing England at the FIFA World Cup. The Aston Villa forward, who scored 14 goals in all competitions last season, is also attracting interest from Premier League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea.
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But Arsenal believe they have the upper hand in the race for Rogers’ signature. According to TEAMtalk, the Gunners are prepared to pay the £100m-plus fee likely required to persuade Villa to sell.
Rogers is also said to have been impressed by Arteta’s vision for his role in the squad, with the Spaniard viewing the 23-year-old as a clear upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, who shared duties on the left flank last season. One major stumbling block remains Villa, who have consistently maintained that they will only part with one of their prized assets for a club-record fee, surpassing Jack Grealish’s £100m move to Manchester City in 2021.
View 3 ImagesRogers, 23, enjoyed a brilliant season with Aston Villa last season and would likely command a fee of more than £100m(Image: Getty)
Speaking recently about reports linking Rogers to Arsenal, Villa boss Unai Emery said: “He has improved massively, he is hungry, humble and still has so much room to grow. My message to Morgan is simple: continue here, continue developing and the future will come naturally.”
Arteta’s hopes of bolstering his attacking options have also received a boost following Turkey’s early World Cup exit. The group stage elimination means Juventus youngster Kenan Yildiz is now free to hold talks over a potential move to north London without any international distractions.
View 3 ImagesKenan Yildiz is Arteta’s “dream signing” this summer window(Image: (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images))
The 21-year-old was named Serie A’s Best Under-23 Player last season after registering 10 goals and six assists in 33 league appearances. Those performances have reportedly caught Arteta’s eye, with the Arsenal boss said to regard the Turkish star as his “dream signing” this summer.
While no formal approach has yet been made, the Gunners are reportedly willing to spend heavily to bring Yildiz to the Premier League. The Italian giants are believed to value Yildiz at around €100m (£86m), with Arsenal prepared to battle Liverpool and Real Madrid for one of Europe’s brightest young talents.
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