Arsenal are poised to get to work sooner rather than later as they aim to build on their Premier League title win. The Gunners will want to put themselves in the best possible position to defend their domestic title and also challenge for European honours.
One long-time target on their radar is Julian Alvarez. The Argentina star will be in high demand this summer but is unlikely to be the only big name lined up for a move to North London.
Mikel Arteta spoke of his team’s level increasing “every season” as he and his squad aim to look forward not back following Champions League final heartbreak. That will likely mean new recruits and fans will hope any additions can have an even bigger impact than summer 2025 signings such as Martin Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze.
More than one new face is likely to come in over the summer and there’s no doubt the club’s higher-ups have some names in hand. Here, we’ve taken a look at the latest lines from around the Emirates Stadium.
FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news and more on our dedicated Facebook page
Barcelona have confirmed they submitted an £86.5m bid for Julian Alvarez on Friday, despite question marks over the nature of the approach. Atletico Madrid called things into question over the weekend but Barca insist the offer has indeed been sent.
Barca look like Arsenal’s main competition for the Argentina forward, who already has Premier League experience from a two-year Manchester City stint. Alvarez has shown he can do it in England, scoring 36 times in 103 City appearances in all competitions.
The former River Plate star has found the net 49 times in his two seasons with Atleti, who he joined for a reported £82m in the summer of 2024. While Alvarez wouldn’t come cheap, his goal threat and attacking malleability make him a serious candidate to join a top club if he leaves the Spanish capital.
View 2 ImagesMicah Richards has offered Arsenal some clear transfer advice(Image: Graham Hunt/ProSports/Shutterstock)
£85FanaticsBuy Now on Fanatics
Arsenal have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27 season, said to incorporate classic Arsenal design features that tie into the club’s heritage.
According to pundit Micah Richards, Alvarez isn’t the only target Arsenal should be pursuing this summer. “If they could get someone like Alvarez, it would just give them something different,” Richards said on The Rest is Football. “He’s one of the best strikers in world football going into the World Cup and he’s a World Cup winner as well.”
Richards agreed with presented Gary Lineker that the Gunners also need a new face on the left and suggested they also require another central midfielder. “Bringing in [Christian] Norgaard has worked to a certain degree in terms of his temperament, so he’s not going to moan if he’s not playing,” the pundit and former England defender added.
Article continues below
“Myles Lewis-Skelly has shown he can definitely do a job in there. I just feel to get the best out of someone like [Martin] Zubimendi you need to be a little bit higher so he can get on the ball and distribute his passing from a little bit deeper and dictate,” he added.
“If they can get someone else in the middle with a Rice, just a bit more more box to box, higher energy and aggressive. That, a new striker and another winger, they can compete for [the next] two, three, four years – that’s how good I think they can be.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.