Gunners keen on Chelsea's Kepapublished at 17:19 6 June
17:19 6 June
Alex Howell BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Arsenal are interested in g goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga as they look to bolster their options in the position.
Neto, who was on loan this season at the Emirates from Bournemouth, has returned to the Cherries, and the Gunners are now without an experienced back-up for David Raya.
Chelsea's Kepa spent 2024-25 on loan with Bournemouth and seems to be surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have a number of goalkeepers on their books, including Robert Sanchez, Djordje Petrovic and Filip Jorgensen - while they have also signed 19-year-old Mike Penders from Genk.
Raya is the undisputed number one at Arsenal and Kepa would have a tough task to take his compatriot's position.
Kepa made 35 appearances in all competitions last season and kept nine clean sheets.
'Arsenal is an amazing club and I'm so proud to sign a new contract'published at 09:21 6 June
09:21 6 June
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Arsenal centre-back Gabriel says he is "proud" to have signed a new long-term deal that will keep him at the club until 2029.
Gabriel has been a key player under Mikel Arteta since g from Lille in September 2020 and he hopes the hard work of the past few seasons will result in long-awaited silverware.
"I arrived here as a young player and, after almost five years, I'm so happy and I've learned a lot," he told the club's official website.
"I'm so proud of myself. It's an amazing journey, and I'm so happy to continue it.
"I hope I win some trophies with this club, because I love this club and my family loves the club, too.
"Arsenal is an amazing club and I'm so proud to sign a new contract.
"I love this club. I love the ers and my team-mates. I love this stadium. I'm so proud and thank you for all the .
Gossip: Rogers and Rodrygo among players on Gunners radarpublished at 07:09 6 June
07:09 6 June
Arsenal have added Aston Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers, 22, and Feyenoord's 24-year-old Brazilian forward Igor Paixao to their list of targets this summer. (Times - subscription required, external)
The Gunners are also interested in g Real Madrid's 24-year-old Brazil winger Rodrygo. (Sky Sports, external)
Tavares makes permanent Lazio switchpublished at 11:08 5 June
11:08 5 June
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Arsenal have confirmed left-back Nuno Tavares' loan move to Serie A side Lazio has been made permanent.
The 25-year-old ed the Gunners from Benfica in July 2021 and made 28 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Tavares spent the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons on loan at Marseille and Nottingham Forest respectively before spending last year in Italy.
Tavarez' only Arsenal goal came in a 3-1 win over Manchester United at Emirates Stadium in April 2022.
Should Arsenal target Gyokeres or Sesko?published at 09:59 5 June
09:59 5 June
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your questions for BBC Sport pundit Nedum Onuoha on your Premier League club.
Daniel asked Nedum - with sporting director Andrea Berta reportedly wanting Viktor Gyokeres and Mikel Arteta wanting Benjamin Sesko - who is the best option for Arsenal?
For me, if all this is true, then I would lean into what Arteta wants.
Arteta is the one that has the true vision of how he wants his team to play.
From a general club standpoint, I can understand why the sporting director wanting Gyokeres. But, the traits the coach sees are more valid.
I'm not saying one player is better than the other, it's just a case of the profile Arsenal need and in this moment I would trust Arteta because he will have done his due diligence on both players and how they'll both fit into the style that he wants to play.
Maybe there's only a marginal difference between the two but sometimes it's a marginal difference between winning a league title or getting knocked out of a cup competition. I would lean towards the manager's judgment on this particular one, especially as Berta has only arrived recently.
If Arsenal are picking from these two, I think it is a big moment to back Arteta.
Gyokeres has played in England before, but not for a team that's trying to win a Premier League title. So, I'm not 100% sold on thinking he would be a guarantee or that he is closer to being a finished article than Sesko right now.
Like I say, I'm a believer in the manager. If he has a liking for Sesko, I'd back him 100% and give him what he wants if the club can afford it.
You can try and compare the leagues, compare the records and so on but, in reality, you have to see it in the Premier League. There will be a sense of anxiety but in Arteta they have a manager who is trusted by the fanbase to develop players.
Arsenal overall in the last few years have been a project so I'd expect the fans to not be too concerned by a player who maybe isn't the absolute best straight away.
Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, among others, can play in that nine position while somebody's still developing as well.
Whomever they bring in, if they're doing a good job, the fans will very quickly forget who they thought was better before either was signed.
Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward
Gossip: Gunners face Sesko competition despite £67m bidpublished at 07:48 5 June
07:48 5 June
Arne Slot's Liverpool could compete with Arsenal to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, with the 22-year-old Slovenia striker the subject of a £67m bid from the Gunners. (TBR Football, external)
Rob: If Zubimemdi is not sure he wants to play for Arsenal, then it might be best if we miss out. We really need players to want to be part of this team, not just stepping stones to something better.
Guy: If we can't get the Zubimendi deal through quickly then we need to get Thomas Partey on a contract extension and turn our efforts to a striker.
David: Obviously, I don't know the inside details but we should walk away now. He clearly wants Real Madrid and is playing games - as Liverpool found last summer. We don't need a drawn out transfer saga and should be getting our deals done early like the other clubs are. Every day I look to see news of a g only to be disappointed.
Nigel: To be completely honest, it's not a massive blow if he doesn't come. We have a collection of very talented midfielders and £51m is a lot of money for someone who has only played for one club in Spain, and fleetingly in Europe, with a single Champions League campaign under his belt. Bruno Guimaraes, Amadou Onana or Joshua Kimmich would be higher up my list.
Pete: If he doesn't want to an Arsenal side with a good future ahead of them and Real Madrid, who we smashed in the Champions League, just becase he's all sentimental about their new coach then let him go and stop him wasting our time.
'I don't know how the summer will end' - Zubimendipublished at 08:47 4 June
But if his reported comments while on international duty are anything to go by, there is still work to be done before the 26 year-old Spain midfielder becomes a Gunner.
"Of course, there are options but it's true that it seems like it's going to be a different, long summer, and I don't know how it will end," said in an interview with National Radio of Spain, external before his country's Nations League semi-final against .
"I'm not thinking about that right now. [That is not] my priority. I'm here with the national team, which I think is already quite demanding, and if I have to say something, then I will."
Has Xabi Alonso's arrival at Real Madrid thrown a spanner in the works?
The former Spain midfielder, who was appointed as Real's manager last month, coached Zubimendi during his time in the Real Sociedad academy.
"I have always said that he [Alonso] was my idol," Zubimendi said when asked about the prospect of ing Alonso at Real Madrid.
"It was lucky he was able to coach me in the reserve team in a very important year. The following year, I was already in the first team and, well, I don't like to talk about those hypotheses. I prefer to talk about the present."
Last summer, Zubimendi looked set to sign for Liverpool - only to then reject a move to Anfeld after Real Sociedad seemingly managed to change his mind about leaving.
So, what do you make of Zubimendi's comments? Are you not reading much into them, or is there a possibility he stays in Spain next season - and how much of a blow would that be? Are there other midfielder targets Mikel Arteta should be looking at?
Gossip: Zubimendi uncertain on Gunners movepublished at 06:45 4 June
06:45 4 June
Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, 26, has cast doubt over a move to Arsenal, with the Spain international saying he has "options" and is unsure about where he will end up. (Radio Nacional de Espana, via Metro), external
'Fans could not have higher expectations this summer'published at 12:10 3 June
12:10 3 June
Laura Kirk-Francis Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
We may be coming into summer, but Arsenal are in need of a spring clearout if they are to mount a serious title challenge next year.
I expect to see a number of players moved on, many of whom can leave the club as a fan favourite while simultaneously knowing it just didn't quite work out.
Kieran Tierney and Jorginho both received a fond farewell from fans at the Emirates back in May, but there are others who perhaps won't receive such a kind goodbye.
Having ed Arsenal in 2022 from Manchester City, Oleksandr Zinchenko remains one of the most technically gifted players to play for the Gunners. But he has since fallen out of favour with manager Mikel Arteta, making only 15 appearances this season. It is unclear where his future lies, but it does not look like there is room for him in this next phase under Arteta.
It is also highly likely that Raheem Sterling will return to Chelsea having endured a difficult time on the red side of London.
Arsenal already seem to be in the market for a striker, with fervent discussion on social media about what profile would fit best into the squad and system.
However, the addition of a centre-forward needs to be ed by more creativity in the midfield. Ethan Nwaneri looks an exciting prospect, but his minutes dried up as the season ended. And with captain Martin Odegaard struggling, the Gunners must bring in more than one player who can provide something different in attack.
Arteta has prioritised bolstering the defence over his past few transfer windows, but desperately needs to turn his attention to how his team will unlock teams who are happy to let Arsenal have the ball.
This transfer window needs to feel different, and the fans could not have higher expectations this summer.
What if... the season was all about the first 45 minutes?published at 09:21 3 June
09:21 3 June
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
As the dust settles on the 2024-25 Premier League season, we have been taking a look at some of the alternative ways the the table could have finished...
Football games are 90 minutes long. They have been for more than 150 years.
So, what if they weren't? What if only the first 45 minutes mattered?
Some teams like to lead from the front, come out the blocks flying and try and get the job done before half-time.
If that had been the case this season and it all came down to that first half showing, then it would not have been Liverpool lifting the trophy, but in fact Arsenal winning their first league title in over 20 years.
With 20 wins, 13 draws and five defeats, the Gunners were the kings of the first half.
Four points behind them were Manchester City - a team that has for so long been able to control games from start to finish, but during their difficult spell with injuries and results, this was something they seemed to lack.
If the league really came down to this metric, Brentford fans would be planning for a Champions League adventure. While the Bees were fast starters this campaign, being able to back that up across the 90 minutes was their Achilles heel (ranking 14th in the second half).
And what about this year's Premier League champions? Arsenal may have had the number when it came to first halves, but Liverpool well and truly led the way in the second...
What if the season was all about the second 45 minutes?
While some prefer to get their nose in front, others prefer a half-time reset or back themselves to get the job done later in the game.
One of those teams was Arne Slot's Reds.
They won 24 of their 38 second-halves, drew nine and lost just five. If it was this 45 minutes alone that counted, they would have had 81 points and - just like in the actual season - been runaway winners.
Another club that enjoyed success after half time was Chelsea.
Ranking seventh in the first-half table, the Blues were often in a position where they needed to turn things around or dig out a result in the second 45 and, despite the young age of the team, managed 17 wins in second halves.
A side deserving an honourable mention here is Crystal Palace.
They may have finished 12th in the 2024-25 league table after a underwhelming start, but when it came to getting a result in the second half, with 16 wins,12 draws and 10 defeats, they were up there alongside some of the best in the league.
*Table data from Football365
Gossip: Lewis-Skelly set to sign new dealpublished at 08:05 3 June
08:05 3 June
Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, is expected to sign a new contract at Arsenal this summer, with the Gunners keen to ward off rumoured interest in the England defender from Real Madrid. (Mail), external
Gyokeres or Sesko? Transfer window Q&Apublished at 13:45 2 June
13:45 2 June
Sami Mokbel Senior football correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
BBC Sport senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel spoke has been answering your questions on the summer transfer window.
Sam asked: Which striker is Arsenal more likely to get? Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko? And which one is better for us?
Sami answered: That's the question on the lips of every Arsenal fan, isn't it? There isn't a straightforward answer, unfortunately.
Alexander Isak was always the club's main target, but I think it is safe to concede that deal cannot happen. So in of Gyokeres or Sesko, my information is that the club are working towards confirming the frameworks of both deals before making a final decision on which to proceed with.
Sesko has near universal backing at the Emirates but, crucially, will be the more expensive. Gyokeres' chances of moving to Arsenal have increased since Andrea Berta's appointment as sporting director.
Price is key here. Sesko ticks many boxes in of profile - he is younger than Gyokeres and plays in a stronger league (the Bundesliga) according to recruitment data. But some of the reported figures indicate he could cost £93m.
Gyokeres is more economical, but would see the club divert from their longer-term strategy given Sesko has always been a target.
What can Arsenal spend this summer?published at 12:40 2 June
12:40 2 June
Steve Sutcliffe BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
While Arsenal have not lifted a major trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2020, last term marked the third consecutive season in which they have finished runners-up in the Premier League.
The Gunners also reached the semi-finals of both the Champions League and Carabao Cup, and pressure is building to shake off the tag of nearly men.
With a £51m move for Real Sociedad and Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi in the pipeline, manager Mikel Arteta seems intent on addressing his side's shortcomings early.
There should also be plenty of finance available for him to finally bring in a prolific centre forward to get Arsenal over the line in competitions - a bone of contention among ers.
Record revenues of £616m in 2023-24 are likely to be exceeded thanks to the expanded Champions League format and extra broadcast revenue, while the sales of homegrown duo Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah in the past 12 months brings about £50m of pure profit.
"As the most profitable club in Premier League history, Arsenal could easily spend over £200m in the window and have no PSR concerns," said football finance expert Kieran Maguire.
"So if a striker is not signed it cannot be blamed on PSR."
What if... the season came down to improvement?published at 11:40 2 June
11:40 2 June
As the dust settles on the 2024-25 Premier League season, we have been taking a look at some of the alternative ways the the table could have finished...
Many of us will have been there in school.
It was not always about being the best, but about being better. Not trying to beat the others' scores or times, but about beating your own.
In sport too, it is why personal bests exist. It is a way of measuring your own improvement against what has gone before - we can't all be Usain Bolt and Florence Griffith-Joyner.
So if the Premier League season was all about how you compared to the campaign before, who would have come out on top?
Well, there is one clear winner.
With 29 points more than they had in 2023-24, Nottingham Forest would have been lifting that trophy.
They may not have finished the season quite as they hoped having spent so much time in the Champions League spots, but having narrowly avoided relegation a year ago, this shows the sheer scale of the improvement this term.
Their nearest challenger on this basis would have been Brentford.
With 56 points, they were three points short of their best ever Premier League tally, but having flirted with relegation last time out, it made for a more enjoyable season this time around.
Brighton, Bournemouth and Fulham may have just missed out on European adventures in the real league, but they are also teams who can be happy with the improvements they are showing as now well-established top-flight sides.
And despite the chaotic nature of Chelsea since the new ownership came in, they too can look to steady progress.
At the other end of the scale (or table), it is a very different picture.
Many question whether the traditional 'big six' teams is still relevant, given how others have broken that mould in recent years.
But if the season was based on improvement, four of those six would have been at the bottom.
Tottenham dropped-off in the league nearly as much as Forest improved. Manchester City had a high bar to reach, but a torrid spell proved costly. Manchester United have set multiple unwanted club records, while Arsenal struggled to maintain a real challenge for the title.
They say beware the wounded tiger, and it is hard to see all these sides having the same difficulties next season, but they will not have it all their own way with those teams that are on the up.
*All data from Opta and only teams who were in the league in 2023-24
Gossip: Barcelona in talks with Parteypublished at 07:59 2 June
07:59 2 June
Barcelona have opened talks with Arsenal and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, 31, over a free transfer when his contract expires in June. (Sun), external
gs and sales - your transfer window prioritiespublished at 10:03 31 May
10:03 31 May
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for you to tell us what Arsenal need to do in the summer transfer window.
Here are some of your comments:
Edward: A top-level striker is paramount and ideally good-level covering players for likes of Saka in other areas.
Lara: I think moving players on is just as important as new ones in. Zinchenko, Nelson, Lokonga, Tomiyasu, Jesus and Trossard should all be moved on in my opinion.
Lew: Buys - back-up keeper, playmaker in midfield, a winger and possibly two strikers so if one gets injured we at least have a second option. Sales - Zinchenko, Neto, Sterling, Jorginho. Other business - getting the contracts sorted for Gabriel, Saliba and so on.
Liam: Gyokeres deal needs to be our first priority. He is a proven goalscorer that we need. Sell Jesus and Nuno Tavares, get Viera and Lokonga back in the squad after their great loans last season as bench rotation players.
Nicholas: I think it is clear we need a striker so - come on Sesko! However, I think we absolutely need a winger - someone like Rodrygo or maybe Rashford. With Rashford, I really think Arteta could get the best out of him.
Jim: Wissa from Brentford would solve the number nine problem and wouldn't cost an outrageous sum like others mentioned.
Thank you for your published at 09:14 31 May
09:14 31 May
Thank you for the you submitted on the Premier League club pages.
Our aim is to contain all of the BBC's in-depth coverage of that team in one place, so it helpful to hear from you - you are who the pages are for after all.
We are going through all your responses and will take suggestions on board for next season.
What needs to happen in the transfer window?published at 12:14 30 May
12:14 30 May
The transfer window opens on Sunday - albeit for 10 days initially, mainly so sides competing in the Club World Cup can get early business done - before reopening for the rest of the summer on 16 June.
A deal for Martin Zubimendi appears close but are there certain players you are desperate for Arsenal to sign, or an area of the squad that needs improving? Or maybe holding on to a key player is your biggest priority.
And what about sales - who needs to go?
So over to you... what names need bringing in and shipping out?
Image source, Getty Images
