Arsenal

Arsenal are interested in signing 25-year-old Fiorentina striker Moise Kean, who previously had an unsuccessful spell at Everton. (Tuttomercatoweb - in Italian), external

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Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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In the final instalment of our Q&A with BBC Sport football news reporter Alex Howell, we take a look at the bigger picture and ask what the future holds for the Gunners.

James asked: What are three things Mikel Arteta has improved at Arsenal since he took charge?

Alex: There are lots of things that Arteta has done but to list three:

• regular Champions League football

• a change in belief that Arsenal can compete at the top of the table and win trophies

• connection with the fans.

Peter asked: Apart from a lack of a centre-forward, what are Arsenal's main weaknesses?

Alex: At the moment it is their attacking play and chance creation. It seems harsh given their recent seasons but the injuries to their key attackers have made them a tough watch recently.

If I was the new Arsenal sporting director, along with a striker, I would look to sign a ball-carrier or someone with flair. Arsenal need someone who can make a chance from nothing when a team sits deep against them.

George asked: I think we need to look forward to next season so do you think we will see a complete overhaul of the playing squad given a number of players' contracts have not been sorted (such as Jorginho and Thomas Partey)? With the Premier League doubling down on PSR and financial rules, could Arsenal be forced to sell again?

Alex: I think Arsenal have set themselves up for a busy summer.

They did not sign anyone in January so it did not impact future plans. Martin Zubimendi is a player they are looking to bring in and you would imagine he is going to take the place of one of Jorginho or Thomas Partey.

The striker position is key and Benjamin Sesko is on the radar, while Alexander Isak continues to show why he is so highly rated. Isak is going to be hard to get out of Newcastle if they qualify for the Champions League.

Arsenal are highly likely to qualify for the Champions League again so look as though they will be able to spend. If they do not improve their attack specifically, they will not win the Premier League - which is their ultimate aim.

Do you agree with Alex?

Tell us three things Arteta has improved at Arsenal.

And you can tell us one weakness too - but it cannot be the lack of a striker. Everybody knows that one...

Offer your suggestions here

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In part two of our Arsenal Q&A with BBC Sport football news reporter Alex Howell, we consider the Gunners' prospects in the Champions League - with a quarter-final against holders Real Madrid on the horizon.

Vince asked: Arsenal had the lion's share of possession and attacking verve in recent games against West Ham, Manchester United and PSV, yet were then punished on the counter in a frustrating manner. These teams right now are not even anywhere near the top of European football. How are Arsenal going to stop this against Real Madrid and their world-class attack of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo?

Alex: Arsenal have the best defence in the Premier League and have only conceded 24 goals this season. As you list there, the players Real Madrid have are some of the world's best but being forced to be more defensive may suit Arsenal.

Their attacking play, particularly after the injuries, has not been great to watch and playing a match where they have to stay defensively solid and may need a set-piece or counter-attack to score could help them.

Bukayo Saka could be back after the international break and, with his and Gabriel Martinelli's pace, that could give them a chance.

A full-strength Arsenal would make this fascinating but, without fully-fit attackers to choose from, it is advantage Real.

• Not an Arsenal fan? Find and follow your club here

Nigel asked: Do Arsenal risk it all on red and go for the Champions League or hedge their bets and try to hope that Liverpool lose ground and a miracle lets them catch up?

Alex: The Premier League title is realistically done. I think you can feel that when speaking to the players.

Even though Mikel Arteta said "over my dead body" would Arsenal give up, he has now changed to taking one game at a time.

The Champions League tie with Real is so tough but beat Madrid and things could get interesting.

Come back to this page later on Wednesday for the final part as Alex analyses the bigger picture at Emirates Stadium

Image source, PA Media

Throughout Wednesday, BBC Sport's football news reporter Alex Howell is answering your questions on Arsenal.

In the first part, he takes a look at the season-defining question of what has happened up front this year.

Adam asked: Could Gabriel Martinelli now be an option as a forward in upcoming fixtures, having played in that position before?

Alex: This is an interesting question, especially now Martinelli is fit again. Realistically, the Premier League is gone but Martinelli up front in the Champions League could be a serious option.

Mikel Arteta has opted for Mikel Merino in that position but Martinelli's pace, away at the Bernabeu where Real Madrid will put Arsenal under a lot of pressure, could be a great fit.

Getting something from that game is key and Martinelli's ability to run in behind could work.

In the Premier League, Arsenal mostly come up against teams that sit in against them in a low block so operating from the sides suits Martinelli better in those situations.

• Not an Arsenal fan? Find and follow your club here

JD asked: Why were Aston Villa capable of making two January signings that have made a huge impact on their goal tally when Arsenal seemed to claim no one was available?

Alex: I don't think Arsenal were not able to get anyone - it was more of a case that they did not want to sign someone that would not improve them immediately and impact their plans for the summer.

The need to sign a striker was made worse by the injury to Gabriel Jesus and it is clear that they should have signed one forward, but finding a player who hit the two criteria above was tricky.

The Ollie Watkins deal was one that was talked about around the time Jhon Duran left Villa, but the amount of money needed would have had an impact on future transfer plans.

I do think, though, that doing it this way puts a lot of pressure on the summer transfer window and fans are going to be expecting exciting signings.

Come back to this page later on Wednesday for more of your questions

Arsenal's prospective new sporting director Andrea Berta is keen on Wolves' 25-year-old Brazil striker Matheus Cunha, who has a release clause of £62.5m. (Teamtalk), external

The Gunners are keeping a close eye on Leroy Sane's contract situation at Bayern Munich as the Germany winger, 29, could be available on a free transfer this summer. (Football Insider), external

Saudi club Al-Nassr are planning a summer bid for Brazil centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, 27. (GiveMeSport), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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After our Arsenal fan writer suggested there has been debate among some Gunners supporters about Martin Odegaard's performances and whether he may benefit from not being captain (see 09:00 GMT), we asked you to have your say.

Here are some of your comments:

Alexandra: I always thought he was too young to be captain in the first place. However, he stepped up to the challenge, but something now needs to give and I agree that he needs to relinquish the captaincy. My preference would be Declan Rice - he has leadership qualities and his position gives him a good overview of what is going on on the pitch.

Guy: I'm not sure a change of captaincy would help Odegaard be more creative. I think he has struggled by not having the best players in front of him, offering runs and options. I can see him flourishing with a proper striker next season. Gabriel would be the only other option, he wears his heart on his sleeve and steps up when needed.

John: I think Odegaard should remain as captain until Bukayo Saka comes back. Because of the understanding between them we will then see an improvement in his game and the team as a whole. If it doesn't work out the captain issue can then be looked at.

Darren: The problem isn't the responsibility of captaincy weighing Odegaard down, it is Mikel Arteta's safety first approach which we've adopted this season.

Pete: Odegaard's reduced contribution is only due to the wider squad injuries forcing Arsenal to play differently. When the squad is fit, with or without a new striker, Odegaard's numbers will be back up.

Kevin: A change of manager is needed first.

Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It was in the 90th minute that Martin Odegaard was replaced by Kieran Tierney, with the midfielder having put in a solid but not outstanding performance in Arsenal's 1-0 home win against Chelsea. With Arsenal needing to see out the game, Odegaard's day was done. He looked exhausted coming off the pitch.

Odegaard joined Arsenal on loan in 2021, before moving permanently to the club later that year and being made captain in 2022. He has twice won Arsenal's Player of the Season. His impact on the Gunners has been profound, but this season he has struggled to be the puppet master and creative instigator for which fans know and love him.

The numbers don't lie. On average, he is making seven fewer passes each game compared to last season, and taking fewer shots. Having suffered a serious injury that saw him miss two months of the season last winter, the rest of the season has been inconsistent. On his return from this injury, he produced a goal or assist in his first four games back. Since then, his contribution has dried up.

Some fans are considering whether the captaincy should be given to Declan Rice or Gabriel Magalhaes, to whom Odegaard handed the captain's armband on Saturday before his substitution. This might seem harsh, but outside the world of football this can be effective. Joe Root, England cricket's former test captain, has flourished since stepping down from the position in 2022. Removing the captaincy is not necessarily an indication of failure. It is instead a way to allow a player to focus more on their role in the side.

In Arsenal's case however, relieving Odegaard of the captaincy won't change the fact that there are still few outputs for his creativity. Bukayo Saka may be near a return, but the missing Kai Havertz still leaves Odegaard isolated in the build-up. Captaincy or no-captaincy, Arsenal still don't have a 'proper' striker for him to pass to.

Odegaard set the record for the youngest player to make a first-team appearance for Real Madrid in 2015. With the Gunners set to face the Spanish side in the quarter-final of the Champions League, this is the perfect opportunity for Odegaard to remind everyone why he is captain and where he does his talking - on the pitch.

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external

Do you think a change of captain would be beneficial? Tell us here

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City have all been watching River Plate's 17-year-old Argentine winger Franco Mastantuono, who has a release clause of about £35m. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has praised the "value" makeshift striker Mikel Merino is bringing to the team with his goals.

The 28-year-old, who is naturally a central midfield player, has been deputising up top for the Gunners after injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz left the side without a recognised senior centre-forward.

Merino has been in and out of the team since his arrival from Real Sociedad in August, but has now scored six goals and offered two assists in his 33 appearances across all competitions - with four of those goals coming in the past month.

The Spain international proved the difference maker again on Sunday after heading in the winner against Chelsea.

"The way he's approaching it is incredible," Arteta said.

"He wants to understand everything and to learn from it. He's very critical of himself all the time. The reality is that he's winning matches for us.

"The value of it, it was a big match. In the end we win the game because of that goal. Very happy with his contribution.

"We worked on something similar [from the set-piece], but that. To be fair it was a different kind of finish planned.

"It will generate belief in the team again, in the stadium with the crowd, that we can score. It's something we've been missing when we were so prolific."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Arsenal and Chelsea.

Here are some of your comments:

Arsenal fans

Adam: Win is a win. We need to put games to bed when we have the chance but as ever we like to try and control the ball too much. But, a win is a win.

David: Disappointing in attack, passing in and around box poor, not up to usual quality. Finishing was poor and chances must be taken if we are to beat Real Madrid. Need to inject more pace when moving forward, part of the problem being lack of movement from front men. Consolation taken from another fine defensive display.

Ian: Not a classic by far, but a competent performance by Arsenal. I'll say the glaring, and now becoming very boring, obvious point that Arsenal desperately need a striker. Sorry Mr Arteta.

Chelsea fans

Nick: Our football is just so boring and has been for months, worse even than the dark days of 'Sarriball'. All I want right now is for us to play with some pace and passion. Not sure Maresca knows what those are.

Fossie: Didn't really get going until we conceded the goal, and even then, despite all the possession, there was no penetration. Some strange decisions by Maresca, with only one attacking player among the subs, plus Sanchez as our goalkeeper. It just doesn't make sense. If short of strikers, go to the youth team and give them a chance.

Andy: We could still be playing in a week's time and still not score. I have never in my 55 years as a Chelsea fan seen such an impotent attack!

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's three Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Ipswich Town 2-4 Nottingham Forest

• AFC Bournemouth 1-2 Brentford

• Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea

• Fulham 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur

• Leicester City 0-3 Manchester United

Arsenal and Chelsea have moved ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign Inter Milan and France striker Marcus Thuram, 27, who is reported to have a £71m release clause. (Football Insider), external

Arsenal are considering a move for Ajax's Dutch defender Jorrel Hato, 19, despite the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back. (TBR Football), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Since the start of last season, Arsenal have opened the scoring with a goal from a corner 11 times in the Premier League; more than any other side.

Their 27 goals from corners in this period are also a league-high (10 more than any other team).

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "We did enough to deserve to win the game. Now we have the international break so let's take a chance to breathe and bring some players back hopefully.

"We weren't able to finish some of the actions. I really liked the attitude of the team."

On beating Chelsea: "It was a big game and we wanted to win against a top team."

On the international break: "We have a few players and I will have a few days off and then prepare for the last sprint of the season."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Arsenal's performance

What did you make of Chelsea's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

There won't be many goals in this game - one goal might be enough to win it, and I am going with Arsenal to get it.

Declan Rice was very lively in his new attacking role against Manchester United and I can see him scoring again here.

Chelsea have flattered to deceive in recent weeks. They have won their past two league games, but they were against Southampton and Leicester. This is a much bigger test.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Sarah Rendell
BBC Sport journalist

Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Chelsea (kick-off 13:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On Myles Lewis-Skelly's England call-up: "Very proud of him. It is a huge moment for him and the club as well. Our graduates getting the call for England is a massive thing so I am very happy."

• Arteta also said he knows the England camp and Ben White have had "positive conversations" about the defender's potential involvement with the national team moving forward

• He said the defender is also closing in on a regular return to the Arsenal starting line-up: "He has been involved for the last two weeks almost and his knee is not reacting so that is very positive. Ben is a really important player for us. He brings something very different to the team dynamic and I am thrilled to have him.

• On if it is important for Arsenal to have a strong English contingent: "It is very important culturally. Because of our history and we are an English club, we have that DNA to represent us as a club. To have a lot of academy players involved is very positive and we're very proud of it.

• On Bukayo Saka's recovery: "He is getting closer. He is making very good progress I would say. So let's see how he reacts when we throw him in with the team and how fit he can get."

• On the upcoming Champions League quarter-final with holders Real Madrid: "It is a fascinating draw. You are going to play against a club with the biggest history in the competition. Very excited to play against them."

• On whether Arsenal can replicate their 5-0 win over Chelsea from last season: "I think it is going to be a very different game. The way they have developed as a team as well is very impressive in what Enzo [Maresca] has done and the coaching staff. With the amount of talent they have in the squad, we will have to be at our best."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live from 13:30 GMT on Sunday

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England manager Thomas Tuchel says he contemplated leaving Myles Lewis-Skelly out of the squad "to protect him a little bit" after already being thrusted into the spotlight for Arsenal this season, but injuries in the left-back position mean he is needed.

The 18-year-old, who has featured for the Young Lions up to under-19s level, has been handed his first senior call-up by Tuchel for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

"A lot of people will be impressed with him," said Tuchel. "With injuries, we ran a little bit out of left-footers who can play left-back.

"We were always impressed with Myles and he quickly became a regular player for the second best team in the country. I have huge confidence in the club that they still pick him regularly, and he has been very impressive from the very start.

"I can understand it feels a bit like we've fast forwarded a career that is already at fast pace, but I can assure you the talks in the last days and weeks had a kind of parental and protective vibe. We felt like maybe we shouldn't nominate him to protect him a little bit and to not skip him being in the under-21s to let him breathe a bit out of the spotlight.

"But with injuries, the quality and his maturity, we have decided to take him. He is a young and exciting player."

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal defender Ben White "wants to be back" in the England squad, according to Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel.

The 27-year-old has not been involved with England since leaving the camp during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons.

White then made himself unavailable for selection for the rest of Gareth Southgate's reign.

Tuchel takes charge of his first two England games later this month and when asked if the defender has refused to be called up to the squad again, the German said: "Absolutely not.

"He loves to be back in the squad. It's a bit too early given the seriousness of the injury he had and I'm delighted he's back.

"We've been monitoring his training - huge compliments to the medical and performance department of the FA and thanks to everyone at Arsenal. We are on it and we are speaking to Ben.

"It's now a question about getting more minutes and rhythm. He has has every chance to be back. He wants to and he's glad to be back."