Arsenal have expressed an interest in 22-year-old Paris St-Germain forward Bradley Barcola, who is also wanted by Liverpool and Bayern Munich. (L'Equipe - in French, subscription required), external
Arsenal could back out of a £70m deal for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, 22, because of the Slovenia international's wage demands, with Sporting and Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres, 27, a back-up option. (Mirror), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column
Noel Sliney
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesAn imminent new contract and a place on the shortlist for PFA Young Player of the Season are reward for Myles Lewis-Skelly's breakout season with Arsenal and England.
The 18-year-old was a ball-carrying central midfielder in Arsenal's academy but has excelled at left-back, with licence to step into midfield, since making his first Premier League start in December.
Lewis-Skelly's running power and physical strength are among his key attributes. He was only dribbled past once in the Premier League, the best record of any player to have made at least 15 starts. He also won the most duels (six) per 90 minutes and ranked third for fouls won (3.1) per 90.
His background as a midfielder is evidenced by a 93.6% pass accuracy, the fifth-highest figure in the division among all players to have featured for at least 1,000 minutes during 2024-25.
As England head coach Thomas Tuchel said after giving Lewis-Skelly his first England call-up in March, "he's nothing but impressive".
Image source, Getty ImagesSpanish football journalist Roberto Ramajo says a Premier League move could help Martin Zubimendi develop his game to become one of the world's best.
The Spaniard would arrive at Arsenal with plenty of experience under his belt, including over 200 games of Spanish football and more than 30 matches in European competition.
"Zubimendi isn't a 10 at anything, but he's an eight at everything," Ramajo told BBC Sport.
"In the Premier League, he can develop into a 10 at everything. The future belongs to him, because his ability to adapt and learn is very high.
"Martin has very good tactical ability; he knows how to occupy space on the pitch almost perfectly, and he reads his team's needs very well. He has fantastic reading of the game because he's very intelligent without the ball. I know he's hailed with the ball, but I like him better off it.
"His style can quickly adapt to the needs of the Premier League, and it can help him establish himself definitively among the elite of our continent's most important players, even if it means saying goodbye to one of the most talented players Real Sociedad's youth system has ever produced."
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Professional Footballers' Association has announced its shortlist for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, with six standout Premier League performers in the running.
Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Alexis Mac Allister are joined by Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice and Chelsea star Cole Palmer.
Salah continued his remarkable consistency for Liverpool, while Mac Allister impressed in his second season at Anfield.
Isak's clinical finishing helped Newcastle to a strong league campaign, and Fernandes remained a creative force despite United's mixed form.
Rice was pivotal in Arsenal's push in the league and Europe, and Palmer continued to show great form at Stamford Bridge with a series of match-winning displays.
The winner, voted for by fellow professionals, will be announced later this summer.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesFollowing recent rumours that Viktor Gyokeres has 'threatened to go on strike' to secure a move away from Sporting CP, we asked you if this behaviour would put you off signing him for Arsenal.
Here are some of your comments:
Nigel: If Gyokeres is doing that, it sends a message - he wants to play for a bigger club and he won't be held to ransom, ironically by holding his incumbent club to ransom. It also tells me he wants to be part of Arsenal and that's the kind of player we want - someone who will fight for the badge. I'd drive to Portugal to pick him up if it gets him here quicker.
Nick: Never a good indicator of attitude for me and not an attitude of someone I'd want to see in an Arsenal shirt. Keep your head down, work hard and be confident that your football will do the talking for you and get you the rewards you deserve.
Guy: It isn't a problem for Arsenal. They need to capitalise on this uncertainty and actually get the player. He is a better goal scorer than Sesko and that should be the priority of getting a striker. If he comes in and bangs in 20+ goals as a mercenary, then in a couple of years wants to move on that's fine. We need a trophy this year and he seems like the best way to get one.
Alex: Apparently Trossard behaved similarly when trying to secure his move from Brighton, and has been an important member of the squad since. Personally, I wouldn't read too much into this kind of behaviour. Players do what they need to do to advance their careers.
Mark: The situation with Gyokeres is unacceptable. It's gone on far too long and if Arsenal were serious they would have tied up the deal by now. He has showed total disrespect to his club and I wouldn't want that sort of player at the Emirates. Move on and find another quality player.
John: If he's had a verbal agreement with the club that they'll let him go this summer, then he's quite entitled to feel frustrated. They should let him go at a reasonable price.
Chelsea and England winger Noni Madueke, 23, is on the radar of a host of clubs this summer, including Arsenal. (Telegraph - subscription needed), external
Sporting and Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres, 27, is edging closing to joining Arsenal instead of Manchester United. (Talksport), external
Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko, 22, wants a release clause in his contract if he is to join Arsenal from RB Leipzig this summer. (The Transfers Podcast), external
Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, 32, is expected to leave Arsenal on 30 June as negotiations over a new deal are at standstill. (ESPN), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesArsenal assistant coach Carlos Cuesta has paid tribute to "incredible leader" Mikel Arteta as he prepares to leave the club after a five-year spell.
Cuesta arrived at the Emirates back in 2020, taking on the role of first-team assistant coach, but he is now expected to accept his first managerial role at Serie A club Parma.
The Spaniard confirmed his departure on Instagram, ahead of his reported move to Italy, adding that the club has a "very exciting" future under Arteta.
"After five beautiful years it is hard to put this into words," Cuesta wrote. "But I can only express how grateful I am for having lived my day-to-day with such special people and feel what it means to represent this football club.
"I'm convinced that the best moments for this football club are still yet to come. Enjoy this journey because it is a very exciting one."
In a separate Instagram post about Mikel Arteta, Cuesta added: "To the person that made it happen, thank you.
"Thank you for your trust, for giving me the opportunity to be next to you and for showing me with constant facts the meaning of the word 'courage'.
"But more than that, thank you for being an incredible coach, an incredible leader and an even better human being.
"You've taught me a lot and I will carry it always with me."
Image source, Getty ImagesArsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly is reportedly very close to signing a new long-term contract at the club which is set to make him one of the best-paid youngsters in world football.
It follows the 18-year old's rise to prominence last season, with his senior debut coming in the Gunners' 2-2 draw with Manchester City at the Etihad in September. His first Premier League start came against Everton in December.
In January, head coach Mikel Arteta confirmed Lewis-Skelly had "never played as a full-back" prior to his inclusion in the first team but he made the left-back position his own with his intelligence, ability on the ball and combative style.
He occasionally crossed the line and collected two red cards - one versus Wolves and the other against West Ham - but in the Premier League last season no Arsenal player won more duels per 90 minutes than Lewis-Skelly.
Data is per 90 minutes
Image source, Getty ImagesArsenal have been linked with Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres consistently in recent months, and now reports claim that the striker has threatened to go on strike, if the Portuguese side don't lower their demands in order to force a move through.
If it's true, that the 27-year-old is in fact refusing to cooperate with his current club, is that a player who you still want brought into your squad? Or do you think his terms are fair?
Is attitude regarded as highly as talent and output?
Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesArsenal have identified Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres as the striker they want to lead the line next season, BBC Sport's Alex Howell reported this week– but how do they compare?
Aged 27, Gyokeres is already in his prime and scored 39 goals in 33 league appearances as Sporting were crowned champions in 2024-25 – three times as many as Sesko netted in the same amount of games for RB Leipzig.
Gyokeres was a goal machine last term, outperforming his expected goals by more than eight and scoring with 28.1% of his efforts. The Swede, who benefits from playing for a dominant side in a league not quite as strong as the Bundesliga, had a mammoth 327 touches in the opposition box and adopted a shoot-on-sight policy, registering 139 efforts on goal, equivalent to one every 20 minutes.
Sesko, 22, had to be more patient as Leipzig ended seventh, missing out on European qualification. He had a shot every 35 minutes, while his tally of 68 attempts overall ranked him only 16th in the Bundesliga.
However, in both of his seasons with the club he has shown early signs of being an elite finisher. He overperformed his expected goals total by 6.3 in 2023-24 and by 3.1 in the most recent campaign, in which he converted a healthy 19.1% of his chances.
One area where the Slovenia forward has an edge is in the air. Standing close to 6ft 5in tall, Sesko contested far more aerial duels last season than 6ft 2in Gyokeres and won 57.4% of them. Despite his big frame, he is surprisingly quick, recording a top speed of 35.7 km/h in the season just gone, placing him among a handful of the Bundesliga's quickest attacking players.
That unusual combination gives him a high ceiling and explains why Leipzig reportedly want €100m (£85.5m) for their prize asset.
Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United hosting Arsenal at Old Trafford is perhaps the most eye-catching fixture on the opening weekend of the 2025-26 Premier League season.
It will be just the second time the two sides have faced each other in the opening game of a domestic league campaign.
The last time they did so, the Red Devils were comfortable 4-1 winners in 1989-90, with Steve Bruce and Mark Hughes among the scorers that day for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
It is also only the fourth time the two teams will contest a league fixture in August, with United winning the previous three - including the famous 8-2 thrashing in 2011.
Coincidentally, it is the ninth consecutive season Manchester United have kicked off their campaign at home.
The last time they travelled away for an opening day fixture was in 2016-17, when Jose Mourinho's side won 3-1 at Bournemouth.
Arsenal and Manchester United target Viktor Gyokeres, 27, has refused to have clear-the-air talks with Sporting and threatened to go on strike as he tries to force through a move from the Portuguese club. (Mirror), external
Brentford have put a £50m price tag on striker Yoane Wissa, with the 28-year-old DR Congo international a target for Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray. (Teamtalk), external
Meanwhile, Gunners full-back Myles Lewis-Skelly is close to signing a new contract that will make the 18-year-old England international one of the best-paid young players in the world. (Athletic - subscription required), external
Finally, assistant manager Carlos Cuesta is set to leave Arsenal to take his first head coach role at Serie A side Parma. (Guardian), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesFollowing the release of the 2025-26 Premier League fixtures, we asked you to have your say on how the schedule has fallen and where Arsenal might be after 10 games.
Here are some of your comments:
Minwoo: Manchester United away (first game!), Liverpool away, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at home (back to back!) and then Newcastle away - all in the first two months! A real test from the get-go and will show where the squad is at. A make-or-break start.
Vince: Go in with confidence and we could be top after 10 games. The alternative doesn't bear speculating on.
David: We will be top after 10 games. Then fade away.
Paul: A tough set of six games to open with so we should have a good idea of how the season is going to go for us by the end of September.
Eric: Once again, it looks like the dice have been loaded against us. Has any other club been given a harder set of fixtures to open the season? An absolute joke. Looks like we could be out of the running by the end of September.
John: Provided we get the right signings, there is every chance that we will be in the top two again. Centre-forward/striker is a big priority though.
Opta has ranked the difficulty of each top-flight team's first five Premier League fixtures of the 2025-26 season.
According to Opta's model, Manchester United have the hardest start, followed by their opening-weekend opponents Arsenal and then Bournemouth.
Aston Villa's first five games have been ranked the easiest, alongside Crystal Palace.
Take a look below to see where your side places...
Image source, Getty ImagesFans have been warned by the Premier League that fixtures could be moved at "relatively short notice" next season because of the number of teams playing in Europe.
A record nine top-flight clubs have qualified for continental competition in the 2025-26 campaign.
The Premier League said there is an "increased likelihood" that games will be re-scheduled if English teams reach the latter stages and it suggested fans take this into consideration when planning their attendance at games.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham will be playing in the Champions League next season.
Aston Villa and Crystal Palace have qualified for the Europa League, while Nottingham Forest will be playing in the Conference League.
"While the Premier League celebrates this success, it will come with an impact on the scheduling of league matches," a statement from the Premier League said.
"There is an increased likelihood of Premier League fixtures moving at relatively short notice, after our fixture announcements, should our clubs progress to the knockout rounds of these competitions."
Andrew Bassett
BBC Sport data analyst
Image source, Getty ImagesWe have seen a lot of traffic to our fixtures pages already today.
So far, Leeds United are the fourth most visited club fixtures page on BBC Sport.
Only Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are ahead of the Whites.
Newly promoted Sunderland also catch the eye inside the top 10 - and in case you were wondering, they are behind Newcastle United.
Aside from the opening weekend's game against Manchester United and the final fixture of the season against Crystal Palace, all dates are subject to change as a result of broadcast and other requirements.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe first north London derby of the 2025-26 Premier League season will be at the Emirates on the weekend of 22-23 November.
Mikel Arteta's side will then travel to Tottenham on the weekend of 21-22 February.
In terms of the title race, the Gunners face an early trip to defending champions Liverpool on the weekend of 30-31 August, with the reverse fixture scheduled for early in January.
Their two games against Manchester City will be on the weekends of 20-21 September and 18-19 April.
And what about the schedule over Christmas and New Year? Well, Arsenal's four festive fixtures include home games against Brighton and Aston Villa, plus trips to Everton and Bournemouth.
Finally, the Gunners will close their campaign against Crystal Palace on Sunday, 24 May 2026 - when all 10 matches will kick off at 16:00 BST.
Arsenal will travel to Manchester United in their opening game of the 2025-26 Premier League season.
The match will take place on Sunday, 17 August at 16:30 BST, with the Gunners' first home fixture against newly-promoted Leeds United on the weekend of 23-24 August.
See Arsenal's Premier League fixtures in full here
All times BST
Image source, Getty ImagesAs the transfer window is now open again until 1 September, we asked you to tell us one player you want Arsenal to sign, and a player you want to be sold this summer.
Here are some of your comments:
Jake: We have to go and get Benjamin Sesko! He looks like the real deal and with his age and profile we could be looking at a number nine who can last us the next 10 years! Sadly, the time has ran out for Oleksandr Zinchenko at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta does not favour him and I would rather see Myles Lewis-Skelly, Riccardo Calafiori and Jakub Kiwior take the minutes.
Jordan: Upgrading the left wing will be one of Arsenal's priorities this summer. Of the two we currently have, I think Leandro Trossard leaving makes the most sense given his age and profile, leaving Gabriel Martinelli to compete with a new signing. I would like to see Arsenal go for someone like a Xavi Simons. He offers dribbling, creativity, some versatility and he is a good ball striker from range.
Nigel: Sadly, I would sell Fabio Vieira. He has had a blinding season on loan and I think it is going to be hard if not impossible for him to play in the team with the players we already have. See if we can claw some cash back, which would lead nicely to buying Viktor Gyokeres. Could even include Vieira in the deal to sweeten things up.
Adam: Sell Martin Odegaard - overrated but could make profit. Buy Alexander Isak - proven Premier League striker.
Bob: Sell Calafiori. Wonderful footballer but has a bad history of injury that will not suit the intensity of an English league without a proper winter break on top of about a dozen Champions League games. Buy Ollie Watkins. Proven Premier League striker at a club that needs to shift a player off the books.
