Arsenal's Next Phase: Midfield and Forward Targets After Title Win

Arsenal’s title party is barely over, but the next phase of Mikel Arteta’s project is already roaring into life. A first Premier League crown in 22 years has reset expectations in North London – and the noise around the Emirates this summer will be as much about who comes next as it is about who just delivered history.

Scott on the radar as midfield search intensifies

Arsenal’s recruitment team have turned a sharp eye to Bournemouth, where Alex Scott has emerged as a serious option for their evolving midfield.

The 22-year-old, valued at around £60million by the Cherries, has just helped Bournemouth secure European football at the Vitality Stadium, with Europa League nights now on the horizon. His stock is rising further with a trip to America lined up as part of England’s training squad.

Arsenal are scanning the market in the middle of the pitch after concerns over Martin Zubimendi’s form late in the season. Scott fits the profile: young, technically gifted, already Premier League-hardened.

They are not alone. Chelsea and Manchester United are both monitoring the midfielder, turning any move into a potential three-way tug-of-war.

Julián Álvarez: dream target, complicated reality

Up front, Arsenal’s ambitions are equally bold. Julián Álvarez sits high on their list after another prolific campaign, the former Manchester City forward scoring 20 goals and supplying 10 assists this season, on top of the 29 he hit in the previous campaign.

Arsenal and Barcelona are circling. The 26-year-old could become the centre of one of the summer’s biggest transfer battles.

Yet the first blow has gone against the Gunners. Reports indicate Álvarez would prefer to remain in Spain, a stance that hands Barcelona a clear advantage.

But nothing is straightforward at Camp Nou. Barca’s financial problems threaten to derail any move, leaving a gap between desire and reality. For now, Fabrizio Romano reports there are no active talks for the forward. Arsenal’s interest is clear; the pathway to a deal is anything but.

Selhurst Park: a title years in the making

All of this played out against the backdrop of a night Arsenal fans will never forget.

Selhurst Park turned red and white as thousands of travelling supporters watched their team finally lift the Premier League trophy, days after the title was confirmed. The 2-1 win over Crystal Palace – goals from Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke – was almost a subplot.

Tickets had become a kind of currency. Fans swapped stories on packed trains to South London of being offered thousands of pounds to give up their seats. Nobody budged. You do not sell your place in history.

When Martin Ødegaard climbed the steps and hoisted the trophy, the away end erupted. Twenty-two years of frustration, near misses and rebuilds poured out in one roar.

Arteta’s emotion and a new era on the touchline

On the pitch, amid the fireworks and flares, Mikel Arteta finally allowed himself to break.

The Arsenal manager kissed his wife, embraced his staff and players, and was visibly moved as the celebrations unfolded in front of the away support. Six and a half years of work, setbacks, and close calls had finally produced the prize that had eluded him during three consecutive second-place finishes.

It was more than just a title. It was the moment that underlined Arteta’s transformation from Pep Guardiola’s assistant to the dominant managerial figure in English football.

With Pep’s departure from Manchester City and Harrogate Town’s relegation removing Simon Weaver from the equation, Arteta is now set to become the longest-serving current manager across England’s top four divisions. As of tomorrow, he will have been in charge for six years and 150 days.

He once learned under Guardiola at City between 2016 and 2019. Now he has the platform – and the time – to build a legacy of his own in North London.

Hein set to depart, Kepa attracts interest

Not everyone will stay for the next chapter.

Goalkeeper Karl Hein is expected to leave Arsenal permanently this summer. The 24-year-old slipped down the pecking order after Kepa Arrizabalaga arrived as David Raya’s understudy and spent the season on loan at Werder Bremen.

His time in Germany never truly caught fire: just two appearances, though one was a Bundesliga debut away at Bayern Munich in a 4-0 defeat. A permanent move to Bremen, worth around £2.6million, is now on the cards, ending his eight-year association with Arsenal after a single senior appearance – a League Cup defeat to Brighton in 2022.

Kepa, meanwhile, has drawn interest of his own. Inter Milan, reshaping their goalkeeping department ahead of Yann Sommer’s exit, have turned to the Spaniard as a potential No2 behind Josep Martinez. Arsenal paid £5million to bring him in from Chelsea last year and used him 11 times in cup competitions. Another decision looms.

Trossard calm over future and competition

Leandro Trossard, though frequently linked with a move away, sounds in no rush to leave.

The Belgian, entering the final year of his contract, has strongly hinted he expects to stay at the Emirates beyond the World Cup. He is also unruffled by talk of another left-winger arriving, with Nico Williams among those admired by the club.

Asked if he sees himself remaining at Arsenal, Trossard said: “At the moment, yes. I still have one year on my contract and hopefully first we win the Champions League. Then I think next season can be another very nice season.

“They can bring in whoever they want. I know that I can hold my own.”

It is the kind of competitive edge Arteta has demanded – and a reminder that not every rumoured departure is inevitable.

Mass exodus or smart reset?

That said, this squad will not stand still.

CBS Sports reported earlier this week that as many as eight Arsenal players could leave this summer: Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, Martin Ødegaard and Cristhian Mosquera.

Arteta’s selection for the final league game at Crystal Palace underlined the sense of transition. With the Champions League final against PSG looming, he rotated heavily. Mosquera, Martinelli and Jesus all started; Ødegaard and Havertz were held back on the bench, expected to feature later.

The message is clear. To fund another aggressive recruitment drive, Arsenal will have to sell. The question is how radical that reshaping becomes.

Kroupi, Bournemouth and a title-defining strike

Eli Junior Kroupi has already played an unexpected part in Arsenal’s story.

The Bournemouth forward scored in a dramatic 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Tuesday night, a result that confirmed Arsenal as champions. His goal sent celebrations rippling through North London, but he insists his focus never shifted from his own club.

“Yes I have received many messages but I tell myself that I didn’t do this for Arsenal,” he told Stadium Astro. “I do this for Bournemouth. I can say I scored against Arsenal, I scored against City. It doesn’t change anything, I just wanted to help my team.”

Kroupi wants to shine in Europe next season, and a point at Nottingham Forest today would seal Champions League qualification for Bournemouth. That result could go a long way to deciding where he plays his football in the near future – and whether Arsenal’s admiration turns into something more concrete.

Barcelona eye Kiwior as defensive market shifts

At the back, Arsenal could face a fight to keep one of their more versatile assets.

Barcelona are weighing up a move for Jakub Kiwior as Hansi Flick looks to add pace and balance to his defence. The Poland international has spent the season on loan at Porto and has been heavily scouted by the La Liga champions, according to reports in Spain.

Barca want a quick, left-footed centre-back who can operate in a high line and dominate possession. Kiwior ticks those boxes and offers flexibility, able to play at left-back or as a holding midfielder.

Their top target remains Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni, but the Italian’s price tag may push them towards alternatives. Kiwior sits near the top of that list.

Fernandes admired as Arsenal fortify the engine room

If there is one area Arsenal refuse to neglect, it is midfield.

Declan Rice and Zubimendi have formed a formidable partnership through much of this title-winning campaign, but the late-season rise of Myles Lewis-Skelly has added another twist. Arteta now wants even more depth.

According to The Times, he is a keen admirer of Mateus Fernandes’ box-to-box profile. With Arsenal facing the strain of defending their Premier League crown while chasing European glory, another high-energy midfielder would ease the burden – especially if Rice were to miss time.

A £250m “war chest” and a new deal on the horizon

The board know what they have in Arteta – and what it will take to keep Arsenal at the top.

The Mirror report that the Spaniard will be handed a new contract that places him among Europe’s best-paid managers, along with a £250million transfer budget to strengthen his title-winning squad.

Sporting Director Andrea Berta is expected to prioritise attacking reinforcements, with Julián Álvarez a headline target and Eli Junior Kroupi also on the radar. The Kroenke ownership have already signalled in recent matchday programmes that they intend to keep pushing the club forward.

The message to the rest of Europe is unmistakable: this title is not the end point.

Tzolis leaves door open

One of the more intriguing names on Arsenal’s attacking shortlist is Christos Tzolis.

The Club Brugge winger, who struggled at Norwich earlier in his career, has reinvented himself in Belgium, scoring more than 20 goals from out wide in each of the last two seasons. Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City have all been linked.

Asked about his suitors, Tzolis told DAZN: “It’s not up to me to decide. We’ll see what the best option is for me. It’s not just about the name. We also have to ask ourselves what the best project is.”

Arsenal’s project has rarely looked more compelling.

Alvarez saga twists again

The chase for Álvarez refuses to settle.

Reports from Spain suggest Barcelona now view their chances of beating Arsenal and PSG to his signature as “impossible”, a sharp contrast to earlier claims that the player preferred to stay in Spain.

For Arsenal, who have finally coaxed consistent performances from Viktor Gyökeres but still crave another elite forward to share the load, Álvarez would be a statement signing to crown their new status as champions.

The trophy is in the cabinet. The parade is over. The next phase starts now – and the decisions made this summer will decide whether this title becomes a one-off triumph or the beginning of an era.