Arsenal and Premier League Teams Prepare for Summer Transfers
The Premier League’s heavyweights are already moving pieces on the board. Some are building to defend titles, others are scrambling to catch up, a few are simply trying to survive. What links them all is the same thing: this summer will be brutal.
Below is how the market is shaping up across England’s top flight – and where the pressure points are already starting to show.
Arsenal: champions with no intention of standing still
Arsenal want to upgrade a title‑winning XI, not just pad out the bench. Left wing and central midfield sit at the top of the list, but movement elsewhere will depend on who goes out to keep the club’s push for financial sustainability on track.
Their long admiration for Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez remains, yet Atletico have mocked off interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid and are determined to keep him. Alvarez, for his part, favours Barcelona if he moves. Arsenal, then, are braced to look elsewhere for a left‑sided attacker.
That brings them to Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, whose future will only be resolved after the World Cup with England. Arsenal also like Anthony Gordon but watched him head to Barcelona, while dream option Kvicha Kvaratskhelia is expected to stay at Paris Saint‑Germain.
Scouts have been busy. Bradley Barcola and Yan Diomande at RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Jean-Matteo Bahoya and Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi have all been watched.
In midfield, Arsenal are circling the same elite pool as everyone else: Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson – who is closing in on a move to Manchester City – Adam Wharton and others. No single, clear first choice has emerged. A young, versatile defender is also on the agenda, regardless of sales, to cover multiple roles at the back.
Aston Villa: Champions League return, financial reality
Villa are back in the Champions League, but UEFA’s financial rules bite. To strengthen and deepen the squad, a major sale looks inevitable.
The obvious candidate is Morgan Rogers. Valued at a minimum £80m and wanted by Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG, he is the crown jewel. Emi Martinez is also drawing strong interest from Juventus, who are increasingly confident of landing him, while Ollie Watkins will always attract suitors at the right price.
If Martinez goes, Villa will move for a new No 1, with Manchester City’s James Trafford among their preferred options. The club are also looking at another central midfielder, wingers and a striker, and are one of the sides keen on Harry Wilson, now out of contract at Fulham.
Bournemouth: holding firm as Europe circles
Bournemouth’s young core is under siege. Rayan, Alex Scott and Junior Kroupi are all on the radar of Europe’s elite, but the club have placed a “not for sale” sign over the trio.
Rayan has an £86.6m release clause that activates next summer. Kroupi, monitored by Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, Manchester City and Arsenal, has no such clause, yet Bournemouth are standing firm. Scott is wanted by Manchester United, Liverpool and others, so the club are in talks to extend his deal.
Recruitment is focused on a left‑sided centre‑back to replace Marcos Senesi, who has joined Tottenham on a free, plus a new striker. They are also working to sign Lazio goalkeeper Christos Mandas permanently after his loan and must decide what to do with suspended right-back Alex Jimenez.
Brentford: searching for width and control
Brentford have already moved early for young centre-back Jannik Schuster from Red Bull Salzburg and now turn to two problem positions: left wing and central midfield.
A move for FC Köln winger Said El Mala hit a dead end after his family asked the club to also sign his older brother. Attention has shifted to other wide options, including Feyenoord’s Leo Sauer, with previous attempts made for Max Beier and Omari Hutchinson over the last year.
In midfield, they like Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney, PSV’s Joey Veerman and Spurs’ Pape Matar Sarr. Contract situations around Mathias Jensen and Rico Henry remain delicate despite option years being triggered, with outside interest hovering.
Fabio Carvalho, close to full fitness after a long lay-off, has admirers too, but Brentford expect him to play a major role next season. Ethan Pinnock, by contrast, is more likely to depart. As for Igor Thiago, the Premier League’s second‑highest scorer behind Erling Haaland last season, Brentford value him at well over £100m and insist they have no interest in selling.
Brighton: rebuilding the back line
Brighton are braced for change. With interest in several key players and departures already in motion, the club have started early, bringing in exciting winger Zadok Yohanna from AIK.
They want a right-back – Olympiakos’ Costinha is a target – at least one centre-back, central midfield reinforcements and a striker. Adam Webster is leaving and Jan Paul van Hecke is in talks over a move to Tottenham. As those discussions progress, Brighton have tabled a £30m bid for Spurs defender Luka Vuskovic to replace him.
They may yet need two centre-backs, with Toulouse’s Charlie Cresswell another leading target after a failed January move. In midfield, Carlos Baleba has long been on Manchester United’s radar, while Champions League clubs, including Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, are chasing Matt O’Riley.
One possible Baleba successor Brighton have monitored is Caleb Yirenkyi of FC Nordsjælland. Joel Veltman is out of contract but in talks over a new deal, and Brighton still plan to add another right-back regardless.
Up front, they hope last season’s signing Charalampos Kostoulas can finally ignite, but with Danny Welbeck ageing, they remain open to other ideas.
Chelsea: Alonso trims the project feel
Xabi Alonso walks into Cobham convinced the squad is strong but improvable. The emphasis now is on established quality rather than a flood of raw prospects.
Goalkeeper, centre-back, central midfield and a new left‑winger are the main targets. Chelsea are in the race for Morgan Rogers alongside Arsenal and Manchester United. In goal, Mike Penders will be given a chance after his Strasbourg loan, but the club are also looking elsewhere.
In midfield, Chelsea admire Adam Wharton. Any major reshaping there hinges on Enzo Fernandez. Real Madrid have him high on their list, but Chelsea value him at more than £100m and are not trying to sell. Manchester City, despite speculation, are not pursuing him.
Marc Cucurella’s agreed move to Real Madrid leaves a vacancy at left-back. Jorell Hato is in contention to take the starting role. Up front, Emmanuel Emegha arrives from Strasbourg and Nicolas Jackson returns from a Bayern Munich loan, which throws Liam Delap’s future into doubt amid a surplus of strikers.
Right-winger Geovany Quenda is set to join from Sporting CP under a deal struck last year. Alonso will want to assess his options closely before sanctioning any exits.
Coventry: promotion joy, survival reality
Coventry step into the Premier League knowing recent promoted sides have spent more than £100m just to give themselves a puncher’s chance. Whether the Sky Blues can match that level of backing remains unclear.
They are open to strengthening in most areas, but left-back, centre-back and the wings sit at the top of the list. Goalkeeper is another headache after last season’s No 1, Carl Rushworth, returned to Brighton at the end of his loan. A £20m bid to sign him permanently has already been rejected.
Links have emerged to Porto left-back Francisco Moura and Brazilian-based winger Matheus Martins as Coventry look for upgrades to give Frank Lampard more than a one-season stay in the top flight.
Crystal Palace: Europe, a new coach and a crowded in-tray
Crystal Palace are on the verge of appointing Pierre Sage and stepping into a Europa League campaign, but keeping their best players will be as important as signing new ones.
Ismaila Sarr, Maxence Lacroix and Adam Wharton are all coveted, with Wharton firmly on the radar of the division’s biggest clubs. At least one bid is expected this summer. Palace also want to persuade Daichi Kamada to stay after their Europa Conference League triumph and have triggered an extra year on Jefferson Lerma’s deal.
With Sage favouring the same 3-4-2-1 system he used at Lens, Palace will look for a right wing-back, a centre-back, potentially two central midfielders and an attacking midfielder. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s future remains unresolved after his January move to AC Milan collapsed. If a club meets Palace’s valuation for the 28‑year‑old, now entering the final year of his contract, they will go to market for a replacement.
Everton: Moyes pushes for firepower and width
David Moyes has been clear for some time: Everton need a right-back and a striker. Those two roles remain at the top of the list, alongside a new defensive midfielder with Idrissa Gana Gueye out of contract, even if the club are open to keeping him.
Everton have already made at least one bid for Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney, but face competition from Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and potentially Spurs for Boro’s player of the season.
Then there is Jarrod Bowen. Moyes wanted him last summer and was ready to pay £60m before West Ham’s relegation. Whether Everton return now is one of the window’s big questions. They also explored a move for Liam Delap last year before he joined Chelsea and have checked on a possible loan as his future there becomes uncertain.
At right-back, January’s four-man shortlist – Emile Holm, Brooke Norton-Cuffey, Zak El Ouadhi and Omar El Hilali – may be revisited, though Arsenal’s Ben White is considered financially out of reach. Elsewhere, Everton want another loan for Jack Grealish from Manchester City, another winger, plus potentially a backup goalkeeper and another left-back.
Fulham: first, a head coach
Fulham’s plans are on hold until they resolve the successor to Marco Silva, with talks progressing with former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa.
Whoever comes in will bring their own ideas, but some needs are obvious. At least one striker is required with Raul Jimenez back at Wolves and Rodrigo Muniz returning from a long-term injury. Bayern Munich loanee Jonah Kusi-Asare barely featured; Fulham want to renegotiate his option price down from the original £10m.
They also need at least one winger, with Samuel Chukwueze’s loan from AC Milan over and Harry Wilson out of contract and attracting interest. Midfield is under review too, with Fulham tracking Celtic’s Arne Engels and Dinamo Zagreb attacking midfielder Luka Stojkovic.
Right-back is another area earmarked for reinforcement.
Hull City: smallest budget, big challenge
Hull are expected to operate with the smallest budget in the division, but that will not stop them from trying to add depth and athleticism to cope with the step up.
Every position is under review, though the intention is to complement the squad that won promotion rather than tear it apart. Speed, power and quality will dictate who comes in.
Ipswich: ambitious, but waiting on a leader
Kieran McKenna’s departure has disrupted Ipswich’s preparations just as they return to the Premier League, but the club’s ambition has not dimmed.
They are willing to spend to stay up at the second attempt under the current ownership, with as many as 10 new signings possible. The plan is to reinforce across the pitch, giving the new head coach the best possible platform to avoid relegation.
Ipswich want that appointment made within a week to kick-start a crucial recruitment drive.
Leeds: consolidation with edge
Leeds know this summer is decisive if they are to entrench themselves back in the Premier League. Daniel Farke wants more individual quality layered onto a side already known for its intensity.
Sorting the goalkeeper situation is vital. Talks continue with Karl Darlow, whose contract expires on July 1. If he leaves, Leeds may need a new No 1, with doubts over Lucas Perri after he was dropped.
Up front, they could revisit the striker market. A January bid for Jorgen Strand Larsen fell short of the £48m Crystal Palace paid Wolves, and leaning on the injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha would be a risk.
Facundo Buonanotte is unlikely to return after an underwhelming loan from Brighton. Leeds still want a forward who can operate as both a No 10 and a winger, a profile they have chased for two windows after missing out on Harry Wilson on Deadline Day.
Joel Piroe and Wilfried Gnonto both face uncertain futures. Piroe stayed in the last window despite Championship and Celtic interest, while Gnonto is wanted by Freiburg. On the left of defence, options are thin beyond Gabriel Gudmundsson and Pascal Struijk, with Farke likely to seek another versatile defender in the James Justin mould.
Liverpool: life after Salah starts to take shape
Liverpool are planning for a future without Mohamed Salah by targeting two wingers, with Yan Diomande at the top of the list. The 19‑year‑old, currently at the World Cup with Ivory Coast, is valued at more than £86m by RB Leipzig and has a long queue of admirers.
His ability to play on both flanks fits Liverpool’s drive for versatility as they rebuild their forward line for Andoni Iraola, aiming to be more adaptable when injuries strike. Right-back is another pressing concern. Conor Bradley’s knee injury in January, Jeremie Frimpong’s struggles to nail down the role and uncertainty around Joe Gomez’s future have all combined to leave a hole.
Despite Ibrahima Konate’s departure, a new centre-back is not a priority after the £60m signing of Jeremy Jacquet and the return of teenager Giovanni Leoni from an ACL injury. Yet the lack of Premier League experience in that pair could force a rethink later in the window. A defender like Gomez, comfortable at right-back and centre-back, would solve several problems.
Kostas Tsimikas’ return from Roma may ease the need for an immediate replacement for Andy Robertson. Iraola will give everyone, including Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott, a clean slate. Deeper in midfield, Ryan Gravenberch’s development as a No 6 under Arne Slot delayed plans for a specialist holding player, but last season’s performances have highlighted that the position still needs reinforcement.
Manchester City: one mega deal, then more
Manchester City still need to finalise compensation for Enzo Maresca to take over as head coach, but the recruitment machine has not slowed.
The headline move is Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, a deal that could reach the region of the £125m Liverpool paid for Alexander Isak last summer. Forest want a British record fee and are in no mood to fold quickly. Once City land their top midfield target, they will turn to a striker and a right-back.
They want another forward to support Erling Haaland and have Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi on their shortlist. Diomande at RB Leipzig is also admired, though competition is fierce. At right-back, Feyenoord’s Givairo Read is being closely monitored to challenge makeshift option Matheus Nunes, while Newcastle’s Tino Livramento is a long-standing interest.
James Trafford’s future is uncertain after Gianluigi Donnarumma’s Deadline Day arrival pushed him into a cup role. Should Trafford push for regular football elsewhere, City will have to find a new backup keeper.
Manchester United: midfield overhaul and Rashford decision
Manchester United are set to complete the £38m signing of Atalanta midfielder Ederson after his late Brazil call-up for the World Cup. At least one more midfielder will follow as they move on from Casemiro.
Elliot Anderson has fans at Old Trafford, but United are wary of a bidding war, particularly with City ready to go north of £100m. A bid for West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes is expected, while Bournemouth’s Alex Scott is another high-priority target.
If Manuel Ugarte leaves, United could add a third midfielder, with the club hoping his World Cup displays push up his value. He is one of several first-teamers they expect to move on.
Marcus Rashford’s future looms large. Barcelona chose not to trigger their £26m option to buy but remain open to another loan. United believe they can find a permanent buyer. Joshua Zirkzee’s possible exit would open space for a versatile forward, with Benjamin Sesko currently the only natural senior striker.
United are also weighing a move for a left winger and are among those tracking Yan Diomande. Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye is another they like, though Patrick Dorgu is set to be used further forward, which could push a left-back signing up the agenda. Newcastle’s Lewis Hall and Fulham’s Antonee Robinson are being monitored as potential long-term successors to Luke Shaw, who is entering the final year of his deal.
Newcastle: back to smart, continental deals
Missing out on Europe has forced a reset at Newcastle. New sporting director Ross Wilson will oversee a major rebuild with Eddie Howe, with a renewed emphasis on younger, more affordable talent from abroad.
Between six and 10 signings are expected, many from European leagues to avoid inflated domestic prices. The early move for Osasuna winger Victor Munoz, 22, fits that template, echoing the days when Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali arrived.
Newcastle want a striker, a left-winger, a defender in each position, another goalkeeper after Ewen Jaouen’s arrival, and a defensive midfielder. James Trafford, their top goalkeeping target last summer, remains high on the list after slipping down the pecking order at Manchester City.
Nottingham Forest: Anderson money could reshape everything
Nottingham Forest are preparing for a summer that may be defined by one sale. Elliot Anderson is widely expected to move, with Manchester City the most likely destination. If he goes, Forest will suddenly have serious money to play with.
They plan to sign two central midfielders regardless, but the Anderson fee would accelerate and expand those plans. Offers for other key players – Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo – are set to be rejected, with Murillo having just signed a new contract.
Forest also want a goalkeeper and a central defender to cover potential exits for John Victor and Morato. Stefan Ortega and Angus Gunn will leave when their contracts expire, as will veteran defender Willy Boly, while full-back Nicolo Savona is expected to follow.
If the right bid arrives for Taiwo Awoniyi, Forest will move for a replacement striker. The same applies to attacking midfielder James McAtee, who has drawn plenty of interest since joining last summer.
Sunderland: Europa League demands a deeper squad
Sunderland’s extraordinary £180m outlay on 13 permanent signings last summer under Regis Le Bris propelled them to seventh and a Europa League spot on their Premier League return. Matching that kind of overhaul again is unlikely, but work is still needed.
Dan Neil, Dennis Cirkin, Bertrand Traore and Niall Huggins are leaving as free agents. Talks continue over a permanent deal for Luthsharel Geertruida after the option to buy in his RB Leipzig loan expired.
If they cannot keep the versatile Dutchman, Sunderland will need cover at right-back and holding midfield. Defence will be a focus regardless, while Traore’s departure leaves them short on the left wing and forces a search for fresh options there.
Tottenham: De Zerbi’s blueprint takes shape
Tottenham have wasted no time backing Roberto De Zerbi. Centre-back Marcos Senesi has arrived on a free, with Andy Robertson set to follow. Another defender remains a priority, and Spurs are actively pursuing Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke.
Brighton, in turn, have bid £30m for Spurs teenager Luka Vuskovic, who shone on loan at Hamburg and is keen on the move. Spurs, though, are unlikely to accept the current offer.
De Zerbi wants to raise the technical level of the squad to suit his style. A central midfielder who can dictate play is crucial. Spurs have been hunting a winger to replace Heung-Min Son for a year, failing with bids for Bryan Mbeumo and Antoine Semenyo. Manchester City’s Savinho is one of the names on this summer’s list.
Another striker, ideally capable of playing across the front line, is also on the agenda to protect against another injury-ravaged season. A new goalkeeper may be required if Guglielmo Vicario returns to Italy, with Juventus evaluating a move and Inter previously interested. Antonin Kinsky finished the campaign as No 1 under De Zerbi.
And then there is Joao Palhinha. A permanent deal remains possible if Spurs can agree a fee with Bayern Munich after the set option price expired. Sporting are also lurking. Someone will move decisively for him. The question is who blinks first.
