Arsenal move forward with £87m star signing

There are several reasons for the team’s evolution. Take Arsenal for example. Not only did they keep their faith in Mikel Arteta, but their recruitment strategy was almost full of hits.

Sure, there have been plenty of mistakes, but the Gunners have consistently gotten things right, from the arrival of Gabriel Martinelli, a Brazilian who matched Gabriel Magalhães under Unai Emery, to the big season in 2023-24 when Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Julian Timber and David Raya arrived.

Nicolas Pepe aside, when Arsenal spend a lot of money, it almost always pays off. Rice may have cost £105m and Havertz £65m, but a Premier League title is priceless. It’s pretty impressive how they’ve evolved since this guy named Pepe left.

So what’s in store for the next window? A year on from the likes of Viktor Gokeres and Eberechi Eze, Kroenkes could be looking to spend big again as Arteta looks to win back-to-back league titles.

Arsenal aiming for major reinforcements

In the aftermath of Sunday night’s trophy presentation, Josh Kroenke spoke to NBC Sports and revealed that summer plans have already begun.

“We’ve already had several conversations about different areas where we think we can improve on and off the pitch,” he said. “We’re looking forward to making that happen this summer.”

So how do you strengthen a team that has won the title? Now, the scary thing is that this Arsenal team has holes, mainly on the left side of the attack.

A high-profile move for PSG superstar Hviča Kvaratskeria has been touted in recent months, but given the Parisian club’s strong last year, luring him away from the French capital would be like trying to steal the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. It won’t go very far.

As a result, attention was drawn to one of Kvaratskhelia’s club colleagues. It just so happens to be fellow winger Bradley Barcola.

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who wrote on his YouTube channel earlier this week: “If Yann Diomande goes to PSG, then Bradley Barcola could really leave this summer too. Yes, Liverpool wanted Barcola in August 2025, but Liverpool are still there. Arsenal also like Barcola, and I would like to see a move centered around these two players.

Previous reports suggested this summer’s transfer fee could be worth up to £87m and could be a potential addition to Kroenkes and Andrea Berta.

Why Barcola could be Arsenal’s best addition since Rice

When Arsenal signed Rice from West Ham for a whopping £105m in 2023, it felt like the final piece of the puzzle. Granted, the Gunners also needed a goal-scoring forward, but this felt important.

They beat title rivals Manchester City with his signature move, acquiring one of the best up-and-coming midfielders in the game in the process.

Over the past three years, Rice has certainly become one of the best midfielders in the world, and perhaps even one of the best players on the planet outright.

It was a transformative deal for the club. He is excellent defensively and has added goals and assists to his game in recent years. The Englishman scored nine goals and assisted 10 in the 2024/25 season. He has added to that tally this season with five goals and nine assists with the Champions League final remaining.

While Rice has been almost a constant presence for Arteta over the past three years, holding everything together, Barcola is cut from a completely different cloth. However, like Rice, he could be the player that completely changes Arsenal’s starting XI. He is a true ceiling raiser.

why? Well, the Gunners need a left winger, and they need an elite one. Arteta lacks consistent options in that area of ​​the pitch, and this has been the only glaring hole in the squad this season.

Leandro Trossard has been in great form in recent weeks and scored the decisive goal against West Ham, which was actually his first goal in 25 consecutive games. He endured a miserable period in 2026. But it is now certain that he will start in the final in Budapest later this week.

His rival for the position, Gabriel Martinelli, has also not had a great season. The Brazilian finished the league match by scoring the only goal. However, it was a crucial moment when he found the back of the net against Manchester City.

Barcola could therefore be a huge upgrade on the left side of Arsenal’s attack. Following Kylian Mbappé’s departure from Paris a few years ago, journalist Robin Bearner described Barcola as “the next (Kylian) Mbappe”, and while his results may not be as high as his international team-mates, the PSG superstar has partially lived up to expectations.

Barcola finished the 2024/25 season with 21 goals and 21 assists, just as the Ligue 1 club achieved continental glory last season. The 2025/26 season was a bit of a downer for the 23-year-old, but he still managed to score 13 goals and provide six assists. For context, only Victor Goqueres (21) has scored more goals for Arteta’s side.

As evidence of that, he could very well be the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle as Arsenal aim to build a trophy-winning dynasty over the next few years. If Rice can change the structure of the attack as he did in midfield, he could be the most game-changing addition since the England international left West Ham.