Arsenal's defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final highlighted the need for evolution under Mikel Arteta. Despite restricting PSG, the Gunners recorded just 24.7% possession, the lowest in a final since records began, and completed only 196 passes in 120 minutes. Arteta must add a new dimension to compete against elite opponents, with left-wing identified as the easiest upgrade after Leandro Trossard failed to register a touch in the opposition box.
Liverpool's delay in replacing Arne Slot led to missing out on Xabi Alonso, who joined Chelsea. Alonso, a former Liverpool midfielder, was seen as the ideal candidate to continue the club's move towards proactive football and protect investments in Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong. Instead, Liverpool are close to appointing Andoni Iraola, a highly rated but less decorated manager whose style differs from Slot's possession-based approach.
Anthony Gordon's £69.3m move to Barcelona surprised many, given his modest form at Newcastle United. The winger scored just three open-play goals in 26 league appearances last season. Barcelona's decision to pay over double the £25.9m clause for Marcus Rashford raised eyebrows, but Gordon impressed at his unveiling by speaking excellent Spanish with a Scouse accent, revealing he had prepared for years to join the Catalans.
