Arsenal's first defence of their Premier League title kicks off the 2026/27 season on Friday, August 21, when they host newly-promoted Coventry City. After a quiet start to the summer transfer window, Mikel Arteta has already secured the permanent signing of Piero Hincapie, goalkeeper Illan Meslier, Club Brugge star Christos Tzolis, and the £75million acquisition of Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes. The champions could become even more ferocious if they manage to get two more signings over the line.
Goalkeeper and Defence
David Raya is set to enter his fourth year at the Emirates Stadium and is arguably the first name on the teamsheet. Snatching the starting spot from Aaron Ramsdale in 2023, the Spaniard hasn't looked back since and has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe. Clinching his third straight Golden Glove on top of winning the Premier League last season, Raya has played a vital role in Arsenal's successes. With all due respect to Kepa Arrizabalaga and Illan Meslier, they are clear back-ups to Raya, who'll likely only relinquish his starting role should he succumb to injury.
Arteta will be without William Saliba for the opening period of the season, with the Frenchman recovering from a back injury he suffered at the World Cup. That leaves Gabriel Magalhaes without his trusted centre-back partner, but the Brazilian could construct an equally impressive partnership with Aston Villa star Ezri Konsa. Should the Gunners clinch a deal for the £60million-rated 28-year-old, Konsa's unique combination of speed and size, as well as his ability to play out from the back, makes him a perfect addition to Arteta's team.
Onto the full-back positions, Arteta will also miss the talents of Jurrien Timber as the Dutchman remains out of contention due to failing to recover from a groin injury that saw him pull out of Netherlands' World Cup squad. His absence means Ben White returns to the line-up at right-back. At left-back, Riccardo Calafiori will pick up where he left off last season, but could face competition from Myles Lewis-Skelly, who's been linked with moves to Chelsea and Manchester United this week.
Midfield
The central trio for Arteta could pick itself following the arrival of Guimaraes. The Brazil international is adept at playing as a sitting midfielder and further forward in the box-to-box role. However, with the presence of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, Guimaraes could replace Martin Zubimendi as the metronome of that midfield. The Spaniard won't be giving up his place easily, given he's coming off the back of a season where he captured the league title in his debut campaign before going on to win the World Cup with Spain. It's certainly a luxury issue for Arteta with the staggering talent he has at his disposal. The likes of Eberechi Eze and Mikel Merino are also candidates, but their versatility in the forward positions allows Arteta the opportunity to field them across different areas of the pitch.
Attack
The Gunners are well-stocked in attack, but did face a blow in their chase for Vinicius Junior after the Brazilian opted to sign a new contract with the Spanish giants. The acquisition of a marquee left-winger, especially after the departure of Leandro Trossard to Besiktas, was a key priority for the English champions this summer. However, their current failure in signing such a player could see Arteta pivot to focusing his energy on the striker position. Victor Gyokeres had a respectable first season at Arsenal, scoring 21 goals in 55 games across all competitions. The Swede struggled at times to link up with his team-mates, not to mention his goalscoring dropped off by 33 goals from his last season at Sporting CP.
Now, fresh reports have linked Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen with a move to north London. The Telegraph reports that the Nigerian's availability was raised during negotiations between the two clubs over Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri. Osimhen's potential arrival would see Arsenal equipped with a forward that has led the line successfully in four different countries, while winning three league titles with the Turkish giants and Napoli. The 27-year-old will likely be flanked by Christos Tzolis on the left side of attack, but could face a battle from Eze and Martinelli, if the Brazilian remains at the club beyond the window.
Thomas Tuchel may have largely preferred Noni Madueke to Bukayo Saka at the World Cup, but it's the latter who'll win the competition at club level. The Arsenal talisman has been the crown jewel of Arteta's team for years and that won't be changing any time soon, despite the obvious talent of Madueke. Arsenal's terrifying fully fit first XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Magalhaes, Calafiori; Rice, Guimaraes, Odegaard; Tzolis, Saka, Osimhen.
