OFFICIAL NOW: Arsenal have officially signed £102million striker on six-years deal with option to extend
While Arsenal supporters have been craving additions in attack this summer, it’s actually the midfield that’s seen the biggest upheaval so far.
Terms haven’t been agreed on a new deal and as a result, the Gunners have had to move fast to secure a replacement.
Martin Zubimendi is widely seen as the replacement for Partey and is set to arrive in a deal worth just over £50m from Real Sociedad.
He’s due to be joined in the middle of the park by Brentford captain Christian Norgaard.
The Dane has been with the Bees since 2019, but Arteta now views him as the player to fill the leadership void left behind by Jorginho.
So, what’s next on the agenda for Andrea Berra and Co?
Arsenal’s transfer plans post Zubimendi & Norgaard
Surprise, surprise, Arsenal are in the market for another defender.
Amid links to Ajax wonderkid, Jorrel Hato, it was reported by various sources on Thursday that Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera is now on the club’s radar.
According to BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel, the Gunners have already opened talks to bring the 20-year-old to England this summer.
That said, it’s not all about the defence and the midfield at Arsenal with Berta ready to strengthen out wide.
Real Madrid star Rodrygo remains a primary target, but as per journalist Ben Jacobs, they have now added Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze to their shortlist.
Eze possesses a £68m release clause, which, according to Arsenal insider Teamnewsandtix, can be paid in three instalments of £20m with £8m in add-ons.
The same source actually reports that the club have already agreed personal terms with the FA Cup, further fuelling that Arteta and Co are extremely keen on signing him this summer.
How Arsenal’s new look attack with Eberechi Eze could shape up
If Arsenal were to bring Eze to the club this summer, it would be a landmark moment for the England international, primarily because he’s already spent time in the Hale End academy.
Now 26, the Eagles sensation has become a “superstar” in the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson, having initially been in the Arsenal academy but released at the age of 13.
Speaking about that time previously, Eze admitted:
“My dream was to play for them [Arsenal] so hearing them say no at 13 was tough and I remember training after I got released and I couldn’t focus. I was crying but I think that helped me so much in the other rejections because if I can get through Arsenal releasing me I can get through any other club releasing me. My mindset was if it was not going to be Arsenal I have to find somewhere else.”
Well, he now has the opportunity to return and live out that dream as a man, and as one of the most exciting players in the Premier League.
In 2024/25, the Palace no.10 had an outstanding personal season, scoring 14 times and supplying 11 assists across 43 matches. To put that into context, only Kai Havertz (15) scored more goals in the Arsenal side, while only Bukayo Saka (14) and Martin Odegaard (12) provided more assists.
While Eze largely played as an attacking midfielder last season, he can also play on the left flank, thus possessing the ability to help provide depth and additional quality in two key areas for Arteta.
Potentially providing competition for Odegaard behind the striker or taking over from Gabriel Martinelli on the left, he could be game-changing for the shape of Arsenal’s attack.
Let us not forget that a new striker could join too. Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are the two players in the pipeline, but at the moment it feels like the latter is the leading contender to become Arteta’s new number 9, having reportedly fallen out with the Sporting hierarchy.
The scorer of a staggering 54 goals in 52 games last term, the idea of Gyokeres and Eze playing together in the same attack is certainly a mouthwatering one.
The latter is a pure magician on the ball, a player who oozes class and can unlock a defence with a dazzling piece of play, much in the same way Saka can.
Throughout last season’s Premier League campaign, he ranked inside the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for successful take-ons, the best 11% for shot-creating actions and the top 18% for key passes.
