Arsenal

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Arsenal are determined to strengthen their squad with high quality players this summer as they look to build on last season's title.

The north London side were interested in signing Morgan Rogers, who has joined Chelsea for £117m, from Aston Villa – but refused to go higher than their £80m valuation of the player.

It is understood the Gunners were given the opportunity to match Chelsea's offer for Rogers but declined.

Similarly, Arsenal have a hardline maximum valuation of Bruno Guimaraes, who they are set to offer £70m for, and are unwilling to overpay despite their desire to sign the Newcastle and Brazil midfielder.

Arsenal also have a major interest in Villa's England defender Ezri Konsa and have enquired about the 28-year-old's availability. Konsa is the first-choice defensive target.

The Gunners also have Como's Jacobo Ramon on a list of defenders they would like to bring in, but it is understood clauses in the Spaniard's contract make a deal difficult.

Having missed out on Rogers, Arsenal remain in the market for attacking reinforcements.

Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez is the dream target, but the player's current desire to join Barcelona and the cost - which could exceed the British record fee of £125m set when Alexander Isak moved from Newcastle to Liverpool - pose obvious difficulties.

Arsenal have also explored a move for Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola.

Former Manchester City defender John Stones, 32, and 28-year-old Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa are among the targets as Arsenal look to cover for the injury to William Saliba. (Sky Sports), external

Meanwhile, the Gunners and Manchester City are among clubs in a race for Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig, who previously rejected a £69m bid from Liverpool for the 19-year-old. (Bild - in German), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Following the news William Saliba is out for an "extended period" with a back injury, we asked if you think Arsenal need to dip in to the transfer market in his absence.

Here are some of your comments:

Tom: We have seen in the past that defenders, when give the opportunity, can step up in big moments - like Jakub Kiwior and Cristhian Mosquera. I would give Mosquera a chance to cover Saliba but maybe dip into the market for a replacement for him as there isn't anyone obvious after him. Maybe another young defender or a older experienced player to help in that area!

Ken: He missed games last season. No cover is needed as that would be unnecessary stockpiling. Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Christian Norgard can all play there next to Gabriel.

Paul: Surely the ideal solution would be to sign John Stones on a free? Seasoned Premier League centre-back, bags of experience and can provide cover in midfield too. Great support for younger players as well - instant credibility and respect.

MK: We have cover in the centre like Mosquera. Also think that this is a good chance for Marli Salmon to have a shot. Still, I am quite worried because Gabriel and Saliba are the rocks of our defence.

Max: Stones is a free agent, starts for England and has experience in winning titles - including the Champions League, no less. Seems perfect as a back-up and is miles better than Mosquera.

Chris: We have more than enough talent in the backline to cover with Mosquera, Jurrien Timber, White, Calafiori and Hincapie all more than capable in that centre-back role. I think we should focus more on bringing in a true full-back who can play both sides, such as Djed Spence, Lewis Hall or Livramento (if he's fit).

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Arsenal's newest signing, Christos Tzolis, says he wasn't "fully on holiday" this summer after hearing a move to the Gunners was on the cards.

The 24-year-old forward, who actually made his Premier League debut at Emirates Stadium with Norwich City, has signed a long-term contract.

He joins from Club Brugge, where he scored 22 goals and registered 29 assists in 52 appearances last season, having helped the side retain the Belgian Pro League title.

In the league alone, the Greece international created a total of 135 chances - 52 of which came from set-pieces.

"I need some time to realise [what has happened], I think!" Tzolis said. "It is absolutely amazing to sign for such a big club - the champions of England.

"When my agent said it was maybe a possibility, I was already excited. After that, it got more serious and now I'm here.

"I've already had a nice conversation with Mikel Arteta. We talked about everything - about the club, myself, his plans and the team. It was only positive things.

"I'm a direct player - I go for goals and assists. That's my point of view as an attacker and as a winger. I'm always hungry to score or to give the final pass to my team-mates. I can also say I work hard for the team in defensive moments."

Tzolis featured 13 times in the Champions League last season - including 90 minutes against Arsenal in the league phase - scoring three goals and contributing five assists in total.

"It is a very competitive team to be a part of, but I just have to enjoy it," Tzolis added. "I will need to work hard in every training session and show it on the pitch. I'm really looking forward to it.

"I had a good summer. I had 27 days of holidays, but they weren't full holidays. I worked to be ready because I heard the rumours. I said: 'I need to be in good shape and be fit.' So I worked hard during the summer."

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We want your thoughts after it was confirmed Arsenal defender William Saliba is set to miss "an extended period" with a long-standing back injury.

The 25-year-old had carried the problem into this summer's World Cup, having made 50 appearances for Arsenal last season.

"I've had some minor niggles for several months," Saliba said in the early stages of the tournament. "I've been gritting my teeth because there was the Champions League and the Premier League [to focus on].

"The World Cup also only comes around once every four years, so you've got to grit your teeth."

After returning to London and being seen by a specialist, it was decided the centre-back needed to start a managed recovery programme rather than have surgery on the issue.

How are you feeling about the injury update? Do Arsenal need dip into the transfer market for centre-back cover or can they cope comfortably in Saliba's absence?

Get in touch with your views here

Arsenal are edging the battle with Manchester United for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, 22 - but the England Under-21 international has concerns around how much game time he would get at the Emirates. (Mirror), external

Meanwhile, the Gunners are not ruling out the sale of Martin Odegaard and will listen to offers for their captain. (Teamtalk), external

Finally, Liverpool are confident they can beat Arsenal and Bayern Munich to 23-year-old Paris St-Germain and France forward Bradley Barcola. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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We asked you to pick one player you would like to move on this summer and one realistic target you want Arsenal to bring in before the transfer window shuts.

Here are some of your suggestions:

Owain: As a life long Gunner, having ended our 22 years of gloom, we have to go all out with a statement window to go and win it back-to-back. With Leandro Trossard having already left for Besiktas, and Christos Tzolis signing, I'd go all out for a deadly left-sided attacker! I would also opt to move Gabriel Martinelli on and go into the market for Vini Jr or Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, or alternatively Rafael Leao of AC Milan.

Anna: In terms of who I would like to see at the club next summer, I'd love to see Nico Williams on the wing, since Morgan Rogers is no longer available. I also want Martinelli to stay due to his consistency in the Champions League, despite only scoring the one goal in the Premier League. I love this team, COYG!

Larissa: I think Nico Williams, Alex Scott and Ousmane Diomande in defence would be excellent, with Gabriel Jesus, Christian Norgaard and Fabio Vieira all leaving. I would like to see Martinelli given a chance in a more central role.

Justin: Out: Jesus - I think it's best for both the player and the club. For Jesus, it is about playing time and for Arsenal, it is to move on big wages. In: Vini Jr - Go big, Arsenal. We need to show some real intent as the champions of England and send a message to the rest of Europe.

Phill: Before Saliba's injury, I would've leaned towards selling Ben White - but I'll say Norgaard now. He hasn't had the impact we needed. Bringing in a replacement will be costly, if we want them to have an impact, but I'd go for Alex Scott of Bournemouth even though it is a tonal shift.

Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal are all plotting a move for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, 28, but the Old Trafford hierarchy do not want to sell him to another English club. (The I - subscription required), external

Aston Villa's Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, 33, is a target for Juventus while Arsenal are interested in Villa's 28-year-old England defender Ezri Konsa. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Bournemouth are determined to keep hold of Alex Scott, who is interesting Arsenal. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Now the dust has settled on the 2026 World Cup, you can officially review your Predictor results for the tournament.

If you played more than four rounds, BBC Sport has done a deep dive into your predictions, tournament performance and compared you to other players.

Don't worry, though, Predictor isn't stopping at international tournaments! Pre-season has kicked off and there are plenty of friendlies and European qualifiers to keep us occupied before the new season gets under way.

So how do you fancy your chances of correctly predicting the scores for our six selected matches every week?

BBC Sport has launched a new weekly Predictor game to cover the 2026-27 season, allowing users to pick what they think will be the result from six fixtures from across the leagues.

There will usually be a Friday deadline and the game will also feature streaks, so make sure to build it into your weekly football habits.

Lock in your first round of predictions before Friday, 24 July here

If you're wondering how to play, here are a few easy steps:

• Click on the link above to take you to the selections page.

• For every match, you either choose a winning team or select a draw - once your prediction has been submitted you won't be able to change it, so be sure to pick carefully.

• Then wait for the results to roll in to see how you have done.

• Share your results with your friends and family.

• Every consecutive round you play adds one to your streak, but if you miss a round then your streak will reset to zero.

Mohamed Moallim
BBC Sport Journalist

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The Premier League's financial landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade. Since 2016 total summer transfer spending has risen from £1.16bn to a record £3.19bn in 2025 – an increase of almost 175%.

On the surface, that suggests transfer figures are continuing to accelerate. Headline fees, though, tell only part of the story.

Research by Kieran Maguire and colleagues at the University of Liverpool suggests some of the Premier League's earlier record signings represented even greater investments when measured against clubs' buying power at the time.

Using Premier League broadcasting revenues as an index, Alan Shearer's £15m move from Blackburn Rovers to Newcastle United in 1996 remains the league's biggest transfer relative to clubs' spending power. Rio Ferdinand's £29.1m move to Manchester United in 2002 and Juan Sebastian Veron's £28.1m arrival at Old Trafford in 2001 also rank above any of this summer's blockbuster deals.

The same model suggests Trevor Francis' £1m move from Birmingham City to Forest in 1979 – English football's first £1m transfer – would equate to about £173m in today's market.

That does not mean the fees paid for Morgan Rogers, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali were modest. Rather, it reflects how dramatically Premier League revenues have grown, allowing clubs to spend sums that would once have been unimaginable.

When Jack Grealish became Britain's first £100m footballer when joining City from Villa in 2021, the transfer marked another turning point in the evolution of the market.

Only five years later, nine-figure deals are no longer viewed as extraordinary. They have become a familiar feature of Premier League transfer windows.

The next milestone may not be far away.

While no Premier League club has yet paid £200m for a player, football's financial ceiling continues to rise and the first transfer of that magnitude no longer feels beyond the realms of possibility.

• Read more on transfer fee evolution

Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson is attracting interest from a number of overseas clubs with Benfica and Valencia among those monitoring his situation.

Nelson, 26, can leave the Emirates Stadium this summer with the attacker set to become a free agent at the end of next season.

He is understood to have turned down some Premier League interest, but is open to a move abroad this summer.

A move to Portuguese side Benfica could see Nelson reunited with their newly appointed manager Marco Silva, who has previously worked with him at Fulham.

Intriguingly, Fulham are among the English-based clubs interested in Nelson, which could see Silva go head-to-head for the winger's services just weeks after leaving Craven Cottage.

Nelson spent last season on loan at Brentford but has reported back for pre-season training with Arsenal.

With the 2026 World Cup done and dusted, the return of club football is back on everyone's minds.

Pre-season preparations are under way and we want you to have a think about Arsenal's squad.

Tell us one player you would like to move on this summer and one realistic target you want the Gunners to bring in before the transfer window shuts.

Get in touch with your picks here

Manchester United lead the chase for Roma and France midfielder Manu Kone, 25, but face competition for his signature from Arsenal. (L'Equipe - in French), external

The Gunners have also revived their interest in Athletic Club winger Nico Williams, who was part of Spain's World Cup-winning squad, with the 23-year-old believed to have a £77m release clause. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Thirty-four years ago a £13m transfer caused national outrage in Italy.

When AC Milan signed Gianluigi Lentini from Torino in 1992 for a then world record fee, newspapers called the deal "obscene", while the Vatican's official newspaper described it as "an offence against the dignity of work".

Today that fee would barely register among the Premier League's biggest transfers.

This summer alone Chelsea have agreed a club record £117m deal for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, Manchester City paid Nottingham Forest £116m for Elliot Anderson, and Tottenham spent a club record £100m on Sandro Tonali.

These are not the only major deals. Tottenham also agreed an £85m move for West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, Barcelona paid £69m to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United, and Manchester United spent £50m on Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos.

It is the first transfer window in Premier League history to produce three £100m-plus signings - and there are still weeks to go before deadline day on 1 September.

During the 2025 summer window English top-flight clubs spent a record £3bn.

So why are transfer fees continuing to climb? Why are clubs paying record sums for players already playing in England? And why are more clubs willing to sell some of their biggest stars?

Read more here on the big spending taking place in the Premier League

Opta have named their World Cup Team of the Tournament.

A host of familiar names feature, including Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez. Key names to depart both Arsenal and Chelsea this summer also make the list.

Opta explained the selections as follows:

Martinez - "Martínez led his country's backline in passes (460) and accurate passes (427) while he became the only Argentine defender on record to score and assist in a FIFA World Cup game (v Cabo Verde)."

Cucurella - "Cucurella led the way for full-backs for successful final third passes (142) and successful passes (382) and was second for touches in the opposition box (19)."

Rodri - "The Spanish midfielder registered the most accurate passes (756), most carries (164) and most line-breaking passes (122) in the competition while that haul of 756 successful passes is the most ever in an edition of the World Cup on record."

Trossard - "As well as scoring two and assisting two, no player created more chances from open play than Trossard (17) at the 2026 FIFA World Cup."

Haaland - "Haaland averaged a goal every 17.1 touches at the 2026 World Cup (120 touches, 7 goals), the second fewest on record (since 1966) for a player to score five or more at a single tournament after Oleg Salenko in 1994 (16.7 – 100 touches, 6 goals)."

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

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Arsenal may be the Premier League team affected most by the World Cup.

The Gunners face an anxious wait over the fitness of William Saliba, who had been managing a back issue before his tournament was ended by the same problem.

The centre-back has not yet been assessed by the club's medical team, but if he was sidelined, it would be a big loss - especially as his defensive partnership with Gabriel is so crucial to how the team play.

The other two question marks will be over the fitness of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, who helped England finish third while managing their own fitness issues.

It does not look like they will need a longer lay-off once the tournament is over, but they will be monitored closely by Arsenal before the new season.

Leandro Trossard enjoyed a fine tournament with Belgium, starting all six games and scoring twice as they reached the quarter-finals, before the forward joined Turkish club Besiktas for £15m.

Gabriel Martinelli, who showed flashes of his quality playing for Brazil, is another player the Gunners could be open to selling this summer.

Carlo Ancelotti played the winger in a central role during the tournament, and that may be an extra attraction for potential buyers.

Read about how the World Cup has impacted other clubs

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

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Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi and David Raya are now Premier League winners and champions of the world having won the 2026 World Cup with Spain.

Arsenal's super-sub Merino came on for Dani Olmo in the 75th minute as Spain looked to break the deadlock against a very well-organised Argentina.

Zubimendi, who had not yet featured at this tournament, replaced captain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri in the first half of extra-time.

Ferran Torres eventually put Spain ahead in the second-half of extra-time and a collective team effort ensured they won the World Cup for the second time.

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente picked Barcelona's Unai Simon to be his number one ahead of Raya for this tournament, and it paid off as Simon claimed the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper after conceding just once in eight games.

The trio will now, as per Fifa rules, have three weeks off to rest and recover before returning to Arsenal for the 2026-27 Premier League season.

As league holders, the Gunners will play FA Cup winners Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday, 16 August, before kicking off the new season against newly promoted Coventry City five days later.

European champions Spain broke the resistance of 10-man Argentina in extra-time to win their second ever World Cup in New Jersey.

Barcelona's Ferran Torres was the difference maker in what was an overall disappointing final that was littered with interruptions.

Spain created the best opportunities against the defending world champions, who mainly resorted to spoiling tactics and had Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez sent off just before the game went into extra time.

Torres was the hero for Spain when he collected substitute Nico Williams' header to beat Argentina and Aston Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez with a powerful shot from close range after 106 minutes.

Seven Premier League players will now return to their five respective clubs for the new 2026-27 season having won the biggest honour in world football.

Arsenal are considering signing 32-year-old England defender John Stones on a free transfer if 25-year-old France defender William Saliba's injury turns out to be long term. (Sun), external

Lazio are targeting West Ham's DR Congo defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with the 28-year-old also on Arsenal's list of potential options. (Mail), external

Liverpool want to sign Sweden left-back Daniel Svensson from Borussia Dortmund, but may face competition from Arsenal for the 24-year-old's signature. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

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It's European versus world champions in Sunday's World Cup final and Arsenal have three players in Luis de la Fuente's Spain side who face Argentina live on the BBC from 19:00 BST.

Mikel Merino has been dubbed the World Cup 'super sub' after scoring two last-minute winners in the knockout stages to eliminate Portugal and Belgium from the competition.

At this tournament, he has become the first player in World Cup history to score the winning goal in two different knockout-stage matches as a substitute, and also the first Spanish player to score two winning goals after the 80th minute at the World Cup. Can he do it again?

Goalkeeper David Raya and midfielder Martin Zubimendi have been named on the bench for every game of the competition, but are yet to feature.

So in all likelihood, it is Merino Spain may turn to.

Any glory will be a function of sacrifice because, in playing for Spain this summer, Merino has missed the brunt of the early weeks with his first child - Marco - born in May.

Returning home with a World Cup winner's medal would be some story to tell his boy about in years to come.

Watch the World Cup final on the BBC