With manager Mikel Arteta finally getting the Premier League title and the runners’ up hoodoo’s off his back with last season heroic’s, the 2026/27 campaign is an absolutely huge one for Arsenal fans everywhere.
Successfully defending a title is a completely different kettle of fish to winning one in the first place and nobody in the Gunners fan base are deluding themselves as to just how hard that will be. However, we have strengthened sensibly, adding further depth to the squad as well as refreshing some positions so far this summer, and it seems that we can expect further incomings and outgoings before the we hit the summer transfer window’s deadline day at the end of the month. For those following the betting odds on the likes of LadBet, they will remain favourable right now and possibly a handful of deals still going through before Deadline Day slams shut.
There will also be those fans around north London who have been looking very closely indeed at the comings and goings at our considered main rivals for the title this year. Liverpool and Manchester City changing managers will have a major effect on their chances, Tottenham Hotspur’s big spending under Roberto De Zerbi was perfectly put into perspective by their hammering by Brentford, and with normal behaviour at Old Trafford, many expect Michael Carrick’s sudden rise to suddenly fall this year, like everyone who came before him. Even Aston Villa’s first XI have been gutted, and we helped ourselves to Ezri Konsa.
Looking elsewhere returns every positive we would want at this early stage of the season for a happier run back to top spot. That cannot be taken for granted obviously as we have to perform consistently first, and we can expect a surprise or two along the way, with the expected challengers to the title also bouncing back from their own set backs.
For now, the 3-0 opening day victory over newly promoted Coventry City was all we could hope for as the players blow away the cobwebs properly on a disrupted summer full of bizarre World Cup distractions, and now we see what the short time left in the window brings for us, and others we are keeping an eye on.
With another good spend so far at the Emirates Stadium, former Academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly is back in the news with his own future at the club still somewhat in doubt and up in the air. Arsenal are clearly not willing sellers of the 19 year old six capped England international left back, but the speculation rumour mill still has the aforementioned Red Devil’s sniffing around his services.
Having featured in Arteta’s starting line ups for both the City Community Shield victory, and the PL Coventry opener, it seems very unlikely we would now entertain a sale at this late stage of the window, but the story does not appear to be going anywhere just yet – although Chelsea’s reported interest has now slipped off the proverbial back pages. The biggest question for Arsenal fans to debate is what happens when Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino come properly back into the gaffer’s thoughts?
Given we rate the homegrown talent at an above £50 million valuation, that would certainly help skirt this season’s Squad Cost Ratio rules introduction, but would United be willing to offer a fee that we would have to stop and at least consider?
For now the line is that he is “100%” staying and not for sale, we will simply have to see if that changes in the coming days.
Image Source: unsplash.com
Comments.
Loading comments…