I do not think I have ever known a summer where so many top Premier League clubs will be entering the market for midfield reinforcements, and so many top central midfielders could be coming onto that market.

Manchester United will look to invest heavily in their midfield this summer with the impending departure of Casemiro and lack of development of Mason Mount and Kobe Manioo.

Manchester City will continue their seemingly never ending task of signing a back-up midfielder. They have skunked millions on signing cover firstly for Ferandinho and lately Rodri.

Then we have Liverpool whose midfield trio of Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai drove them to the title last season, but have severely underachieved this season. Meanwhile Chelsea will likely need to replace an out-of-favour Enzo Fernandez.

And finally Arsenal will be on the look out for a unicorn midfielder. Someone who can provide the passing and control of Martin Zubimendi and the running and box crashing of Declan Rice. A player that would give Mikel Arteta an extra classy option in midfield and leave us with 3 fantastic players competing.

2018/19 was the last summer I remember being fairly similar to what is upcoming – Fred joined Manchester United, Fabinho joined Liverpool, Chelsea signed Jorginho and Lucas Torreira joined Arsenal.

At the time it was felt whoever signed the best would go on to win the league, and Liverpool did just that with Fabinho.

This summer it could be similar. Whoever gets the transfer right will likely be champions at the end of the season. So who actually is on the market – and who do I want Arsenal to sign?

Elliot Anderson has gone from being surplus to requirements at Newcastle United, sold to satisfy PSR, to being one of the most in demand midfielders in the league. The Nottingham Forest will likely partner Declan Rice in midfield this summer, and I actually think that might be a problem for England.

Passing is not a strength for either Anderson or Rice. That does not mean that they can not pass. It more means that they do not really dictate the game due to their control on the ball. Both are more runners and box crashers.

Whilst I think Anderson would be brilliant cover for Rice, I am not sure he could do Zubimendi’s job. The likelihood is he will end up at Man City, who do not overly rely on having a passer at the bottom of their midfielder, or at Manchester United to play alongside a passer.

Adam Wharton is the ying for Anderson’s yang.

As a partnership, they would likely flourish. In Anderson you have the running and ground covering. In Wharton you would have the passing and control. I could certainly see the pair in central midfield together doing well for a Champions League place chasing team.

I actually think Wharton is a better partner to Rice for England than Anderson is. He provides that control and passing range that Rice and Anderson lack, but Thomas Tuchel prefers the two runners. It is something that I think could cost him in the hot, dry USA summers. The team that wins the World Cup will be the team that makes the ball do the work.

If Anderson would be great cover for Rice, Wharton would be the perfect cover for Zubimendi. But the issue is he does not poses the running power so could not be cover for Rice as well. But at £80-100m each, are unlikely to sign both.

You would have to feel for Newcastle fans that after standing by Sandro Tonali, the Italian is now seemingly agitating for a move. But that is the football food chain and shows where mid-table Newcastle United sit in it.

I really like Tonali and he is perhaps my favourite on the list.

Often leading the running for Newcastle, he has a work rate, ground covering and box crashing to be an alternate option to Declan Rice. He is often Newcastle’s key ball carrier in the midfield. And at the same time he has the vision, precession, composure and passing range to be the deep lying play making cover for Zubimendi.

Concerns over his injury history are wide of the mark. The only question mark over him is that he has the occasional defensive lapse and can sometimes lost his man in the middle of the park. But that is not a huge issue as at Arsenal, Tonali would likely be the rotation player meaning he would come in against lesser opposition, where those minro defensive frailties would not be exposed as much.

Carlos Baleba almost left Brighton last summer as Manchester United showed concrete interest in bringing the Cameroon international to Old Trafford. The reported fee they were quoted was north of £100m, and his performances this season have done nothing to justify that.

From being the “next Moises Caicedo or N’Golo Kante”, he now looks a poor version of both. We are best off staying away from him. My gut is whoever gets him will be signing him out of desperation because they were unable to secure other targets on this list.

At just 18-years-old, Ayyoub Bouaddi is one of the biggest prospects in French football. He could become one of the best midfielders in the game and has a lot of attributes to like – strong and physically imposing defensively and with a great passing range.

If we are looking at “future proofing” the midfield rather than buy a top class, off the shelf ready midfielder, Bouaddi would be the perfect fit. But I actually think he will go to PSG or Real Madrid.

Talking of Madrid, this might be the summer Eduardo Camavinga departs the Spanish capital.

Despite his obvious talent, the Frenchman has never really made a position his own for Real Madrid, often shunted from defensive midfield to centre midfield to left back to accommodate others.

The big concern for anyone buying him is at 23 he has already played in excess of 300 games, and the injuries look to be taking their toll. Issues with muscle and ankle problems is never a good sign.

Anyone looking for a cheap option may go for West Ham’s Matheus Fernandes. Signed for £40m last summer, you would expect him to come on the market for a similar price this.

Still only 21, the midfielder is solid both on and off the ball. If a deal for Tonali can not be done, it would be worthwhile us having a look. If he continues to develop the way he has this season, it might be another deal we would look back on as a half-price signing.

Finally we come to Myles Lewis-Skelly.

I find the narrative around MLS being able to move into midfield interesting.

Having initially started as a central midfielder in our academy, many fans are of the belief that he could step up and be cover for Zubimendi in the middle of the park. However, I remember when I was first told about MLS and it was along the lines of “got a talented kid at Hale End. Was a midfielder but club think he will be a better left back and are now working on converting him to that position”.

Basically, the coaches did not think he was good enough for the centre of the park, but saw attributes in him to become a top left back. Taking that into account, it would be a big, big risk to transition him back to midfield as primary cover for Rice and Zubimendi.

If that is the plan, he would likely need a loan deal. And what Premier League side would give a 19-year-old who has never played CM at a senior level the keys to their midfield?

, and it seems as if the increased scrutiny has had an impact on his performances on the pitch. However, despite not hitting the same heights as in 2024-25, the 22-year-old is still expected to be on the move in the coming months.

United remain at the front of the queue as they weigh up how to replace the departing Casemiro, and it’s unlikely the Seagulls will be able to demand the same £115m ($157.5m) fee that they wanted for Baleba last time the Red Devils came knocking.

I would like to see us go for Sandro Tonali first and foremost. If that fails, then Matheus Fernandes would be who I would pivot too. Both Premier League proven. Both capable to play in both Rice and Zubimendi’s goal.

I would love us to recruit Bouaddi as well, although I would then “do a Saliba” with him and leave him on loan in France for at least one more year. Maybe even two. That would see him returning to Arsenal in 2028, still only 20-years-old and looking to integrate him as Declan Rice’s long term replacement (who will still only be 29 himself then!).

Who would you like to see us sign? Let us know in the comments.

Keenos

The big news yesterday was how the door may be open for Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri to leave the club. This did not come as a surprise for me.

I was already in the process of writing a blog about the players who may leave this summer, and MLS and Nwaneri were on my list.

No one wants to see academy graduates leave, especially those which have shown the potential of MLS and Nwaneri. But to be a success in football you need to evolve and Arsenal may have evolved beyond the pair.

A few years back we had the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Bukayo Saka, Joe Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles breaking through. We returned as top 4 challengers based on the performances of Hale Enders.

But to evolve into the consistent title challengers we now are we had to look at better than wha we had. And that meant the likes of Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino coming in.

The only one from that group who is still at Arsenal is Bukayo Saka. He has gone on to be one of the best right wingers in the world. And that really is the level you have to be to make it at Arsenal.

Last summer we spent, or committed to spend, around £150m on Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Piero Hincapie. It is the fellas who have “taken the minutes off” MLS and Nwaneri.

Some will argue that MLS and Nwaneri are superior to those that replaced them. but that is simply not true and is just their anti-Arteta agenda (anyone Arteta doesn’t play regularly they overhype).

Madueke has log been Saka’s understudy for England. He offers something that neither Saka or Nwaneri do – raw pace and brilliant in 1 on 1 situations. Madueke is an upgrade on Nwaneri, who I don’t actually think is a winger.

When we signed Eze under the nose of Spurs, everyon celebrated. Everyone was excited. It then baffles me why some are complaining about lack of minutes for Nwaneri when a player they were so excited to secure was always going to take minute off him.

Long-term, I think Nwaneri will play more centrally. Martin Odegaard if first choice and we then spend £65m on Eze to give Arteta another top class option in that area.

Eze is a proven Premier League player and another regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

Whilst most expect Eze and Madueke to go to the World Cup, Nwaneri’s name is not in contention. That says a lot about those who rate him above the senior pair. The might criticise Arteta, but Tuchel also thinks they are superior.

Over in Marseille, Nwaneri is struggling for regular minutes with the French team. The thinking over there is my thinking. That he is not really suited as a winger, but does not yet have the durability to play centrally. He needs more time, and that is time Arsenal can not afford to give him.

As for MLS, he has become a victim of system change at Arsenal.

Last season he looked fantastic, playing as an inverted full back and providing an extra body in midfield. This season we have changed things up.

Jurrien Timber tends to be the man playing inverted on the right hand side, that has left the left being used to maintain the with. Something which Ricardo Califori and Piero Hincapie do brilliantly. And something that MLS does not.

In Califori we have a marauding left back who, when for, is one of the best in the league. A fantastic player and regular starter for Italy, although his injures area concern.

I think we signed Hincape due to Califori’s injuries and wanted a left back cover who was closer to want the Italian provided.

The Ecuadorean has been an excellent signing, and may become our first choice next season. He joined, on loan, having been part of the Leverkusen invincible side and over 50 caps for his country at 24. His class is not in doubt.

Arsenal still have a lot to learn in the transfer market. Our poor sales are well documented.

What Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool do very well is selling academy graduates, taking the profit and reinvesting.

Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho, Morgan Rodgers, Liam Delap, Romeo Lavia, Pedro Porro, Brahim Diaz and Taylor Harwood-Bellis have all left Man City over recent years. None have gone on to achieve more than the players that replaced them.

Chelsea have sold the likes of Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher, Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori and Marc Ghuehi.

Jarrel Quansah, Rhian Brewster, Neco Williams, Bobby Clarke, Tyler Morton, Ben Doak, Caoimhin Kheller, Sepp van den Berg, Fabio Carvalho have all left Liverpool earring them nearly £150m.

We made a mistake not selling Maitland-Niles and Nelson back in 2021 or 2022. The pair would have generated a combined £50m. Money which could have been invested in someone better. We at least made close to £100m in selling ESR, Nketiah and Willock.

Estimations are that we could net over £100m in selling MLS and Nwaneri. That is a lot of money (and pure profit) for 2 players that do not actually need replacing.

Eze and Hincape are already an upgrade on the Hale End pair. we would basically be getting the same fee as what we spend upgrading.

MLS and Nwaneri are clearly both talented. The just need game time and right now their transfer value is based on their potential.

Ideally I would like us to do similar to what Liverpool have done with Quansah. Take a lesser fee from a European side with a buy back clause.

Rather than selling the pair to Man U or Chelsea for £50m each, a better move would be to take £35m from a Dortmund, Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid. And then have a nice sell on clause and an option to resign them for £50m. That is also the sort of deal that Man City had done a lot over the years.

That way, if either do kick on and fulfil their potential, we can resign them as the finished article. And if they do not become good enough for Arsenal, we may be able to pocket some more profit of they move again.

It is way to forget that both are still just 19. £100m for players with as little experience as them is a lot to turn down. And money we could then invest in players who are playing at a higher level.

It is hard to see academy graduates leave after many of us have invested emotionally in them. But that is why those running the club do the job they do. They do not let their emotions influence their decision.

Keenos

The heavy criticism Martin Zubimendi has been getting recently baffles me.

I have seen fans and pundits label the Spanish midfielder as a flop, and must be replaced next season. What a load of hyperbole.

Zubi was superb at the beginning of the season. Dictating games and running the show.

He has played over 3,000 minutes, and more than 4,000 for club and country. If you were looking at a reason why Zubi is a huge upgrade on Thomas Partey, it is o his availability.

Yes, Zubi is now looking like he is running out of steam. Arteta should have used Norgaard a bit more early in the season. But what Zubi has done, and is still doing, is fantastic considering this is his first season in a new league. And one which is a lot more physically demanding than La Liga.

Zubimendi has also suffered due to Martin Odegaard being out – our captain drops deep and always offers a passing option to help get out the press. Something Kai Havertz and Eberechi Eze do not really do.

When Odegaard is not playing, an easy out all disappears. Likewise Jurrien Timber also plus narrower than Ben White, giving Zubimendi another close passing option to ply one twos off and progress the ball up the field.

What we need to do next summer is sign someone to compliment both Zubimendi and Declan Rice. Who can take some of the game time off both of them to keep them fresher for the run in.

Ideally we need a bit of a unicorn player who can be called upon to be the metronome at the base of the midfield, but can also do the power running of Declan Rice further forward.

For me that man is Sandro Tonali.

The Italian is someone who can sit as the deepest midfielder, break up play and begin our attacks, and can also bring the energy of Rice if asked to do so further forward.

You sign the Newcastle man, we then have Rice, Zubimendi and Tonali and rotate the 3 without seeing too much of a quality drop off. We then have Mikel Merino as the 4th option.

After a season on the bench, Norgaard May win to depart for first team football. I can also see him transitioning to centre back and being a back up option for us there.

The criticism Zubi is getting is similar to that of Xabi Alonso in his first year at Liverpool, and they are very similar players. 

Both players dominate the midfield through their positional awareness and reading of the game. They are not all action defensive midfielders like Partey. This can lead to criticism from fans who don’t quite understand the game and want to see their midfielder playing like Robbie Savage and covering every blade of grass.

Zubimendi will flourish next season. He would have had a year in England under his belt. And hopefully a new team mate who can share some more minutes with him.

Keenos