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