Key Points

• Arsenal are preparing for a major summer transfer window as Mikel Arteta aims to correct the setbacks of the current campaign.
• Reports suggest the club’s dream 2026/27 squad could include Julian Alvarez, Sandro Tonali, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and a younger right-back target.
• The proposed changes would likely mean Viktor Gyokeres being replaced in the starting role if Arsenal land a striker of Alvarez’s level.
• Transfer reporting also points to Arsenal assessing a winger, a midfielder and a younger right-back as priority areas.
• Andrea Berta is described as a key figure in shaping Arsenal’s recruitment plans, with the club looking to raise the overall level of the squad.
• The broader context is that Arsenal’s season has been damaged by a poor run of results after a strong start, increasing the pressure on summer recruitment.

Mirror Football (North London News) April 23, 2026 – Arsenal are being linked with a significant squad overhaul for next season, with reports suggesting Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta are already mapping out a summer window aimed at restoring the team’s momentum and adding more depth across key positions. As reported by football. london and other outlets covered in the search results, the discussion around Arsenal’s ideal 2026/27 side includes names such as Julian Alvarez, Sandro Tonali and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, while earlier reporting also points to a younger right-back and a winger being among the club’s recruitment priorities.

The story is being framed around Arsenal’s need to respond to a disappointing spell of results after what had looked like a dominant campaign. The reports say the club were heading towards a highly successful season before a run of four defeats in six matches changed the tone, including a Carabao Cup final loss, an FA Cup exit and back-to-back league defeats that weakened their position in the title race. That context is central to why the summer window is being treated as decisive, with the club aiming to return to competing across multiple fronts.

Why is Arsenal’s summer transfer window so important?

Arsenal’s recruitment plans are being presented as part of a wider effort to ensure the squad can sustain a challenge next season rather than fade after a strong start. Football. London reported that Andrea Berta was influential in bringing in eight new players in 2025, and that Arsenal’s owners and Champions League income have allowed the club to be more ambitious in the market.

The same report says planning for the next window is already underway, even while Arteta remains focused on the immediate task of finishing the season strongly.

Daily Cannon’s reporting adds that Arsenal’s priorities are expected to include a midfielder, a winger and a younger right-back, with the right-back option viewed as someone who would not necessarily arrive as an immediate starter.

That suggests the club are not only looking for headline signings, but also squad-building additions designed to improve competition and future depth. In practical terms, that kind of recruitment would help Arsenal reduce reliance on a small group of core players over a long season.

Which players are being linked with Arsenal?

The most eye-catching name in the reports is Julian Alvarez, with some coverage suggesting he could become Arsenal’s preferred option up front if a deal could be done.

The same reporting says that if Arsenal were able to sign Alvarez, he would likely be the first-choice striker ahead of Viktor Gyokeres.

That would amount to a major statement about the club’s attacking ambition and the level they want to reach next season.

Sandro Tonali is another player consistently mentioned in the coverage of football.London reporting that he is among the names frequently linked with Arsenal and that Newcastle might allow him to leave under the right conditions.

The same piece also notes Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as a possible attacking addition, with the Independent suggesting the PSG winger could be receptive to a move in the summer.

These links indicate Arsenal are being connected with established, high-level players rather than only developmental prospects.

How would the dream XI change Arsenal?

The proposed squad picture suggests Arsenal would look different in both attack and midfield if the reported targets were secured.

A front line led by Alvarez would represent a more proven and potentially more versatile central option than a squad built around Gyokeres alone, while Tonali would add another high-level midfield presence alongside Arsenal’s existing core.

Kvaratskhelia, meanwhile, would add a different type of attacking threat from wide areas, with the potential to change how Arsenal break down opponents.

The reports also mention a younger right-back target and, in some coverage, Nathaniel Brown at left-back as a possible addition. That shows the focus is not only on glamour signings but also on balance across the defensive line and depth in positions where rotation matters.

If those moves were realised, Arsenal’s squad would likely look more complete and more adaptable to fixture congestion.

What do the reports say about Gyokeres?

The coverage does not suggest that Viktor Gyokeres has failed outright, but it does indicate that Arsenal may see room for an upgrade if they can land one of their elite targets.

The suggestion that Alvarez would move ahead of Gyokeres in the pecking order is important because it shows the club are being linked with a striker of a different profile and possibly a higher ceiling. In transfer terms, that kind of speculation often reflects a desire to sharpen competition for places rather than simply add numbers.

At the same time, Arsenal’s reported interest in attacking reinforcements shows they are still searching for more reliability and efficiency in the final third.

The club’s recent results appear to have intensified that need, especially after a period in which the team’s early-season control gave way to frustration in major matches. That backdrop explains why a striker upgrade is being treated as one of the main storylines in the summer planning.

How do the different reports fit together?

Taken together, the reporting paints a consistent picture of Arsenal’s transfer thinking rather than one isolated rumour.

Football. London says Arteta and Berta are already planning ahead, Daily Cannon identifies midfield, winger and right-back as priorities, and other coverage links Arsenal to Alvarez, Tonali and Kvaratskhelia.

Even the broader transfer-target round-up suggests Arsenal want to keep strengthening despite already having added major players in the previous window.

That said, the reports are still speculative rather than confirmed deals. The wording throughout indicates targets, priorities and dream combinations, not completed negotiations. In other words, the current picture is of a club with a clear transfer direction, but not yet a finalised squad for 2026/27.

Background of the development

Arsenal’s transfer planning is unfolding against the backdrop of a season that began strongly but has become more complicated in recent weeks.

The club were described as being on course for a potentially exceptional campaign before a run of defeats changed the momentum and increased pressure on the summer rebuild.

That is why the upcoming window is being treated as a key moment for Arteta and the recruitment team.

Andrea Berta’s role is also part of the background to this story, because the reporting places him at the centre of Arsenal’s squad-building plans.

One report says he helped deliver eight new players in 2025, which was described as the club’s biggest single-window spend.

That history helps explain why Arsenal are now being linked with another ambitious round of additions rather than a more conservative approach.

What could happen next?

If Arsenal do land players of the calibre being reported, the immediate effect would be more competition for places and a stronger squad across several departments. For supporters, that would likely raise expectations that the team can challenge more consistently in the Premier League and Europe, rather than relying on a narrow group of starters. For the manager, it would also provide more tactical options in matches where Arsenal need to alter tempo, shape or attacking style.