Andrea Berta’s Transfer Plates: Summer 2026

[Trilly]

This doesn't explain the embarrassing fact that 59 clubs in Europe have spent more on attackers (wingers and strikers) between Arteta's arrival and May 2025.

Yep, you can’t argue with this.

 

[Kuroske]

Can someone explain why Arteta is so reluctant to buy attackers?

Because defence wins you championships. You if do not agree, think back again having Rob Holding as your starting CB.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

How many of those won the PL league this year or pushed City all the way to end in 2 of last 4 title challenges. Its been justified imo what we have done in the market so far.

I agree we need to push for top attackers to get more out of the cups.

Especially Champions League.

Arsenal is currently club with most matches played in UCL who has never won this competition.
Can we finally win it?

We need top attackers for that.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Yeah you can keep making these excuses but when it’s been six years and attack always feels like an afterthought then the answer is right there.

Diomande is going to PSG for sure. But which club were doing the groundwork and were constantly linked before PSG came in? Not us. The asking price for Barcola is not 150M either lol.

Look at the end of the day you can always justify why we miss out on attacker X, Y or Z. But if you can’t see that there’s a clear difference in risk appetite when it comes to behind the ball signings vs ahead of the ball signings then I’m just going to agree to disagree with you on the matter.

Im not here to argue with you about this. I agree we need to improve our attacking recruitment.

Im just saying it looks like Diamonde is off to PSG. I also think this 80 m prize tag on Barcola that AM has is a pure fantasy. Saw some quote about the 150 m yesterday which makes me believe it will be around 100 m. I think that was already discussed that we rarely do those type of transfers so not only up to the manager.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

Because defence wins you championships. You if do not agree, think back again having Rob Holding as your starting CB.

Your second sentence is pure BS.
We already have top quality GK, defence and midfield.
Why can't we buy top attackers now?

 

[MikelHadADream]

Rogers - Havertz - Saka
Bruno - Rice- Ødegaard
Calafiori - Gabriel - Saliba - Timber
Raya

If that's the window I'd be pretty satisfied. I'd definitely prefer Barcola but if they have identified Rogers as their number for LW and that's where he'll play then sure.

More than enough to retain the title, don't think it would edge us vs PSG but brings us closer.

City's front line is still superior to this.

I suppose its not really possible to close the gap to them though in that regard as they have Haaland.

My issue is we are making a lot of assumptions on the forward line: Rogers LW/Can he step up, Saka/Kai/Ode fitness and form ect.

Think Mikel needs to show his attacking coaching ability here.

 

[Iwobeast]

Has Arteta ever "pushed hard" for a starting front line player, as in he was the deciding factor in pursuing them?

Him and his team pushed for Noni, but mostly because it was a trifecta of fetishes.

From the top of my head: Isak, Raphinha, Nico Williams, Sesko, Watkins?

 

[Trilly]

Im not here to argue with you about this. I agree we need to improve our attacking recruitment.

Im just saying it looks like Diamonde is off to PSG. I also think this 80 m prize tag on Barcola that AM has is a pure fantasy. Saw some quote about the 150 m yesterday which makes me believe it will be around 100 m. I think that was already discussed that we rarely do those type of transfers so not only up to the manager.

Yeah my point with Diomande isn’t “why didn’t we beat him to PSG” it’s “why weren’t we interested in the first place”.

Always seems to be the case whenever a quality attacker moves.

I’m pretty sure we can get Barcola for a similar price to Roger, I don’t think Bradley will cost 150M he’s not that good and the super rich clubs tend to price their players reasonably.

 

[El Duderino]

From the top of my head: Isak, Raphinha, Nico Williams, Sesko, Watkins?

We had the chance to sign Isak last season and decided against it.

He wasn't the driving factor for any of those links as he's done for midfielders and CBs, bar Watkins where he wanted the player and the club decided there was no value for money there.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

Im not here to argue with you about this. I agree we need to improve our attacking recruitment.

Im just saying it looks like Diamonde is off to PSG. I also think this 80 m prize tag on Barcola that AM has is a pure fantasy. Saw some quote about the 150 m yesterday which makes me believe it will be around 100 m. I think that was already discussed that we rarely do those type of transfers so not only up to the manager.

It is not only up to manager, but we have never heard that Arteta is pushing for certain attacker.
And we have heard many times that he pushed for certain defender or midfielder.

If we have paid £105m for Rice, why can't we pay something like that for elite attacker?
Why are we linked with Tzolis, and not with someone from elite class attackers?

Now we are linked with Guimaraes, who is elite midfielder.
Why we don't have same approach with LW?
Tzolis?
I don't know.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

It is not only up to manager, but we have never heard that Arteta is pushing for certain attacker.
And we have heard many times that he pushed for certain defender or midfielder.

If we have paid £105m for Rice, why can't we pay something like that for elite attacker?
Why are we linked with Tzolis, and not with someone from elite class attackers?

Now we are linked with Guimaraes, who is elite midfielder.
Why we don't have same approach with LW?
Tzolis?
I don't know.

I think we need to wait and see what signings we will get. I think we did well last year but need new strategy this window and sign some top level attackers but hard to judge until every signing is over the line!

 

[HattoriHanzo]

Here is the list of top LWs in the world now, according to AI.

Top Left Wingers by Age Bracket​

U21 Years (58 players)​

1. Assane Diao(20yo)
€30.0M
2. Tyrique George(20yo)
€22.0M
3. Mikey Moore(18yo)
€16.0M
4. Pedro(20yo)
€15.0M
5. Gustavo Nunes(20yo)
€10.0M

21-23 Years (225 players)​

1. Bradley Barcola(23yo)
€70.0M
2. Nico Williams(23yo)
€60.0M
3. Savinho(22yo)
€45.0M
4. Jamie Gittens(21yo)
€40.0M
5. Kevin(23yo)
€30.0M

24-26 Years (262 players)​

1. Vinicius Junior(25yo)
€150.0M
2. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia(25yo)
€90.0M
3. Jérémy Doku(24yo)
€65.0M
4. Anthony Gordon(25yo)
€60.0M
5. Álex Baena(24yo)
€55.0M

27-29 Years (255 players)​

1. Luis Díaz(29yo)
€70.0M
2. Raphinha(29yo)
€80.0M
3. Rafael Leão(27yo)
€70.0M
4. Harvey Barnes(28yo)
€32.0M
5. Kaoru Mitoma(29yo)
€30.0M


https://footballanalytics.ai/data/best/all/lw/2025-26

We are linked only with Barcola from this list, and he isn't our first choice.
We prefer Rogers who isn't winger.

I don't get it.

Can we finally buy proper winger, who is fast as hell and who can dribble past defenders?

I have tolerated poor performances from our attack last season just to get over the line and finally win the title.
After we finally did it, I will not tolerate it this season.

 

[Tourbillion]

Barcola has star potential imo.

As @RunTheTrap pointed out he’s that rare type of winger that aren’t really being produced anymore, more of an off the ball mover type in the Salah mould, he’s the type of winger who has the potential to score 20 goals a season because of his pace, movement and finishing even if he isn’t the most clinical. I think in a best case scenario he becomes something like our Salah or Son

The nice thing about Barcola is that while not as talented/secure as someone like Doue he’s still pretty good on the ball and wouldn’t just be a finisher of moves, again, kind of similar to Salah in that regard who was never the tidiest until his early thirties really.

Son is a great shout.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Here is the list of top LWs in the world now, according to AI.

Top Left Wingers by Age Bracket​

U21 Years (58 players)​

1. Assane Diao(20yo)
€30.0M
2. Tyrique George(20yo)
€22.0M
3. Mikey Moore(18yo)
€16.0M
4. Pedro(20yo)
€15.0M
5. Gustavo Nunes(20yo)
€10.0M

21-23 Years (225 players)​

1. Bradley Barcola(23yo)
€70.0M
2. Nico Williams(23yo)
€60.0M
3. Savinho(22yo)
€45.0M
4. Jamie Gittens(21yo)
€40.0M
5. Kevin(23yo)
€30.0M

24-26 Years (262 players)​

1. Vinicius Junior(25yo)
€150.0M
2. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia(25yo)
€90.0M
3. Jérémy Doku(24yo)
€65.0M
4. Anthony Gordon(25yo)
€60.0M
5. Álex Baena(24yo)
€55.0M

27-29 Years (255 players)​

1. Luis Díaz(29yo)
€70.0M
2. Raphinha(29yo)
€80.0M
3. Rafael Leão(27yo)
€70.0M
4. Harvey Barnes(28yo)
€32.0M
5. Kaoru Mitoma(29yo)
€30.0M


https://footballanalytics.ai/data/best/all/lw/2025-26

We are linked only with Barcola from this list, and he isn't our first choice.
We prefer Rogers who isn't winger.

I don't get it.

Can we finally buy proper winger, who is fast as hell and who can dribble past defenders?

I have tolerated poor performances from our attack last season just to get over the line and finally win the title.
After we finally did it, I will not tolerate it this season.

Nico Williams is still 23?? Feels like he's been around for ages.

 

[Trilly]

Nico Williams is still 23?? Feels like he's been around for ages.

Nico would have been nice but injuries seem to have ruined him.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

City's front line is still superior to this.

I suppose its not really possible to close the gap to them though in that regard as they have Haaland.

My issue is we are making a lot of assumptions on the forward line: Rogers LW/Can he step up, Saka/Kai/Ode fitness and form ect.

Think Mikel needs to show his attacking coaching ability here.

no matter what we do We cannot compete with Man City financially they'll always get the elite players in market unless they have super quality in squad aleady. that's why we have chance with Barcola competing with Liverpool for signing is so much easier than competing with Man city we got lucky with Rice but we won't get lucky with all players.

for example Monga these guys didn't care about his value they paid double what we offering. and Monga was pushing to join us too.

 

[Mraven]

Here is the list of top LWs in the world now, according to AI.

Top Left Wingers by Age Bracket​

U21 Years (58 players)​

1. Assane Diao(20yo)
€30.0M
2. Tyrique George(20yo)
€22.0M
3. Mikey Moore(18yo)
€16.0M
4. Pedro(20yo)
€15.0M
5. Gustavo Nunes(20yo)
€10.0M

21-23 Years (225 players)​

1. Bradley Barcola(23yo)
€70.0M
2. Nico Williams(23yo)
€60.0M
3. Savinho(22yo)
€45.0M
4. Jamie Gittens(21yo)
€40.0M
5. Kevin(23yo)
€30.0M

24-26 Years (262 players)​

1. Vinicius Junior(25yo)
€150.0M
2. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia(25yo)
€90.0M
3. Jérémy Doku(24yo)
€65.0M
4. Anthony Gordon(25yo)
€60.0M
5. Álex Baena(24yo)
€55.0M

27-29 Years (255 players)​

1. Luis Díaz(29yo)
€70.0M
2. Raphinha(29yo)
€80.0M
3. Rafael Leão(27yo)
€70.0M
4. Harvey Barnes(28yo)
€32.0M
5. Kaoru Mitoma(29yo)
€30.0M


https://footballanalytics.ai/data/best/all/lw/2025-26

We are linked only with Barcola from this list, and he isn't our first choice.
We prefer Rogers who isn't winger.

I don't get it.

Can we finally buy proper winger, who is fast as hell and who can dribble past defenders?

I have tolerated poor performances from our attack last season just to get over the line and finally win the title.
After we finally did it, I will not tolerate it this season.

This list is really uninspiring. There's only Barcola that is both attainable and a clear upgrade.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Nico would have been nice but injuries seem to have ruined him.

He's expensive as well. But we know when Mikel has an obsession he doesn't easily drop it. Wouldn't be surprised to see us being linked again in the future.

 

[Kuroske]

Your second sentence is pure BS.
We already have top quality GK, defence and midfield.
Why can't we buy top attackers now?

It mentions from 2020 till now, but the defence was a mess at that time. Arteta even had to resort to a back five to bring some stability. Fast forward to 2026, and it's a completely different situation. The overhaul of the defence and midfield is complete. What the squad needs now is elite attacking quality. A transfer window that brings in Barcola, Rogers, and Bruno is imo realistic depending of outgoing transfers.

 

[Sebastes]

The Bruno G deal tells us that the only reason we haven’t been seriously in for all these bright attacking talents is because of our manager.

We had no issue trying to go for a £50M Huijsen we don’t need and now we’re happy to spend 70M+ on a (admittedly very good) CM even though all we really need in that position is someone the manager rates more than Nørgaard.

He just doesn’t care about the attack the same way he does about midfield and defence. The moment it comes to an attacking signing we start to worry about risk and versatility and all this other stuff that is just starting to sound like excuses now. Bruno G will be 29 this season, could potentially decline at any point in the next few years and will come here on at least 250kpw I’m assuming. Why is that transfer any more risky than signing a Barcola or Diomande?

If you told me this summer we’d be cheaping out on LW (again) but spending big in a position we don’t need to…I would 100% believe you tbh. Still shocking that it’s going to play out this way though.

It’s ok to panic now