Arsenal are likely to target a left-sided attacker in 2026, Arsenal Insider understands.
Andrea Berta spent over £250 million in the summer transfer window, acquiring eight players in the process.
Viktor Gyokeres arrived for £63 million as the marquee addition, while Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi all joined the North London club for in excess of £50 million.
The Gunners aren’t prepared to rest on their laurels, and would consider re-entering the market for a more natural left winger in eight months.

There are four wingers Arsenal could target next summer
While Madueke and Eze have enjoyed impressive starts to their Arsenal careers, neither has thrived off the left consistently throughout their careers.
Madueke has been at his best on the right, while Eze has generally looked more threatening in a central role.
In addition to these players perhaps being square pegs in round holes on the left, both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard’s futures are uncertain.
If one or both of them leave Arsenal next summer, then this will necessitate signing a left winger.
Transfer expert Graeme Bailey told Arsenal Insider that he expects Arsenal to sign a left-sided forward, before naming four potential candidates Berta could explore once again.
“I still think Arsenal will in 2026, I think they will sign a new left winger,” Bailey said.
“I do. Obviously, Rodrygo is somebody we looked at before, and I think Rodrygo is going to be on the radar again. His game time at Real has been limited; he started one game in La Liga.
“By the same token, I think we’ll probably talk about Nico Williams again. We’ll probably talk about Raphinha again, and we’ll talk about [Antoine] Semenyo. There’s nobody better than him in the Premier League at the moment. Could you see Semenyo on the left in Arsenal’s team? I could.”

Which of the four left winger targets should Arsenal sign?
Berta has a range of options, and given how he approached Arsenal’s striker situation in the summer, he’ll likely explore several of them at the same time.
Raphinha might represent the least likely signing given how important he is at Barcelona, although it’s possible that the Gunners could seduce the Catalan giants by making a substantial offer.
He turns 29 in December, however, and he therefore might not be worth paying a huge fee for.
| Statistical Comparison 2024/25 (League Only) | ||
| Stat | Semenyo | Rodrygo |
| Appearances | 37 | 30 |
| Goals | 11 | 6 |
| Assists | 5 | 5 |
| Shots per 90 | 3.51 | 2.52 |
| Expected Goals per 90 | 0.28 | 0.19 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 1.29 | 2.29 |
| Expected Assists per 90 | 0.12 | 0.14 |
| Successful Take-ons per 90 | 2.14 | 2.29 |
Antoine Semenyo’s excellent early-season form in the Premier League makes him an enticing option. That said, it remains to be seen how sustainable his current rate of output is, and his £60 million release clause is hefty for a player with his CV.
Meanwhile, despite Mikel Arteta’s admiration for Nico Williams, it appears that the Spanish winger is reluctant to leave his boyhood club, unless it’s for Barcelona.
That leaves Rodrygo as the most compelling option on the market. Arsenal were heavily linked with the Brazilian in the summer, but he never made it clear whether he was actually open to leaving the Bernabeu or not.
If he continues to be on the periphery of Xabi Alonso’s plans, then the Gunners ought to make a move, and at a significantly discounted price.
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