After weeks and even months of linking Arsenal with Morgan Rogers, this England striker will be lined up by Chelsea next season which is a very difficult thing for the Premier League champions.
The Blues have stolen ahead of their London rivals to land Rogers from Aston Villa for a British record £117million, forcing Mikel Arteta and Co to look elsewhere in their pursuit of a new left-back.
The impending arrival of Christian Tzolis has helped fill the gap left by Leandro Trossard but with Gabriel Martinelli also linked with the exit door, Arteta will be keen to add another attacking addition to ensure they remain among Europe’s top teams.
101GreatGoals picks five potential targets the Gunners can now turn their attention to…
Bradley Barcola
Believed to be Arsenal’s target after missing out on Rogers, Bradley Barcola would be a great addition to the Gunners, but it looks like a tough deal to pull off.
Current club Paris Saint-Germain, who beat Arsenal in last season’s Champions League final, are not thought to be interested in selling the defender and are believed to be studying a new contract for the 23-year-old.
That said, PSG are spoiled for choice when it comes to strikers, with Luis Enrique still able to call up the likes of Khvichia Kvaratshkelia, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue even if Barcola were to leave, so Arsenal could test their resolve with a bigger bid.
The champions are not the only Premier League club said to be interested in Barcola, however, with Liverpool believed to be preparing a bid in what could end up being a tough battle to sign the PSG man.
Julian Alvarez
A very different profile to Barcola or Rogers, but undoubtedly a quality addition if Arsenal can pull off a deal.
Julian Alvarez has made it clear he wants to leave Atletico Madrid this summer and the North Londoners are thought to be among the clubs who could land the striker – although Barcelona may be better at this stage.
The Argentine forward is more of an out-and-out striker than a left-back but his link-up play could be useful for Viktor Gyokeres up front, while providing an alternative to the big Swede.
That being said, it looks like Barca hold the keys to the 26-year-old’s race and, like Barcola, it would take a big bid to confirm his move to the Emirates.
Yan Diomande
Yan Diomande is another player who is in short supply after an impressive World Cup in Ivory Coast, the RB Leipzig midfielder is perhaps the most needed young player before the tournament begins.
Diomande scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists in the Bundesliga last season and is still only 19, putting him on the list of the likes of PSG and Liverpool – and now Arsenal.
A price tag of up to £110m has been mentioned for the youngster as a result, which seems to have put the Reds on hold for now, and it remains to be seen whether Arsenal are willing to pay that price after turning down the chance to pay the same price for Rogers.
Recent reports suggest Diomande may choose PSG over the two Premier League players, but that could boost Arsenal’s hopes of landing Barcola.
Marcus Rashford
This will raise eyebrows, but on closer inspection, it looks like a move for Marcus Rashford could be a smart move by Arsenal.
The England international almost left Manchester United after his return from a loan spell at Barcelona saw him win LaLiga, scoring 14 goals and assisting the same amount – although Barca ultimately opted not to sign the 28-year-old permanently.
A reported £40m release clause has reportedly expired, but with United keen to sell, the actual fee is unlikely to be much higher, which could end up being a bargain for a player of Rashford’s caliber, who was misused by Thomas Tuchel at the World Cup.
His time at Aston Villa and Barcelona has shown that a left-sided striker can thrive in the right position, which he will have under Arteta. Although perhaps a very risky move, this may be the wisest thing they do.
Nico Williams
Days after winning the World Cup, can Nico Williams finally leave the youth team Athletic Club?
Williams had become a forgotten man after an injury-plagued 2025-26 campaign but he reminded everyone of his quality and impact on Spain’s bench at the World Cup, including setting up Ferran Torres’ winner in the final.
His strong ties to the Basque region have kept the 24-year-old at Athletic despite a lot of interest over the years, but a move to the Premier League champions will be hard to turn down.
A reported £80m is slightly less than what Barcola or Diomande would have been paid and he looks like a player who could hit the ground running in the Premier League.
