Arsenal open talks to sign ‘next Mbappe’

Defeat in the Champions League final on Saturday evening was a crushing defeat for Arsenal but they will do it and not let it define them.

Less than 24 hours after that defeat in Budapest, the playing and coaching staff were welcomed by the better part of a million fans on the streets of north London to celebrate a 14th top-flight title and their first Premier League success in 22 years. It was a party for the powerful.

However, Mikel Arteta and Josh Kroenke know they cannot sit still. Now it’s time to strengthen the squad and really go for it and be on top.

They have the money, the pulling power, the passion and one of the biggest fan bases in the country. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

So, what’s on the agenda in the transfer window?

Arsenal size up to sign “next Mbappe”

If you thought last summer was great, this summer could be an important one for the Gunners as they look to strengthen their title winning squad.

Speaking after the full-time whistle in Hungary at the weekend, David Ornstein confirmed that they “can surpass last year’s spending” while noting that this summer could be the year they “go for it” in terms of signing a new player.

In that department, Aston Villa’s Morgan Roger will be prominent. Negotiations with his representatives are ongoing according to reports from last week.

However, with him being £100m more expensive than those at Villa Park, this could be a huge challenge to get over the line.

As it turns out, Rogers isn’t the only striker on Arsenal’s radar. According to reports from Fabrizio Romano, Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi is their most highly rated player.

Taking to his YouTube channel on Monday evening, Romano said: “The biggest asset in the market; Kroupi. Bournemouth would like to keep the player but after a good season, several top clubs have started calling. In the Premier League, I can tell you that Arsenal and Manchester City are calling.”

Romano continued: “But, PSG are also in the mix. They have contacted them and taken some information about the player. They really appreciate him and have very good communication with his agents.”

It has previously been reported that if the Cherries striker is to leave, it will take £80m or more.

Why Kroupi would be a dream come true for Bukayo Saka

Despite lifting the Premier League title, this has been a troubled season for their star boy, Bukayo Saka.

The winger endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons and as a result, struggled to build momentum or rhythm. Saka improved towards the end of the season, notably scoring against Fulham and Atletico Madrid. However, as his performance in the Champions League final showed, he has not yet reached the level we have seen from him.

There are several reasons for that, not least the minor injury problems and the lack of explosiveness in his game but also the striker’s position at Arsenal.

For much of the ongoing campaign, Saka and Arsenal have never had a consistent centre. That sounds amazing to say when you consider that Viktor Gyokeres finished 2025/26 with 21 goals to his name.

However, his connection to lifting the game was far from easy. What they need is a mix of Kai Havertz and Gyokeres, someone who can not only score goals but also connect with his teammates. They want a tow pack. That’s a rare thing, sure, but signing Kroupi could help Saka get back to his best form.

Why? However, the simple fact of the matter is that he is more effective in front of goal than both Gyokeres and Havertz while his expected threat in the play stages is second to very few in European football.

There are two metrics that really stand out here. While the young Frenchman has scored a higher number of non-penalty goals, his conversion rate and xT in formation are better.

Why is the latter important? Well, it actually describes how the player works when it comes to bringing others into the game. This number is not at all surprising when you consider that Kroupi played a lot of his football as the second striker in this group after Evanilson who plays in front of Andoni Iraola. That ability to integrate and communicate with colleagues may be what Saka is after.

This season, his relationship on the pitch was not great when he worked alongside Gyokeres, so the arrival of Kroupi could completely change the game.

Also able to play as an out-and-out striker, the 19-year-old has found the back of the net 13 times this season. It was the highest number of goals ever scored by a youngster on his Premier League debut.

He is insanely talented and comparisons have already been made to one of the greatest of all time. GOAL introduced him as “the next Mbappe” a few years ago and he’s doing a good job of living up to that billing. Joining a top club like Arsenal could see him explode, just like the Frenchman did at PSG.

This could be a special signing for Arsenal, not least because he scored a goal that goal against Manchester City but because he is a strong young player.