Managing Arsenal as £80million upgrade signed and Bukayo's Saka future resolved

View 4 Images

Arsenal appear to be on the cusp of something special this season. The Gunners have gone over two decades without lifting the Premier League trophy and have never won the Champions League , but are among the favourites to land both major honours.

A huge part of that has been their remarkable summer transfer window, which saw Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta bring in eight signings : Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Viktor Gyokeres, Cristhian Mosquera, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapie.

That has provided the north Londoners with arguably the greatest squad depth in their history and their strongest side since the Invincibles of 2003/04, with Arsenal now able to cope when losing players through injury.

Taking them to the next level therefore now only requires fine-tuning as opposed to wholesale changes ahead of the January transfer window . And Mirror Football brings you one key addition who can do that, as well as internal factors that need addressing to guarantee silverware this season.

View 4 Images

Bukayo Saka for the past five years has been the poster boy for Arsenal’s success, having carried the formerly struggling team as a mere teenager. Now regularly captaining the side and recently recording his 100th goal involvement in his 200th Premier League game, the 24-year-old academy graduate is desperate to lift a trophy with his boyhood club.

Given how important he is to the project, convincing the winger to sign a new contract is a crucial next step, with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2027. Saka’s love for the club means he is unlikely to let his contract run down, and a new deal isn’t expected to be difficult given how well Arsenal are doing this season.

A long-term contract similar to the five-year deal another marquee player, William Saliba, signed in September could be on the cards. Saka is already one of Arsenal’s highest earners and the club are already believed to be working on an improved deal, which they hope he will sign in the coming months.

The left wing position, along with a centre forward, was one of two roles fans were desperate to upgrade in the summer. But despite signing the electric Madueke and impressive Eze for a combined fee of over £100m, neither player’s best position is on the left flank.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard , having been written off by many just a few months ago, have enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence with seven goal involvements between them so far this season. But the Emirates side still need to bring in a world class, game-changing left-winger to take them to the next level.

View 4 Images

Despite being linked with Real Madrid ’s Rodrygo in the past, the player Arsenal need is in fact Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth . Many expected the dynamic 25-year-old to leave the Cherries in the summer, with Liverpool , Tottenham and Manchester United all interested, only for him to sign a five-year contract in July .

The Gunners will therefore have to splash in the region of £80m to land the Ghana international, but they should not think twice about paying that sum given his incredible talent . Semenyo has six goals and three assists in just seven Premier League games this season, something that should encourage Arsenal to move in early for the player and get him on side in the next few months ahead of a transfer next summer, just as they did with Zubimendi last season to beat Real Madrid and Liverpool to his signature.

Myles Lewis-Skelly has almost been a victim of his own success this season after a remarkable breakout campaign last term, which saw him nail down a spot as Arsenal’s starting left-back as a mere 18-year-old.

His meteoric rise saw him play a key role against the likes of Manchester City , Real Madrid and even score on his England debut. But he has found minutes hard to come by this season, largely due to the return of Riccardo Calafiori from injury and the Italian's fantastic performances as a roaming full-back.

View 4 Images

It will no doubt be frustrating for the promising teenager to sit on the bench as often as he has done in what seems like a backwards step. Despite this, England manager Thomas Tuchel continues to select him for international duty. But sooner rather than later, Lewis-Skelly needs to be playing regular football if he hopes to remain England’s first-choice left back for the 2026 World Cup.

Sadly for the youngster, the signing of Hincapie makes that even less likely, with Arteta seemingly looking for a different profile in the left-back position as part of his tactical evolution. Lewis-Skelly was primarily a central midfielder in the Gunners’ youth ranks and that may be where the manager sees his future.

But with so many games still to come this season and both Calafiori and Hincapie being injury prone, it will serve Arsenal well to persist with Lewis-Skelly at left-back, giving him valuable minutes as they may need to depend on him again in the business end of the season.

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.