Mikel Arteta chooses his first Arsenal signing after winning the Premier League
Just hours after winning the Premier League and finishing an amazing seven-year journey to greatness, Mikel Arteta is already shifting his focus from the celebrations to keeping the trophy next season. Arsenal was handed the Premier League title after Manchester City lost to Bournemouth, but this victory was built on a strong defensive game plan that made their winning formula work.
Now, Arteta wants to strengthen that defense even more by bringing in a quick and skilled defensive midfielder to play alongside Declan Rice—and he thinks he’s found the perfect player. After covering for some weaker spots left by Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, Arteta has reportedly set his sights on Sandro Tonali, who already has Premier League experience and would fit in well at Arsenal.
Tonali is currently at Newcastle, but Italian news sources say he’s not happy there and wants to move back to a Champions League club. Newcastle is also under pressure to sell players since they didn’t qualify for Europe, and Tonali’s £60 million price tag could help them bring in money for new signings.
In his two years at Newcastle, Tonali has done a fantastic job as a deep-lying midfielder, catching the eye of top clubs across Europe. Italian outlet Totto Juve says Arsenal is leading the race for Tonali now that Juventus is out, noting that he loves playing in the Premier League.
Arteta is a big fan of Tonali’s “intensity, balance, and leadership” and thinks he’d be a great fit with Arsenal’s competitive squad. However, this might mean some current players like Christian Nørgaard could move on, even though Nørgaard will be happy to have a Premier League medal after his move from Brentford, despite limited playing time.
Manchester United is also interested in Tonali, especially since their midfield options are limited for 2026/27 following Casemiro’s exit and Urgate’s struggles. They’re also after Elliot Anderson, aiming to have a strong group of midfielders to rotate for their Champions League games.
Newcastle doesn’t want to sell Tonali right now because they want to keep their best players. But with strict financial rules to follow, they might have to say goodbye to their star midfielder this summer.