Arsenal
Gyökeres credits dressing-room honesty after Arsenal’s record win at Tottenham
Gyökeres credited a frank dressing-room meeting after Arsenal’s emphatic win at Tottenham. follow-up
Arsenal turned a troubled midweek into their biggest Premier League victory at Tottenham Hotspur inside four days, a swing that Viktor Gyökeres attributed to a frank dressing-room conversation.
Gyökeres, who scored a crisp brace, was uncharacteristically sharp. He fired the visitors in front two minutes into the second half after taking advantage of the oceans of space afforded to him at the top of the penalty box. He likened his finish to one of Eberechi Eze’s goals in the reverse fixture; Eze was on the scoresheet again this weekend for the first time since that north London derby back in November.
“It’s always going to be difficult when you get a result like we had at Wolves, but it’s how you handle that, and how you respond to it, and today we showed that it in a good way,” Gyökeres said after the match.
Rather than blame a conceding opponent, Gyökeres emphasised internal honesty. “It’s important sometimes just to say what you feel and to let it all out in the group,” he said. “Most of us spoke. Everyone can recognise how different people feel in the moment and you get a better understanding of the feeling.
“When you speak in the group openly like that, you come closer together and it’s very important to do that sometimes. If you’re not honest, I think it’s hard to improve. It was a good chat.”
Mikel Arteta confirmed the low mood after the Wolves draw and explained how the squad responded. “It feels like the end of the world,” he reflected. “And then you have to lift yourself up because you’re feeling angry, upset, ashamed at some point.”
Arteta added: “We are all different nationalities, we all have different feelings, and then you have to bring everybody together,” he said. “It’s been a joy to spend that time together with them, to align everybody and to say: ‘O.K., what is going to be happening in the next chapter?’
“This one is gone, how do we use it to be a turning point and to make ourselves better, and that was the focus, that was the intention. But after you have to do it on the pitch, and I think what we’ve done from the beginning to the end of the match. It was outstanding.”
For all the goodwill in the dressing room, the margin for error remains small. Lest we forget, it was a draw away from home (not a defeat) which set the narrative of “bottling” the title raging once again.
Analytics & Stats
One priority signing each Premier League club should target before the window closes
A club-by-club look at the main transfer priority every Premier League side still needs to address.
With less than a month left in the transfer window, Premier League clubs are still expected to be busy. Incomings and outgoings remain likely across the division, and every side still appears to have at least one clear gap to fill before the deadline.
Arsenal may be attracting attention with their pursuit of Vinícius Júnior, but their bigger need is in central midfield. Declan Rice carried too much of the load last season, while Martín Zubimendi faded after the break and Myles Lewis-Skelly is not yet fully trusted there. Another box-to-box midfielder would help enormously.
Aston Villa could soon be short at left back if Lucas Digne leaves, which would leave Ian Maatsen as the only senior option. Bournemouth need more depth in wide areas, Brentford still require a more natural left back, and Brighton & Hove Albion must replace the goals lost with Danny Welbeck’s move to Chelsea.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have done plenty of work already but still have not addressed the goalkeeper position. Robert Sánchez improved in 2025-26, yet the club still look in need of a top-class solution.
Elsewhere, Coventry City are close to signing Carl Rushworth permanently and would then turn to left back. Crystal Palace need centre-back reinforcements after losing Marc Guéhi and Maxence Lacroix, while Everton must add a defensive midfielder after Idrissa Gana Gueye’s departure.
Fulham will look for winger depth after strengthening up front, Hull City want more options in attack, and Ipswich Town are still waiting for a central midfielder. Leeds United may also need another striker to cover for Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury record.
Liverpool’s most pressing issue is out wide, Manchester City need a right back, Manchester United still want a more destructive midfielder, and Newcastle are alarmingly short at left back. Nottingham Forest must replace Elliot Anderson in midfield, Sunderland need more balance on the left side, and Tottenham Hotspur have already moved aggressively to rebuild after last season’s collapse.
Arsenal
Arsenal Restore Yellow For 2026-27 Third Kit
Arsenal have brought back yellow for their 2026-27 third kit, with ambition driving the new design.
Arsenal have revived a familiar look for their 2026-27 third strip, bringing back yellow for the first time in five years.
The colour had not appeared on the pitch since 2021-22, when it was last used in match kit form. Since then, it has been kept largely for lifestyle collections, but it now returns for Mikel Arteta’s side as they prepare for the new campaign.
Released with the tagline “Arsenal State of Mind,” the design is built around the idea that the club is “more than a club” and instead “a shared sense of possibility.” That message fits the mood around Arsenal this season, with expectations high after last season’s Premier League title and a drive to add European success.
Alessia Russo spoke about what the kit represents from a player’s perspective. “Being part of Arsenal means being part of something bigger than yourself,” said Arsenal Women forward Alessia Russo. “There’s a sense of belief, ambition and togetherness that connects everyone who loves this club.
“That’s what Arsenal State of Mind means to me. It’s the feeling that we’re all part of the same journey and pushing towards the same goals. We can’t wait to wear this kit and create more amazing memories with our supporters this season.”
The third kit is completed with navy shorts and socks, and is now available through Arsenal and adidas.
The club’s ambitions do not stop there. Kai Havertz made clear that the target is to keep pushing after last season’s league triumph. “We want all the trophies,” he vowed. “That’s what we’re here for. We won the Premier League now but there’s a lot more that we can do.
“We have to reach another level to make that happen because we know how long the season is and how hard it is to go through all the competitions. We want to do it better again this year and make things happen again.”
He continued: “I think we can, or we have to go further. ”
Arsenal
Vinícius Jr salary link would push Arsenal’s wage bill to new heights
Vinícius Jr could top Arsenal’s wage bill, but Erling Haaland still leads Premier League pay.
Arsenal’s pursuit of Vinícius Jr. has been described as one that could reshape the club’s wage structure from top to bottom. Reports suggest the reigning Premier League champions are prepared to do whatever it takes to land the Real Madrid forward, with The Athletic also indicating that any package could be strengthened by a substantial sign-on bonus and image rights arrangement.
If a move is completed, the financial impact would be immediate. Even if Vinícius Jr. arrived on the same salary he currently earns at Real Madrid, he would still leap ahead of every player in the Arsenal squad. That alone shows the scale of the proposed deal and why it would be viewed as a major statement from the champions as they look to protect their crown.
At present, Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s highest earner after signing a new five-year contract earlier this year reportedly worth around £300,000 ($402,000) per week. Kai Havertz follows on approximately £280,000 ($378,000) weekly, according to The Guardian. Declan Rice is reported by The Independent to earn around £250,000 ($337,000) per week, while Martin Ødegaard is said by The Athletic to be on approximately £240,000 ($319,000) per week, with his current deal running until 2028.
Those figures would all sit below a Vinícius-level salary. The Brazilian would move clear of Arsenal’s current top tier and become the club’s most expensive player by a significant distance.
Even so, that would not place him at the summit of Premier League pay. That position remains with Erling Haaland. The Manchester City striker signed a nine-and-a-half-year extension in January 2025, with The Guardian reporting that the contract is worth around £500,000 ($674,000) per week.
Garnacho’s social post after Aston Villa debut raises eyebrows over Chelsea exit
One priority signing each Premier League club should target before the window closes
