Arsenal
How Arsenal Can Replace Ben White at Right Back
Arteta outlines options at right back after Ben White ruled out for many, many weeks. Timber doubts.
Mikel Arteta confirmed Ben White will be sidelined for “many, many weeks,” a blow that effectively rules the right back out for the rest of Arsenal’s season and could jeopardise his World Cup involvement. “It looks like a long-term injury,” Arteta told assembled media, “so at the moment the focus is when we can have him back to be available for Arsenal, and that’s not going to happen for many, many weeks.”
White’s enforced removal at West Ham disrupted the team’s balance. Arteta first moved Declan Rice into the right back role without success before turning to Cristhian Mosquera at the interval. The Gunners ultimately escaped the London Stadium thanks to a hotly controversial VAR decision.
With two remaining Premier League fixtures and a Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain to come, Arteta said plainly: “We need to look at alternatives.” There are clear options on paper and difficult trade-offs to weigh.
In an ideal scenario Jurriën Timber returns from a groin problem in time for the final. Timber is described as Arsenal’s most complete one-on-one defender and would give the best chance of containing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The issue is fitness. “He has progressed a little bit in the last few days,” Arteta revealed. “He’s feeling better. We are going to try to get him fit and available as quick as possible, but let’s see.
“Obviously he’s been out for a while, unfortunately. He’s such an important player for us, we all know that, and he’s doing everything he possibly can to help the team in any capacity.” On the likelihood of a return Arteta added: “There is a chance, but how big that chance is, I cannot tell you. He is going to do everything he can to make that chance as big as possible and that’s the challenge ahead.”
In Timber’s absence Mosquera has been the most familiar option. The 21-year-old’s touch-tight defending is the safer choice but could be exposed by a dribbler who pivots towards goal. Rice embodies the broader problem: alternatives at fullback are unproven. “The sample is so tiny,” he sighed. “It’s very difficult to judge a player when he has low minutes.”
Rice’s right back showing against Brighton in December was outstanding. “He was exceptional,” Arteta recalled, but at West Ham “The other night, it was something else.” Against Burnley and Crystal Palace the extra body Rice provides in midfield has logic, yet the risk of another roll of the dice remains.
Arsenal
Why Vinícius Jr Would Be Arsenal’s Natural Left-Side Solution
Vinícius Jr could transform Arsenal’s left side, if a transfer from Real Madrid ever advances.
Arsenal’s search for greater threat on the left flank has taken them into rare territory, with Vinícius Júnior now viewed as the most ambitious answer to a long-running issue. The club have already brought in Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge to cover for the departure of Leandro Trossard, yet the pursuit of another wide attacker suggests the work in that area is not finished. Before Morgan Rogers moved to London neighbours Chelsea, Arsenal had also considered him for the same role.
A move for Vinícius Jr is still only at an early stage, and Real Madrid are understood to be reluctant to part with him. Even so, the 26-year-old is into the final year of his contract and talks are at a standstill, leaving his future uncertain. That makes this summer the most realistic opening Arsenal may get if they want to test the scale of the deal.
Tactically, the fit is obvious. Vinícius Jr would take over the left wing immediately, regardless of Tzolis’s arrival. His game is built on staying wide, isolating full-backs and driving at them, then either reaching the byline or cutting inside onto his stronger right foot to shoot or slip a pass into the box. Arsenal have lacked consistent production from that side for much of 2025-26, with Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli combining for only seven league goals. Eberechi Eze also spent time there, but he is most effective centrally.
Arsenal’s attack has largely leaned to the right, where Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard are usually the main reference points. Vinícius Jr on the opposite side would change that balance at once, forcing defenders to respect both flanks. He would also offer a major solution against deep defensive blocks through his dribbling, close control and ability to beat multiple opponents alone.
There is also value in his combination play and his threat in transition, both of which suit Arsenal’s style. The drawback is his limited defensive work, but the club’s strong defensive base would help cover that. The biggest losers would be Gabriel Martinelli and Tzolis, with the latter likely reduced to backup duty if the move ever happened.
Arsenal
Premier League clubs step up 2026/27 preseason with fixtures spread across the world
Premier League clubs are spread across Europe, Asia and the US in a busy 2026/27 preseason.
With the World Cup having only recently concluded, Premier League clubs are already deep into their 2026/27 preseason programmes. The calendar is tight, the travel is heavy and the purpose is clear: get players ready, test combinations and give new faces a chance to make an early impression.
Arsenal, the reigning champions, are among the later starters. Their first friendly comes on Aug. 1 against Girona in Catalonia, before further meetings with Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund and Como. They will then face Manchester City in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Aston Villa have already opened with a 5-0 win over Walsall and continue across Europe and Asia, while Bournemouth began with a 4-1 victory against St. Pauli. Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion both have short schedules remaining, with each taking on European opposition in mid-August.
Chelsea’s first run under new manager Xabi Alonso takes them to Australia for matches against Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, before trips through Hong Kong, Jakarta and Malaysia. Their final friendly is against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge.
Elsewhere, Everton have mixed early results and face a demanding route through Scotland, Germany and home soil before meeting Lille. Fulham also have work to do after a behind-closed-doors defeat to Norwich City. Hull City, Ipswich Town and Coventry City all have their own preparations mapped out, while Crystal Palace have already played twice and continue with fixtures in Italy and Germany.
Liverpool’s schedule includes a United States tour against Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds United, followed by Monaco and two games against Como on Aug. 16. Manchester City are taking a lighter approach, starting with Inter in Hong Kong before facing the K-League All-Stars, Atlético Madrid and Arsenal. Manchester United, meanwhile, have already lost to Wrexham and beaten Rosenborg 5-0, with Atlético Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and Milan still to come.
Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur also remain busy, with each club using these final weeks to sharpen up before the league begins.
Arsenal
Arsenal Linked With Vinícius Júnior Amid Contract Uncertainty
Arsenal are linked with Vinícius Júnior, but Madrid and the player still hold the key to any deal.
Arsenal’s interest in Vinícius Júnior has placed one of European football’s biggest names into a transfer conversation that still feels highly tentative, but no longer impossible. According to The Athletic, the reigning Premier League champions are among the clubs monitoring the Real Madrid forward as they look to strengthen the left side of their attack.
The report is careful to note that no club-to-club talks have taken place. Even so, there is a suggestion that some contact has already been made with the player or those around him, which is enough to keep the story alive while leaving plenty of room for caution.
A key factor is the contract situation. Real Madrid are said not to be in a position to risk losing their star forward on a free transfer in 2027, and that uncertainty shifts some leverage towards potential suitors. If Vinícius Júnior begins the 2026-27 season still on Madrid’s books, he would reportedly be due a “significant loyalty bonus” after eight years in Spain, adding another layer to the club’s decision-making.
There are also signs Madrid may already be considering life after him, with Yan Diomande identified as a ready-made option for the frontline. Meanwhile, no progress has been made in recent months on a new deal, with the club seemingly unwilling to meet reported salary demands of $34.6 million (€30 million) per season.
Should Arsenal decide to match that level, Vinícius Júnior would become their highest-paid player by a wide margin and one of the league’s biggest earners, behind only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. The overall cost could still be manageable because of his contract status, although any move would likely require a major signing bonus.
Even so, the human side of the story may matter just as much as the finances. Florentino Pérez is deeply attached to a player he signed as a teenager, and that feeling is said to be mutual. Vinícius Júnior has repeatedly spoken warmly about staying. “I hope I can stay for a long time,” Vinícius Jr. reiterated as recently as April. “We’re very calm because I have the president’s trust. At the right moment, we’ll take care of the renewal because this is the club of my dreams, and we’ll continue together for many years.”
