After ending a 22-year wait for the Premier League title, the Gunners are already moving to strengthen their squad. And former defender Nacho Monreal has made one thing clear — the next target is the Champions League.
With Leandro Trossard heading for the exit, a €41m winger deal nearing completion, and a potential British-record swoop on the horizon, this could be Arsenal’s most ambitious summer yet.
“The Next Step Is the Champions League”
Speaking to Tribal Football, Monreal didn’t hold back when asked about Arsenal’s trajectory under Mikel Arteta.
“Right now, Arsenal are the best team in the Premier League,” Monreal said. “They are very, very, very consistent. They won the Premier League. That’s what they wanted to win.”
He then turned his attention to Europe.
“But now, once you get the Premier League, your next step is the Champions League. They played the final, they lost it against PSG, but they are on the right path.”
It’s hard to argue with him. Arsenal reached the Champions League final in Budapest last season, only to lose on penalties after Kai Havertz had given them the lead. Missed spot-kicks from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes proved costly.
That defeat left the Gunners holding an unwanted record — 226 European Cup and Champions League matches without ever lifting the trophy. Can this summer’s business close that gap?
Trossard Exits, Tzolis and Rogers Wait in the Wings
The biggest departure so far is Trossard’s move to Besiktas. Fabrizio Romano confirmed the Belgian gave his final approval on Monday, with a deal worth €18m plus €2m in add-ons agreed between the clubs. He’s expected to fly to Istanbul for a medical on Tuesday evening.
It’s a bittersweet farewell. Trossard contributed 36 goals and 34 assists in 174 appearances and scored a vital late winner against West Ham during the title run-in. But at 31 with only a year left on his contract, the timing made sense.
His departure unlocks the next phase of Arsenal’s window. Here’s what’s on the table:
- Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis is reportedly keen on a move, with a deal around €41m close to completion. The Greek international produced 22 goals and 29 assists last season.
- Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers remains Arsenal’s top target. Personal terms on a five-year contract are reportedly close to agreed, though Villa’s £130m asking price remains a major hurdle.
- Julian Alvarez continues to be admired at the Emirates, but the Atletico Madrid striker is said to prefer a move to Barcelona.
- Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes has reportedly indicated a desire to join the Premier League champions, though agreeing a fee with the Magpies won’t be easy.
Arsenal have already completed the permanent signing of Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen for around €52m. The Ecuadorian defender made 39 appearances during last season’s title-winning campaign. Goalkeeper Illan Meslier also arrived on a free transfer from Leeds United.
Defending the Crown and Chasing European History
Monreal made an important point about the landscape around Arsenal. Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool have all changed managers this summer. That kind of instability at rival clubs gives the Gunners a window of opportunity.
“Nobody knows how it’s going to be for them,” he said. “Arsenal are on a good run.”
Pre-season starts soon with friendlies against Girona, Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund, and Como. The Community Shield against Manchester City follows on August 16, before a Premier League opener at home to newly promoted Coventry City five days later.
Arsenal’s recruitment strategy is clear. They’re not making wholesale changes. Instead, it’s about surgical upgrades — a more productive left winger, a midfield reinforcement, and depth where it’s needed most.
The question is whether those moves are enough to go from heartbreak in Budapest to finally lifting that Champions League trophy. Monreal certainly thinks the foundation is there.
“The next step is to go and do what they haven’t been able to do before,” he said, “winning the Champions League.”
For Arsenal fans, there’s never been a better time to believe.
