Arsenal are accelerating with a move to sign a new midfielder in the summer transfer window as they look to bolster Mikel Arteta’s squad.

The Gunners made their first significant signing in the summer earlier this week by bringing in Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge.

The 24-year-old is a predominantly left-sided attacker who is well known for his ability to contribute in front of goal.

Arsenal have also signed Illan Meslier from Leeds after his contract expired, but he’s unlikely to be a starter for Arteta.

Outside of that, it’s been a relatively slow and quiet transfer window for the North London club, who are undoubtedly looking to up the ante in the market over the next few weeks.

Arsenal shouldn’t need too many additions, considering they won the Premier League last season, but they’ll be looking for players to help them get over the line in the Champions League.

Arsenal working on midfielder deal

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According to a report from the BBC, Arsenal are set to make a £70 million offer to sign Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes in the summer transfer window.

The Brazilian international is a priority target for Arsenal, and he wants to join the club this summer.

It’s claimed that talks over a potential move have accelerated in the last few days, but it remains to be seen if the Gunners can get a deal over the line for £70 million.

Guimaraes, described as ‘world-class’, is a clear priority target for Arsenal in the middle of the park, but it certainly won’t be an easy deal to get over the line.

Arsenal also eyeing new forward

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Arsenal are also looking to strengthen in the final third during the final weeks of the summer transfer window, despite confirming the addition of Tzolis.

Reports have suggested that Arsenal are willing to pay over £85 million to sign RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande.

The Ivory Coast international appears to be one of a number of targets for the Gunners in the forward position, including one of their previous targets, Morgan Rogers.

Arsenal missed out on a move to sign the English forward from Aston Villa, with Chelsea hijacking a deal and securing his signature for a fee in the region of £117 million.

Celtic are being tipped to complete a major summer signing for Martin O’Neill by Sky Sports, which would send out a strong statement to their Scottish Premiership rivals.

Despite a number of players leaving Celtic this summer, it has been a slow start to the summer transfer window for the Scottish champions in terms of incoming signings.

So far, the Bhoys have only landed Camilo Duran to strengthen their frontline, but Martin O’Neill says he wants more new faces to boost a squad that underwhelmed for the majority of the 2025-26 campaign, even though they ended up winning the double.

Duran may have arrived, but the Hoops are still looking at further attacking reinforcements with Kelechi Iheanacho moving to Turkey despite Celtic’s attempts to sign him again for next season, while Daizen Maeda is close to joining Premier League new-boys Ipswich Town.

There is a clear spot for an established number nine to join, with Johnny Kenny yet to show he can be trusted to start consistently in the role.

While the Glasgow giants will be looking at strengthening other areas of the pitch too, they could be moving one step closer to landing a long-term target after holding talks.

Celtic Signing Kasper Hogh a ‘Big Possibility’

via Reuters

Celtic have long been linked with a move for Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh, and they are now in talks with the Champions League club over a move for the ‘special’ 25-year-old, who shot to prominence for his role in the Norwegian club’s run to the quarter-finals of the competition last term.

Sky Sports journalist Gianluca Di Marzio expects the Denmark international ‘will’ sign for the Scottish Premiership champions this summer.

He said: “Yes, I think Kasper Hogh will move to Celtic. It’s not because they necessarily have a deal ready already, but it definitely looks like there’s a really big possibility that he’ll move to Celtic.

“It is absolutely correct that Celtic and Bodo/Glimt are in contact with each other, and over the next few days we will find out whether they can land a deal.”

Hogh ended a sensational personal season with 15 goals in 30 games for Bodo, including five crucial goals in the Champions League against Manchester City, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and Sporting Lisbon.

Celtic Eye Move for Premier League Star

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Maeda may be on his way to the Premier League, but Celtic are looking to bring in a player from England’s top flight at the same time.

Following Kasper Schmeichel’s summer exit, the Hoops are on the lookout for a new goalkeeper and they are plotting a move for Manchester United stopper Radek Vitek.

The 22-year-old is yet to make a first-team appearance for the Red Devils, but he has impressed on various loan spells away from Old Trafford, including with Bristol City last term.

The Czechian stopper is now ready to leave the club again this summer for regular minutes, with Celtic one of the clubs at the front of the queue for his signature.

Kylian Mbappe continued to make a strong case to be among the greatest players in World Cup history after becoming the all-time leading scorer on world football’s biggest stage.

The Frenchman has now scored 22 times since his debut in the 2018 tournament. While his country fell just short this summer, Mbappe was one of the best players at the World Cup.

But who does the 27-year-old rate as the best player to ever perform on the World Cup stage? Well, he ranked one man above his old Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Lionel Messi, when presented with six players to choose from.

Kylian Mbappe Ranks Himself Among World Cup Greats

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Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, YouTuber Fiago asked Mbappe to blind rank six World Cup legends from best to worst. While he initially didn’t know which names he’d be presented with, the Real Madrid man did make his slight adjustments to give the list he was most happy with.

In sixth, he picked his compatriot, Michel Platini. Originally a place higher, Mbappe moved him down as his impact at the European Championship was greater. Ahead of him in fifth place, Mbappe selected himself, stating: “In the World Cup, I did more than Platini.”

Completing a trio of Frenchmen was Zinedine Zidane. One of the greatest midfielders in football history, Zizou was instrumental in his country’s 1998 triumph, scoring twice against Brazil in the final.

Diego Maradona claimed third place in Mbappe’s rankings. Star of the 1986 World Cup, the Argentine is among the game’s greatest-ever players, never mind just on the biggest international stage. He’ll forever be one of the most iconic World Cup players due to his world-class goals and performances, but also the chaos and controversy that followed the one-time champion around.

The top two would be incredibly close in a lot of people’s minds. However, Mbappe didn’t even hesitate in placing the only man to win the competition three times, Pele, above Messi.

The latter was the key man as Argentina added a third star in 2022, and he is now only one goal behind Mbappe in the all-time goalscoring standings after appearing in six World Cups.

Pele, however, is Mbappe’s undisputed number one. He is Brazil’s best player ever and the youngest World Cup winner ever, claiming his first at 17 years and 249 days before adding another two during his incredible career.

Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 23-07-26.