Arsenal are now said to be readying a bid for one of their main targets this summer. The Gunners are carefully plotting their summer business as they look to become a dominant force both at home and abroad.

Mikel Arteta’s men won the Premier League title last season, but they still have some areas to improve to be able to consistently compete with PSG and Bayern Munich. Andrea Berta and Arteta were clear on where they needed to improve last summer, but while they will likely have a plan for this summer, it is certainly less obvious what the Gunners need to do.

Arsenal are likely to sign a left winger, a hybrid midfielder and some sort of extra cover for right-back, while some of the squad players who may leave will need replacing. Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is said to be a key target, and a bid may now be lodged by the Gunners.

Arsenal preparing Guimaraes bid

via Reuters

Arsenal are said to be preparing a bid for Guimaraes, who has established himself as one of the most dominant midfielders in the Premier League. According to The Sun, Arsenal believe they can still push through a £60million deal for the ‘world-class’ Brazilian despite Newcastle already selling Sandro Tonali to Tottenham for £92million upfront and a further £8million in potential add-ons.

The report adds that Arsenal are currently readying a bid, so this could be a transfer saga that speeds up quickly in the coming days and weeks. Although Guimaraes is currently at the World Cup, so the deal may need to wait until after the summer, depending on Carlo Ancelotti’s policy on club matters during an international competition.

Arsenal already have some solid options in the midfield between Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Christian Norgaard, but Arteta wants to increase competition further.

Guimaraes is an all-rounder

Guimaraes has become one of the most reliable midfielders in the top-flight, and he was described as ‘top-class’ by Adrian Clarke during a Premier League analysis back in 2024.

“The Brazil international is like two players rolled into one for the Magpies,” wrote Clarke. “He is essentially a specialist holding midfielder out of possession, scurrying around looking to break up play as a sitting midfielder in a three-man unit.

“But once Newcastle have the ball, Guimaraes transforms into an attacking box-to-box player who offers drive, creativity, goals and assists. He is seemingly everywhere on the pitch, so it is little wonder there is only one top-flight player, West Ham United’s James Ward-Prowse, who has covered more distance this season.”

He added: “One of Guimaraes’ strongest features is his willingness to do the ‘dirty work’.

“He is always on the move looking to get involved in duels, and in that sense Guimaraes is one of the most effective midfielders around. Playing for a side who have to do more defending than the top three clubs – Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City – his work off the ball is comparable to their top-class holding midfielders.”

FIFA have released a statement following the controversial VAR call that denied Croatia a dramatic late equaliser in their Round of 32 clash against Portugal and led to their 2026 World Cup elimination.

Croatia thought they’d taken the game to extra-time when Josko Gvardiol bundled home in the 13th minute of stoppage time, but the goal was eventually ruled out after the video assistant referee intervened.

Igor Matanovic was judged to have got the slightest of touches on the cross that found Mario Pasalic, who was stood in an offside position. Pasalic’s touch fell to Gvardiol, who put the ball past Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

Croatia Denied Late Equaliser After VAR Review

REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

However, it appeared impossible to determine from the replays whether Matanovic definitely got a touch on the ball with his head. Watch the incident below:

After reviewing the footage on the pitch-side monitor, Norwegian referee Espen Eskas announced to the crowd inside the Toronto Stadium: “Croatia player, number 20, touched the ball and headed it to the goalscorer. Final decision: offside.”

Croatia’s players reacted to the decision with a mixture of dismay and devastation. Luka Modric and co. felt their World Cup dream had been brought to an end in hugely controversial circumstances.

Portugal advance to the last 16, where they will face neighbours Spain on Monday night at the Dallas Stadium, thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 68th-minute penalty and a late winner from Goncalo Ramos.

FIFA Explain How Decision Was Reached

REUTERS/Mike Segar

Amid the intense debate over whether VAR was right to disallow Croatia’s goal, FIFA have released a statement explaining how the decision was reached. The statement reads:

The ‘Snicko’ technology, best known for its widespread use in cricket, inside the Trionda ball was able to prove that Matanovic got a slight touch on the ball before it fell to Pasalic.

It seems the correct decision was reached thanks to the technology, despite suggestions VAR may have made an error. A rules expert has also cast their verdict over the incident.

Adidas confirmed after unveiling the Trionda in October 2025: “Match Day TRIONDA footballs also carry the latest evolution of adidas Connected Ball Technology in the form of an innovative new side mounted chip system. The 500Hz inertial measurement unit (IMU) motion sensor chip now sits inside a specially created layer in one of the four panels, rather than as a centre-mounted system held in place by a suspension system. The addition of counter-balances across the three other panels ensures continued flight stability and balance.

“Providing unprecedented insight into every element of the movement of the ball, the technology sends precise ball data to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in real time – which when combined with player position data and by applying artificial intelligence, helps match officials make faster offside decisions. Developed in close collaboration with Kinexon, adidas Connected Ball Technology can also aid match officials in identifying each individual touch of the ball, resulting in less time spent resolving specific incidents, including possible handball.”

Manchester United are said to be in talks with an attacker who has impressed in the Premier League and World Cup this season. Much has been made of United’s search for a new holding midfielder over recent weeks, with Michael Carrick searching for a replacement for Casemiro to add to the signing of Ederson early in the summer.

But Carrick also has other needs, and he is hoping to add another attacker to his squad before the start of the season, with more competition needed if the Red Devils are to climb into the title conversation and make an impact in the Champions League next season.

That search for a new attacker appears to have led them to another West Ham star after their failed pursuit of Mateus Fernandes

Man Utd begin talks with Summerville

via Reuters

GiveMeSport’s Ben Jacobs has reported that United have opened talks with West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville over a possible deal. Jacobs posted on X: “Exclusive: Manchester United open talks with West Ham over Crysencio Summerville. Direct club-to-club contact. Classified by Manchester United sources as exploratory at this stage, but the Dutch winger high in #MUFC thinking. Any bid could be contingent on Marcus Rashford.”

Rashford is expected to leave Old Trafford this summer, carrying a reported asking price of £40million, but his future is not likely to be resolved before the end of the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Summerville is set to cost around £50million this summer, and United could actually be helped by Tottenham’s £85million signing of Fernandes ahead of them, given the Hammers are now in an incredibly strong financial position as they prepare for life back in the Championship.

Summerville has earned his big move

Summerville was one of the standouts in a poor West Ham side last season, scoring seven and providing five assists, while he continued his good form in the World Cup with the Netherlands. The winger scored twice and provided two assists for the Dutch in their ill-fated campaign, with Ronald Koeman’s men losing on penalties in the Round of 32 against Morocco.

After Summerville came off the bench to win an FA Cup tie for West Ham last season, Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo said: “We knew that [we might need him], especially after we thought we might go to extra time. There were tired legs and we needed energy. Summerville helped us a lot.

“He’s doing a good job. He’s in a good moment. Forward players need this confidence, and he has that one-v-one [ability]. When he can use it in [these kinds of] spaces, he’s almost unstoppable.”