Arsenal are chasing two key transfer targets this summer as they look to build on their first Premier League title in 22 years.
Mikel Arteta wants to create a dynasty at the Emirates and has identified a new forward and a new midfielder as his primary objectives in the market.
Morgan Rogers leads the attack on that forward position, with reports suggesting the player himself is keen on making the move to north London.
In midfield, Bruno Guimaraes has emerged as Arsenal’s top target, with the club establishing contact with the Brazilian’s representatives over a potential deal.
An initial offer of £55m floated through intermediaries was rejected by Newcastle, and Arsenal are now planning to open direct club-to-club negotiations.
The challenge is that Newcastle are unwilling to lose both Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali in the same window, complicating the Gunners’ pursuit significantly.
Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta is said to be lining up alternatives, with Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi and Bournemouth’s Alex Scott among those on the shortlist.
The Daily Mail reports that Arsenal and Manchester United are both growing increasingly optimistic about their chances of signing Scott, despite Bournemouth’s reluctance to sell.
Bournemouth, now managed by Marco Rose, are believed to demand as much as £80m to part with a player they are simultaneously trying to tie down to a new contract.
Described as “press resistant, progressive, ball-carrying midfielder who links play and drives into the final third” by podcaster and writer Adam Joseph, Scott is an exciting but complicated prospect for Arsenal.
Andoni Iraola, who previously managed Scott at Bournemouth, described the midfielder as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League,” and his numbers back that up, with four league goals last season.
The concern for Arsenal supporters is what a Scott signing would mean for Myles Lewis-Skelly, the 19-year-old Hale Ender who has had a turbulent second campaign at senior level.
Lewis-Skelly started just once in the Premier League between August and April during 2025/26, a dramatic fall from the heights of his breakthrough season.
That previous campaign had seen him dominate PSG and Real Madrid in the Champions League, score on his England debut, and memorably copy Erling Haaland’s celebration after netting against Manchester City.
He recovered his form late in the season, starting three of the last four domestic fixtures and the Champions League final, but his minutes came in midfield rather than at left-back.
Scott and Lewis-Skelly are not identical players, but they would both be competing for the number 8 role in Arteta’s preferred midfield setup.
Lewis-Skelly’s composure and press resistance are widely admired, but Scott offers more in the final third, something Arteta may prioritise as he seeks to elevate his midfield further.
Arteta has shown he is willing to make hard calls on talented players, with the exits of Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale serving as clear reminders of his ruthlessness.
Should a big-money midfielder arrive in the form of Scott, Lewis-Skelly could find himself in a similar position to those players despite his undeniable quality and potential.
For a teenager who appeared to have cemented his place in one of Europe’s finest squads, the summer ahead could prove to be one of the most defining of his career.