Arsenal are pushing hard in the transfer market this summer as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his squad for a Premier League title defence.
Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa has emerged as the club’s primary attacking target, edging ahead of Bradley Barcola in the race to join the champions.
Arteta and Emirates sporting director Andrea Berta are fully focused on securing Rogers, who is valued at £130m by Villa, though whether that fee will ultimately be met remains uncertain.
Arsenal have already agreed a £34m deal to sign Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, with the winger set to replace the outgoing Leandro Trossard in the squad.
Beyond Rogers, the club have been heavily linked with Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes, widely considered one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders.
Guimaraes underlined his quality at the World Cup this summer, registering four assists and winning 2.2 tackles per game across five matches for Brazil.
Newcastle have placed a £100m price tag on their skipper, though his age and the fact he is entering the penultimate year of his contract could complicate any potential deal.
With that in mind, Arsenal have identified an alternative target, and talks are already underway according to TEAMtalk, who report the club have entered discussions over Mainz midfielder Kaishu Sano.
Liverpool are said to be at the most advanced stage of negotiations, but Arsenal are among the clubs who have registered serious interest in the 25-year-old Japanese international.
Mainz are reluctant to lose their midfield linchpin, whose reputation grew significantly following his performances with Japan at the World Cup, but would sanction a sale for the right price.
The German club have valued Sano at €60m, equivalent to approximately £51m, making him a considerably more affordable option than the £100m Newcastle are demanding for Guimaraes.
Sano’s statistics from the 2025/26 Bundesliga season highlight his relentless work rate, averaging 6.0 ball recoveries and 3.4 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.
Those numbers comfortably outpace Guimaraes in those defensive metrics, with the Newcastle man recording 4.7 recoveries and 2.6 tackles and interceptions per 90 in the same period.
Guimaraes remains the more potent attacking force, contributing nine goals and five assists in 29 league matches, while Sano managed just one goal and two assists in 34 appearances.
However, with Declan Rice already providing a creative and progressive presence in Arsenal’s engine room, Sano’s more combative profile could complement the England international effectively.
Arteta is understood to have a clear blueprint for the kind of midfielder he wants, and Sano’s tireless approach draws natural comparisons to the Newcastle captain’s all-action style.
Guimaraes will turn 30 in 2027, whereas Sano at 25 offers a longer window of development and potential at the top level, a factor Berta is likely to weigh carefully.
A move to Arsenal could elevate Sano from one of Europe’s more underrated performers into a genuine star within one of the continent’s most structured and ambitious setups.
With talks underway and a busy summer still ahead, Arsenal appear determined to build a squad capable of competing on every front in the season to come.