Arsenal are pressing ahead with transfer business this summer despite missing out on their primary attacking target, Vinicius Junior, from Real Madrid.
Mikel Arteta’s side are nonetheless considered favourites to defend their Premier League title heading into the 2026/27 campaign after a remarkable domestic season.
The Gunners have already moved smartly in the market, securing Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for around £35m, with the winger effectively replacing Leandro Trossard following his transfer to Besiktas.
However, Arsenal’s hierarchy believes further investment is required to adequately strengthen the attacking options at Arteta’s disposal heading into a gruelling season across multiple competitions.
Gabriel Martinelli endured a difficult 2025/26 campaign, scoring just once across 30 Premier League appearances despite earning a Premier League winners’ medal at the season’s conclusion.
The 25-year-old Brazilian has been a long-serving figure at the Emirates, but his output has declined sharply from the 15 goals and six assists he contributed during the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Martinelli’s dribbling numbers have also suffered a serious regression, dropping from 1.6 dribbles per game in 2022/23 to just 0.7 last season, raising genuine questions about his long-term role at the club.
Newcastle United are among the clubs said to have shown an interest in signing Martinelli, making it increasingly clear that Arsenal need to plan for life without him sooner rather than later.
According to Caught Offside, Arsenal have entered talks with representatives of Barcelona forward Ferran Torres, though Paris Saint-Germain currently lead the race for the Spain international.
Barcelona are believed to value Torres at around £50m, and with the forward entering the final year of his contract, the Spanish club are reluctant to risk losing him on a free transfer.
Torres scored the winning goal for Spain in the World Cup final last month, underscoring his quality at the very highest level of international football when the stakes could not be higher.
The 26-year-old produced a stunning La Liga campaign for Barcelona last season, netting 16 goals across just 23 starts, demonstrating a level of clinical finishing that Martinelli has been unable to consistently replicate.
Torres also has prior Premier League experience, scoring 16 goals across 43 appearances for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, winning the Premier League and League Cup during the 2021/22 season.
He ranks inside Spain’s all-time top ten scorers and has collected major honours with both Manchester City and Barcelona, making him a proven winner capable of meeting Arsenal’s lofty ambitions.
If Arsenal can win the race for Torres ahead of PSG, Arteta would gain a sharper and more prolific attacking weapon on the left flank as the Gunners seek to dominate English football once again.