Gyokeres question moves up the agenda
Viktor Gyokeres is determined to make it work at Arsenal, but the doubts are already in the building. There is an acceptance among some close to the club that his future comes under serious scrutiny if this season does not develop positively (3). Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are named among the clubs watching (3).
Any call would come next summer, not now. Arsenal have won all five of their last five, and the striker situation is the one thing sitting unresolved on top of it.
Zubimendi stays, Real Madrid get the message
Arsenal have made their decision on Martin Zubimendi: no January sale. Real Madrid's interest runs into an obstacle, and the answer from north London is that he is not leaving mid-season (2).
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That is the second Zubimendi story of the week, and the club's stance has not moved. Read it as Arsenal protecting the midfield for the run-in rather than inviting a negotiation.
Kroupi is the name Arsenal keep coming back to
Eli Junior Kroupi is on Arsenal's radar. The 20-year-old Bournemouth and France U21 striker is one Arsenal are very keen on, though Bournemouth expect a very high fee (1)(5). Sunderland's Schade is also on the January list (4).
Nothing done, but the interest in Kroupi shows up in more than one place this week, which is usually when a rumour starts to mean something (1)(4)(5).
A Premier League rival blocks the winger move
Arsenal have hit a wall on a January winger. A Premier League rival has decided to block the move despite the player's contract uncertainty (9). No name attached yet, and no fee.
It is a blow to the January plan, not a season-changer, but it removes one option from the board.
A Liverpool youngster signed, Ngumoha next
Arsenal have completed the signing of one of Liverpool's most exciting youngsters, and Rio Ngumoha is the next name on the list (10). The club are not stopping at one academy raid.
If you follow the youth sides, this is the story to watch.
Gabriel Jesus keeps scoring, and the fee keeps looking low
Gabriel Jesus scored his second Barcelona goal in a 7–2 win over Racing Santander on Wednesday (8). The claim doing the rounds is that Arsenal lost out on around £10m by selling him for well below his true value (8).
Two goals in as many games will only feed that argument. It is not a problem Arsenal can fix, but it is the kind of thing that gets remembered if the striker search runs long.
Rodrygo lined up for 2027
Arsenal missed out on Vinicius Junior despite pushing hard against his new Real Madrid contract, and they could not land Julian Alvarez either (7). The next target is Rodrygo, with a move expected at the end of this season rather than in January (7).
Long game, but the pattern is clear: Madrid's forwards keep ending up on Arsenal's list.
JJ Gabriel is watching how Arsenal treat teenagers
JJ Gabriel stunned Manchester United by asking to cancel his registration so he can leave as a free agent (6). Arsenal are named as one of the reasons for that decision (6).
Gary Neville pointed to Arsenal's handling of Max Dowman as the model United should follow (12). Roy Keane was blunter: "If some 15-year-old is spitting his dummy out, we'll deal with that" (12).
Brighton away, Saturday 16:00
Arsenal go to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, kickoff 16:00 CEST. You are top of the league on 12 points from four games with a +7 goal difference, and five wins from five across all competitions. Sunderland away was the last one, 2–0, on Saturday (form). Brighton is the next test before the fixtures get heavy.
Fan reactions
The mood on r/Gunners is calm and a little self-satisfied. One popular post argues that Arsenal do not take risks and that is exactly what makes them strong, which fits a squad sitting top with a perfect record. The other threads are lighter: Dani Ceballos still has two tattoos from his Arsenal days, and the club's own account is having fun with the squad's fashion ahead of London Fashion Week. The risk-averse thread has the most discussion.
