Rice goes back-to-back, and he's not done
Declan Rice is your Player of the Season again. Second year running, and the club made it official on Wednesday (4). Rice joins a list that includes Liam Brady, Ian Wright, and Thierry Henry as repeat winners (4). His response was pure Rice: "it's not done" (4). The man who couldn't take a corner three years ago now runs Arsenal's set-piece game, and he's still chasing more.
Rice on Jover: 'They saw something in me'
Rice told it straight this week. "I wouldn't ever take corners or set-pieces, but Nico and the manager at Arsenal saw something in me that others didn't" (1). The transformation from box-to-box midfielder to set-piece weapon is complete, and Rice gives full credit to Nicolas Jover and Mikel Arteta (1).
Havertz on the final: 'I thought we'd call the whole thing off'
Kai Havertz let the mask slip. "To be honest, it was tough. After the match, I initially thought we would call the whole thing off," he said of the Champions League final defeat (2). By the next morning, things looked different (2). The Premier League trophy parade helped, and Havertz also opened up about his off-ball work for Germany: "I make runs that look pointless but I'm creating space" (2). He knows what he brings.
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Henry says: don't swap Gyokeres, sign both
Thierry Henry has weighed in on the summer's biggest call. His message: do not swap Viktor Gyokeres for Julian Alvarez. Sign both (5). Reports earlier this week suggested Arsenal could offer Gyokeres to Atletico Madrid as part of a deal for Alvarez (3). Henry calls that a mistake. Alvarez, though, is waiting for Barcelona (3). Ben Jacobs says a window may open after the World Cup for other clubs to move (Reddit).
Morgan Rogers talks heating up
Aston Villa need a big sale this financial year, and Arsenal are pushing to sign Morgan Rogers in the July window (Reddit). Villa are opening talks at £80m, with a sale expected around £100m (Reddit). Rogers is open to joining and Thomas Tuchel has allowed a medical during the World Cup (Reddit). This one is moving.
Junior Kroupi and the Bournemouth puzzle
Arsenal have made an initial enquiry for Bournemouth's Junior Kroupi, but Bournemouth are not selling (6). The club have held talks over a new contract for the young forward, and new boss Marco Rose wants him to stay (Reddit). Separately, Mateus Fernandes is drawing interest from Tottenham and Manchester United as well as Arsenal (7).
Fan reactions
The Morgan Rogers rumour has sparked a real split. Some supporters see £100m as wildly inflated, while others argue that's simply the market for a versatile Premier League-proven attacker who walks into the starting XI. Over on the Alvarez front, the frustration is palpable: the player wants Barcelona, and fans are tired of being the backup plan. Mourinho's defence of Arsenal's title win also did the rounds, with many appreciating that the outside noise about 'winning ugly' is finally being called out for what it is. Read more on the Rogers thread.
