Title parade rolls through North London
Your team hit the streets Sunday to celebrate a season that delivered the Premier League crown and the Women's Champions Cup. Thousands lined the route as the open-top bus rolled through Islington, the squad soaking in every minute after a grueling campaign (1) (4). No time for hangovers, either, the summer transfer window is already open and the rumour mill is spinning.
Champions League final lost on penalties
The biggest night in European club football ended in heartbreak. Arsenal drew 1–1 with PSG in Budapest in the Champions League final, before falling 4–3 in the shootout (2) (3) (8) (10) (12) (13) (14). Kai Havertz scored for the second time in a Champions League final but ended up on the losing side again. Jurriën Timber also featured in a final that was tight, tense, and decided from the spot.
Driessen labels Arteta an 'angsthaas'
Dutch journalist Valentijn Driessen did not hold back. Writing in De Telegraaf, he called Mikel Arteta an 'angsthaas', a scaredy-cat, and described the final as a dreadful spectacle, blaming the manager for a defensive setup that produced 120 minutes he branded unwatchable (2) (12). Expect that to sting more than any neutral's take.
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Keown: squad needs reinforcing
Former defender Martin Keown has already moved on to the rebuild. He outlined specific areas Arsenal need to strengthen if they want to go one step further in Europe next season (7). No names dropped, but the message is clear, this group is close, not complete.
Nagelsmann backs Havertz after Budapest pain
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann publicly backed Kai Havertz, confirming the forward will travel directly to join the national team camp in the USA. He highlighted Havertz's importance to the Germany setup and praised his defensive work in the final, noting he headed clear 12 of 14 corners faced (8). A sore ending at club level, but his World Cup summer starts now.
Summer exit talk begins
The squad that won the league will not stay untouched. Several senior players are already being linked with moves away, with the club facing decisions on who stays for the next push (5). Expect a busy window, incomings and outgoings both on the cards.
Rogers, Rice and an Odegaard succession plan
Three transfer lines worth keeping an eye on: Arsenal are reportedly interested in Aston Villa winger Morgan Rogers, though PSG are also sniffing around (9). Real Madrid are ramping up interest in Declan Rice (9). And Barcelona's Dani Olmo has emerged as a potential long-term replacement for Martin Odegaard, with the club reportedly already thinking about succession planning (11).
Fan reactions
The mood online is somewhere between defiant celebration and gallows humour. Title parade posts are doing the rounds, one thread cheekily notes that a 16-year-old Arsenal prospect now has more Premier League medals than Bruno Fernandes, Steven Gerrard, or the entire Spurs squad combined. Ben White chucking Odegaard's sunglasses into the crowd got a lot of love. And on the Champions League defeat, even some neutrals acknowledged PSG eliminated the top three regular-season teams to lift the trophy, a run that softens the sting, slightly. More here
