Arsenal closing in on signing their own version of Barcola

It’s been just over a month now since Arsenal were confirmed as Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years.

Bournemouth held Manchester City to a draw, allowing the Gunners to celebrate at their London Colney training complex. At the Emirates and across north London, fans poured into the street to party well into the early hours of the morning.

It was quite the time, wasn’t it?

Well, Josh Kroenke and Co are not prepared to rest on their laurels. They want more parties and in a bid to help that happen, they are preparing to go big in the transfer market.

Bradley Barcola and a host of top-drawer attacking player are in the pipeline.

Arsenal’s plans to sign a new winger are ramping up

In the past, Mikel Arteta has very much been about building from the back. It’s been about signing strength in depth in defence, about building a platform and solidity.

Well, he now has that in spades so it’s time to really invest in elite level forward players.

Arsenal’s number one target is Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers. According to reports, initial club-to-club talks have already taken place and the player has reportedly made it clear to the Villa hierarchy that he would like to pursue a move if the north Londoners formalise an offer.

Rogers is not the only forward on Arteta’s radar. Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis has also been pursued and the player is ready to join. It’s widely expected that if a move for the Greek winger is completed, it will not impact any plans they had to bring in a marquee signing in attack.

Another of those marquee names is Barcola.

Reports this weekend suggest that the Gunners are now readying a £69m offer to bring the Frenchman to the Emirates. The PSG winger has been electric in recent years, helping the Parisians to back to back Champions League titles. Arteta and Co can only dream of that right now.

While Barcola and Rogers feels unlikely given they would both cost a pretty penny, perhaps Arsenal could get around things by signing a younger forward instead.

Young winger closes in on signing for Arsenal

It remains to be seen whether Andrea Berta is able to get a deal over the line for Barcola or Rogers this summer but he is making headway on a deal to sign Jeremy Monga from Leicester City.

Reports earlier this month indicated that the north Londoners had already agreed personal terms with the 16-year-old ahead of a potential move and there is now a belief that a deal can be agreed with the Foxes.

Following their relegation to League One, they are effectively powerless to prevent the teenager leaving, but they are intent on still getting a good deal for their prized academy graduate.

The latest on that move is that Arsenal have sent an official bid to prise him away from the Midlands and according to Fabrizio Romano, a here we go is close.

Taking to YouTube a few days ago, he said: “Arsenal have sent their first bid. Not enough yet to get to a deal but they are very confident to get a here we go soon to sign Jeremy Monga. They are very very optimistic to get it done and will be a here we go.”

So, what would they be getting? Well, one of the finest and most exciting young players in the country. Only two players – Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman – have made their Premier League debuts at a younger age.

Monga was just 15 when he took to the field for the first time in the English top-flight and while he did not receive regular starts in the Championship throughout 2025/26, he still caught the eye.

The teen scored just once and assisted twice for Leicester last term but given his age, it is extraordinary that he has already played 37 times at senior level.

What’s he all about? Well, he’s something of a mini Barcola already. In fact, Como scout Ben Mattinson has already heralded him as “England’s Ousmane Dembele.” Why? Well, like Dembele and Barcola, Monga possesses elite close touch control.

He’s incredibly quick, can play off both feet, is versatile right across the front line and he’s a menace in one v one situations against a full-back.

As Leicester writer Josh Holland puts it, “Monga plays football like he is playing in the street. He is a remarkable ball-carrier who is obsessed with beating his man and driving forward.”

That could quite easily describe Barcola too. One of the Frenchman’s great strengths is the way he which he can terrorise a defensive line, twisting them inside and out before bursting into the penalty area.

Both of them are true mavericks and that’s something Arteta has missed in his attacking line. It’s all been a bit too safe and predictable. Monga and indeed Barcola would change that considerably.