Arsenal information: £52m striker switch ‘curiosity’ emerges as Mikel Arteta star hails ‘enhance’

Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League with a win over Newcastle as Champions League clashes await but they are also looking towards the summer transfer window

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Arsenal can exhale with considerable relief after reclaiming top spot in the Premier League following their victory over Newcastle.

The Gunners have seized back the initiative while Manchester City were occupied with an FA Cup semi-final clash against Southampton. Mikel Arteta’s team could even extend their lead to six points at the summit should they overcome Fulham next Saturday.

Nevertheless, the looming threat of City’s match in hand casts a shadow as they prepare to strike and disrupt the north Londoners’ quest for a maiden league crown since 2004. Eberechi Eze found the net against Newcastle to ease Arsenal’s concerns for now. That said, focus shifts to Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final opening leg versus Atletico Madrid as the club battles across two competitions. Here’s all the latest news from the Emirates.

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Neville disappointed in Zubimendi

While Arsenal may have secured the crucial three points against Newcastle, Saturday’s outcome was far from a spectacular display. Newcastle dominated possession and registered more shots, though they managed fewer efforts on target, reports the Mirror.

The match also brought the additional setback of a Kai Havertz injury that casts doubt over his immediate availability. Few Arsenal players delivered as Arteta might have wished, but Manchester United legend Gary Neville singled out Martin Zubimendi specifically as someone he believed would offer more in his maiden Premier League season.

“I thought at the start of the season that Zubimendi was a great signing,” he said on The Gary Neville Podcast. “He’s been a good player for Arsenal, but right now I was expecting that this would be where Zubimendi would be the player.

“Who’s going to be the difference player? I thought [Viktor] Gyokeres would get the goals for them in these big moments and get to 2-0. His lack of quality at the end was poor on that counterattack. He’s got to do better than that.

“But you think of what [Andrea] Pirlo is, or [Paul] Scholes or Rodri, Bernardo Silva, the player who can dictate play in a game like this, get Arsenal on the ball, organise and get them with authority and he’s not demonstrating that. He’s struggling in the games and he has done for a few weeks now.”

Some fans may bristle at that assessment given Zubimendi, who arrived from Real Sociedad last summer in a £55.8million transfer, has made more league starts (33) than any other Arsenal outfield player this campaign, as they hunt down the title.

Rice sets out points objective

With City’s match in hand and the painfully tight contest for superiority in goal difference, Arsenal cannot afford another stumble this campaign. The recent consecutive defeats to City and Bournemouth have extinguished what was previously a commanding advantage at the top and eliminated any safety net.

Under those circumstances, Rice has delivered a rousing call to his colleagues and declared Saturday’s victory was merely the next requirement to fulfil. And he harbours no illusions that Arteta’s squad cannot drop another point from this juncture.

Speaking following the Newcastle triumph, he said: “The three points were massive today. After the week we had against Manchester City, there was a lot of encouragement to take from that game, but we knew coming into this, with five games left, we have to win all five. To tick that one off today was a real boost. So we’re really, really happy with the win today.”

Beyond their Champions League obligations, Arsenal’s remaining domestic matches are against Fulham (H), West Ham (A), Burnley (H) and Crystal Palace (A), in that order. A journey to Selhurst Park on the final day of the campaign appears especially daunting right now after Palace have remained unbeaten in their last four home fixtures.

Endrick interest

According to Mundo Deportivo in Spain, young striker Endrick, who joined Lyon on loan from Real Madrid in January, is admired by Arsenal.

Endrick joined Real from Palmeiras in a deal worth a total of £52m in the summer of 2024. But after failing to force his way into the first team regularly at the Bernabeu, one of the hottest prospects in world football moved to France for more playing time and experience.

Lyon currently sit third in the table and the 19-year-old striker is performing well for Paulo Fonseca’s side, having scored seven goals – four in Ligue 1, two in the Coupe de France, and one in the Europa League.

He hopes to represent Brazil at the 2026 World Cup and it is expected that once his loan spell in France is over, he will return to the Spanish titans, who “don’t have many players with his characteristics”.

The report from Mundo Deportivo reads: “Despite Real Madrid’s lack of intention to sell Endrick, several European giants are interested in the Brazilian striker. One of them is none other than Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, the Premier League leaders.

“Arsenal are monitoring Endrick and, should the opportunity arise, should Real Madrid change their plans, would be prepared to make an offer for the young Brazilian international.”