Arsenal face a make-or-break two weeks with the Premier League and Champions League within reach but Mikel Arteta will also be keeping one eye on the transfer window
It’s a pivotal moment for Arsenal as they aim to secure the first half of a potential historic double. A win against Burnley on Monday is crucial as the Gunners strive to clinch their first league title in 22 years.
This would heap pressure on FA Cup victors Manchester City, who face a challenging match against Champions League hopefuls Bournemouth on Tuesday. The Gunners then plan to celebrate their title triumph at Crystal Palace on the final day before jetting off to Budapest for the Champions League final against PSG.
The next two weeks will determine whether this current Arsenal team will be remembered as ‘nearly men’ or club legends. There’s plenty of excitement about what the future holds, regardless of whether they bag two trophies, one, or end up empty-handed. There are sure to be comings and goings, with numerous players rumoured to be heading to the Emirates, while some long-standing stars may be on their way out. Ahead of a vital night for Mikel Arteta’s squad, here’s a summary of the latest Gunners news.
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Palace’s plan for the final day
Oliver Glasner has revealed his strategy for Arsenal’s final-day clash at Palace. Unless the Gunners defeat Burnley and City fail to overcome Bournemouth, the title race will extend to the final day.
While Arteta’s team will be fighting tooth and nail, the Eagles’ focus might be on their Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig on May 27. This has sparked speculation, primarily among City supporters, that Glasner might field a less-than-full-strength team.
The Austrian gaffer has responded to these speculations, asserting he won’t be making “a lot.” of changes. However, he did confirm that key players might be subbed off earlier than usual, possibly even at half-time.
He stated: “Yes, we will maybe make more and earlier substitutions, maybe after 60, 70 minutes latest, maybe one or two at half-time if that’s possible, but everything else we won’t do.”
Rodri stirs the pot
Rodri has thrown in some last-minute mind games ahead of both teams’ final pair of matches. City have proven adept at clinching titles in the final stretch, while the Gunners are known for faltering under pressure.
After helping City lift the FA Cup on Saturday, Rodri tried to pile on the pressure by hinting at the possibility of Arsenal stumbling yet again. He said: “Everything can happen. We need them to drop points, which could happen in the next game or the last one. If I was in their position, it’s not easy to finish the task. We have to be there pushing until the end.”
When asked if he thinks Arsenal will drop points, Rodri responded: “I mean, from our experience, we were losing the title [to Liverpool] against Aston Villa at our home in minute 80 [in 2022].
“So everything can happen in football. We know how difficult it is to close things and we know how difficult it is to beat everyone in this Premier League.”
Arsenal in for ‘English Ousmane Dembele’
As reported by Give Me Sport, Arsenal have submitted an offer to sign Leicester City winger Jeremy Monga ahead of the summer transfer window.
It’s said that talks have been ongoing surrounding his pathway into the first-team, while Arsenal would still need to agree a compensation fee with Leicester for the 16-year-old.
Monga made his Premier League debut that season at the age of 15 years, eight months 28 days. He has gone on to play 27 times in the Championship as the Foxes suffered back-to-back relegations to League One.
Given his style of play, Monga have been described as ‘England’s Ousmane Dembele’, despite only scoring once this season.