The Uruguay international has been one of the standout performers for Sporting CP this term, but he could pursue a bigger challenge at the end of the season.

The left-back has a hefty £69 million release clause in his contract, but AS claim that the former Portuguese champions could allow his sale for £43 million.

Atletico Madrid have recently earmarked him as an alternative to Chelsea star Marc Cucurella, but they are set to face fierce competition from several elite clubs.

Arsenal, Manchester United, AC Milan and Juventus are among the contenders to sign Araujo.

Arsenal speculation could be agent-driven

Araujo has had a fine campaign with Sporting CP. He has bagged seven goals and four assists from 44 appearances across all competitions for the Primeira Liga giants.

The Uruguayan has also caught the eye with his defensive contributions. He was recently brilliant against Arsenal during the double-legged Champions League quarter-final.

Araujo proved a nuisance for Noni Madueke and Max Dowman. He won a combined 12 tackles and 17 duels during both legs and made several tactical fouls as well.

The 26-year-old also impressed with his powerful overlapping runs. He could have easily scored in the first leg if not for David Raya’s extraordinary fingertip save.

Araujo is an ideal left-back with the right balance in attack and defence, but Arsenal have the position well covered with three high-quality players at the moment.

Riccardo Calafiori was tremendous in the early part of the season before his injury. Piero Hincapie took control soon after, and he has been very consistent in the role.

The club have the option to sign Hincapie permanently after his loan stint from Bayer Leverkusen. It has been reported that the £45 million buy clause is expected to be triggered.

There was recently talk of Myles Lewis-Skelly heading for a summer exit, but that scenario could change too, with the Gunners graduate starring from central midfield in recent games.

Barring a high-profile left-back leaving the club, Araujo won’t be signed by Arsenal. The speculation could be agent-driven and aimed at pushing through a transfer from Sporting CP.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

The post Arsenal preparing swoop for £43m Uruguayan star first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.

The Gunners are currently on 76 points after 35 matches, five ahead of second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand against Crystal Palace.

Man City play first this weekend against Brentford tomorrow, and the Gunners will hope that the Bees can get something from the game at the Etihad Stadium.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have a tricky London derby against West Ham at the London Stadium. The club are guaranteed to be without a couple of first-team stars for the encounter.

Mikel Merino has been sidelined since last winter with a foot injury. He has returned to light individual training, but Arteta hinted that the Spaniard won’t be fit this weekend.

The manager added that Jurrien Timber faces a similar situation. The Netherlands international has been nursing a groin injury picked up against Everton at home last month.

Arteta said on the duo: “No chance for the weekend. There’s still a fair bit to do [in their recoveries]. Everything has to be so smooth and quick if they want to have a chance to play any minutes [this season].”

Arsenal were handed a big advantage in the title race after Man City’s thrilling 3-3 draw at Everton on Monday. The Cityzens came back from 3-1 down to secure a dramatic stalemate.

The Gunners have their title destiny in their own hands, and three wins would secure the title. West Ham have been a bogey club in recent years, but Arsenal have a good record against them on the road.

They have won 5-2 and 6-0 in their last two league trips to the London Stadium. The derby could be closely fought this time, considering West Ham are fighting for top-flight survival.

The east London side are unbeaten in their last six matches at home (three wins and three draws), and Arsenal must turn up with a strong performance to beat the Hammers on Sunday.

With a four-day break after the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, Arteta could be tempted to name an unchanged starting XI for the third straight game in all competitions.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

The post "No chance": Mikel Arteta says two Arsenal stars are sidelined vs West Ham first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.

The Gunners are poised to bolster their frontline for the 2026/27 campaign, and there could be multiple departures to compensate for a spending spree.

Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard will enter the last year of their respective contracts this summer and could be shown the exit door by the Gunners.

Gabriel Martinelli’s contract has a 12-month extension clause beyond June 2027. If a new deal is not agreed, he could likewise depart the club.

Amidst this, the Gunners have been credited with an interest in signing Barcola, whose future at PSG, as his contract expires in June 2028.

Talks are underway between several European clubs and his representatives, and Arsenal in particular, are ‘very keen’ on securing his services this summer.

No concrete offers have been made yet, but a deal could be on the cards if they can meet PSG’s financial expectations and convince Barcola with the sporting project.

Barcola would be a good upgrade on the left wing

The former Lyon graduate made a slow start to his PSG career, but he has since become one of their leading performers, with regular goal contributions.

However, he will no doubt be concerned about his playing time as he enters the prime of his career.

Since the arrival of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the winter of 2025, Barcola’s minutes have reduced in the knockout phase of the Champions League under PSG manager Luis Enrique.

Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue were the preferred attacking trio for the Spanish tactician in crunch European games last season. The same has been the case this term.

Barcola was a regular starter in the league phase and the last 16 of the elite European competition, but he has been a second-half substitute since Les Parisiens made the quarter-final stage.

This could be a driving force for a transfer. Still only 23, Barcola may want to become the main man on the left wing, which is his strongest position. He may not do so at PSG due to Kvaratskhelia.

He would be a good upgrade for the Gunners in the spot. Barcola, who signed for PSG for an overall package worth £43 million, could make the left wing role his own ahead of Martinelli.

Barcola has caught the eye with his quick dribbling and direct running from the left flank. He has also impressed with his ball control in tight spaces and does not shy away from attempting long-range shots.

The Frenchman has 19 goal contributions from 2,762 minutes this campaign. He had a staggering 42 goal involvements last term in almost 4,000 minutes across all competitions for Les Parisiens.

Barcola has been out of the starting XI during the big European matches under Enrique lately. He is a confidence player and could become an undisputed starter from the left wing at Arsenal.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

The post Arsenal are very interested in signing £43m winger, talks underway with reps first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.

The Gunners have won their last two league games, including a convincing 3-0 win over London rivals Fulham at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.

This was followed by a 1-0 victory over Atletico, which sealed the Gunners’ progress to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Arsenal now need to focus on another league derby against West Ham. Ahead of the game, Wright has fancied the club to secure a 3-1 triumph.

He said on The Overlap: “I am going to go. 3-1 Arsenal.”

The Hammers have been a bogey outfit for the Gunners in the last five years. They have suffered a couple of disappointing defeats at the Emirates.

However, the club’s record at the London Stadium has been pretty good. They have won 5-2 and 6-0 during their last two trips to the Hammers.

Hence, the Gunners should be fairly optimistic about securing a 24th win of the top-flight campaign to boost their pursuit of a long-awaited league title.

Arsenal are currently five points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the table, but the Cityzens have a game in hand against Crystal Palace to be played next week.

Meanwhile, Man City host Brentford on Saturday evening. Mikel Arteta’s side will hope that the Bees can put a further dent in the title pursuit of the Mancunian giants.

Pep Guardiola’s side were widely fancied to outclass Everton on the road on Monday, but ended up sharing the spoils in a thrilling 3-3 draw, having been 3-1 down at one stage.

Hence, Man City no longer have their title destiny in their own hands, and the onus is on the Gunners to win their remaining three league matches to secure the English crown.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

The post Ian Wright makes Premier League prediction for West Ham vs Arsenal first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.

According to The Standard, Arsenal fans looking to book hotel rooms for the final in Budapest may be forced to pay a staggering 18 times the normal price.

The Gunners punched their ticket to the final after seeing off Atletico Madrid with a narrow 1-0 victory in their semi final second leg encounter at the Emirates Stadium.

That slender win was enough to get Mikel Arteta’s side over the line following a 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in the first leg.

While the historic feat has reignited belief that Arsenal could finally lift the elusive Champions League title for the first time, fans are having to deal with exorbitant hotel and flight fees.

Many of the hotels in Budapest are already fully booked and those that are available are taking advantage of the surge in demand to dramatically increase prices.

According to analysis from the Press Association, a standard twin or double room for two people at the Expo Tower Hotel on the night of the final now costs more than €1,400.

That accounts for an outrageous 18 times increase from the standard price at €73. 

To make matters worse, this hike is expected to last only for the day of the Champions League final, with normalcy expected to return the day after.

The same applies to other popular venues such as Bohem Art Hotel and Hotel President.

Arsenal supporters booking flights to Budapest are also facing a similar issue. The cheapest easyJet flight from Gatwick to the city costs £519 on the day of the match, but will drop to £58 the next day.

Similar hikes apply across other options such as Wizz Air and even British Airways.

EasyJet said in a statement: “This fare is for the last few seats left on this flight.

“Like other airlines, easyJet’s pricing is demand-led which means that our fares start low and increase as fewer seats are available.

“Many fans will have been able to book earlier when there were more seats available and therefore fares were lower from around £45 when they first went on sale.

“To cater for more demand for flights to Hungary, we have also added over 750 additional seats each way between the UK and Budapest to provide more choice for fans travelling to support their team.”

Arsenal fans are now looking for ways to cut travel costs by breaking their journey and completing the final stretch to Budapest via train.

The post Arsenal fans face astronomical travel costs for UCL final as airline issues shocking statement first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.

The Gunners are likely to enter the transfer market for a new central midfielder, and reports claim that they are closely monitoring Danilo alongside several clubs.

The Champions League finalists have also contacted Danilo’s staff, and the midfielder could make a quick return to Europe following the World Cup this summer.

The 25-year-old signed for Botafogo from Nottingham Forest only last year, but his brilliant form in 2026 should see him at the World Cup with Brazil under manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Botafogo are prepared for a big-money sale after the global tournament, and could hold out for £30-35 million to part ways with their prized asset in the summer transfer window.

Arsenal could return for long-term target Danilo

The Gunners were interested in signing Danilo during his time at Palmeiras. He ended up joining Nottingham Forest, where he endured a mixed spell.

The midfielder arrived at the Tricky Trees when they were battling Premier League relegation. He played the majority of their games during the 2023/24 campaign.

Last term, the Brazilian lost his starting spot with the arrival of Elliot Anderson and competition from elsewhere, and was largely limited to substitute appearances.

Danilo returned to Brazil with Botafogo last summer and had a tough second half to the 2025 season, having picked up a couple of untimely hamstring injuries.

However, he has started the 2026 campaign on a high note. The midfielder has primarily played as a number eight but has also occupied defensive and attacking roles.

Danilo has registered 10 goals and three assists from just 22 appearances this season. He has an exceptional shot-to-goal conversion rate of almost 30 percent.

He has also made five recoveries and 1.5 tackles per outing. Danilo is enjoying the prime phase of his career, and his stock could rise with a good World Cup showing.

Arsenal have not yet spoken with Botafogo, but initial discussions with his representative suggest a formal approach could be made during this summer’s transfer window.

If Danilo arrives, Christian Norgaard could be a likely candidate to depart. He has managed just 365 minutes of playing time in the Premier League and Champions League this term.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

The post Arsenal enter talks to sign 25yo Brazilian star, £35m deal could be agreed first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.

Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with Martinelli. They have gone as far as meeting his representatives to explore the conditions for a potential deal.

The Daily Mail now claims that Arsenal and Bayern Munich are monitoring the situation of Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford.

Rashford is enjoying a productive loan spell at Barcelona, chipping in with 27 goal involvements in 46 games across all competitions.

Hailed as ‘fantastic‘ by manager Hansi Flick, Barcelona are reluctant to trigger the option to buy him for €30 million, potentially paving the way for Arsenal to make a deal.

Arsenal should step up their interest in Rashford

Rashford would be an upgrade on Martinelli and Trossard, making him a perfect target for Arsenal.

The England international is more productive in the final third, registering more goal involvements than the Arsenal pair this season.

Rashford can also play anywhere across the frontline, further adding to his appeal. He would be a steal at €30m.

The 28-year-old reportedly wants to join Barcelona permanently, but a move to Arsenal could be tempting, as he would be guaranteed more game time.

A move to Arsenal could provide Rashford with an opportunity to answer his critics, following scrutiny over his performances at United.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are also monitoring Ajax’s Mika Godts as another left-sided attacking target. The club’s scouts ran the rule over him against PSV last weekend.

The Belgian would cost more than Rashford and his inexperience at the top level raises doubts about his ability to deliver at a club like Arsenal.

Stats from transfermarkt.com

The post Arsenal eye ‘fantastic’ forward outperforming Martinelli and Trossard first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.

The Gunners played out a 1-1 draw against the La Liga heavyweights in the first leg of the semi-final last week.

They had everything to do yesterday and managed to secure a slender 1-0 win in the second leg at the Emirates Stadium.

Bukayo Saka bagged the winner before the half-time interval, but Declan Rice was adjudged the man of the match.

The midfielder had a passing accuracy of 90 per cent and won an impressive five duels on the night.

He also made three recoveries and a crucial block at the beginning of the game.

Shortly after the victory, Rice took to Instagram to express his delight with the caption: ‘Champions League final we coming’.

Several players responded to his post, including Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney and Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash.

Toney commented ‘my boy man’, while Cash described his performance as ‘class’.

Here are screenshots

Rice has been a key performer for the Gunners throughout the campaign. He was one of the standout players yesterday and had good control over proceedings in midfield alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The pair have formed good chemistry in no time. Lewis-Skelly made his first-ever senior start for the Gunners in midfield against Fulham last weekend, but he has looked comfortable alongside Rice.

The Gunners will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the Champions League final on May 30. Before that, they have three crucial matches to decide the Premier League title.

The club face West Ham United in another London derby on the road on Sunday. Manager Mikel Arteta could be tempted to go with an unchanged starting XI for the third straight game.

Arsenal are currently five points clear of Man City at the top of the league, but the latter have a game in hand. The Gunners will be assured a long-awaited title if they manage to win hereon.

West Ham have been a bogey club for Arsenal with three wins, three losses and one draw in the last seven meetings.

However, the Gunners have beaten the Hammers 5-2 and 6-0 in the last two league matches at the London Stadium.

Another victory on Sunday would surely put them on the cusp of lifting the English crown.

Stats from Sofascore.com

The post 'My boy', 'Class': Ivan Toney & Matty Cash send message to Arsenal star with 90% passing vs Atletico first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.

The Gunners went into the game at the Emirates Stadium after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, and they needed to beat Diego Simeone’s side to reach their first final in the competition since 2006.

They managed to do so thanks to Bukayo Saka’s first-half winner. Gyokeres played a huge part in the goal. He made a superb run behind the backline before delivering a quality cross to Leandro Trossard.

Jan Oblak brilliantly saved Trossard’s subsequent shot, but the rebound fell to Bukayo Saka, who was in the right place at the right time to convert with a simple tap-in.

Aside from that moment, Gyokeres was exceptional with his hold-up play and tireless runs upfront. His performance was described as ‘incredible‘ by manager Mikel Arteta.

Sturridge was likewise impressed by the Swede’s showing. The ex-Premier League man said that he was impressed by his drive and tenacity, and was the best player last night.

Sturridge said on Amazon Prime (via BBC Sport): “The drive and tenacity of the players [is what impressed most]. Lewis-Skelly was brilliant, controlling pace and the play. But Gyokeres was the best player tonight for me.

“He took so much pressure off the defenders, when you launch it up top, thinking, can it stick, can you hold it up for us? He did it all for them. Those are the performances that define top players.”

Gyokeres had 36 touches against Atletico last night, winning four duels. He completed only six successful passes but earned praise from the club’s faithful for his strong presence upfront.

The 27-year-old kept Atletico’s backline busy with his movement and work rate. He may have missed a clear-cut chance, but was still deserving of the man of the match award, in our view.

Gyokeres’ form has been quite impressive since being reinstated into the starting XI after Kai Havertz’s injury. Havertz was back in the squad yesterday and was an unused substitute.

Arsenal have a four-day gap before facing West Ham United away in the Premier League. This will be followed by an eight-day break before the next league encounter at home against Burnley.

Hence, there is plenty of recovery time going forward, and Arteta should play his best XI on Sunday.

Stats from Sofascore.com

The post 'The best player': Daniel Sturridge blown away by 36-touch Arsenal star after win vs Atletico first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.

The Gunners registered a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the semi-final at home to secure a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Gyokeres played a big role in both legs. The Sweden international scored a pivotal penalty during the first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano.

He was guilty of squandering a clear-cut chance in the second half last night, but was still one of the best players on the pitch for Arsenal.

The statistics may not reflect his performance, but he relieved the pressure on his teammates with his brilliant hold-up play upfront.

Gyokeres tormented Atletico’s defence with his movement and physicality, something rarely seen earlier this season. He also played a big part in the winning goal.

He made a superb run behind the defence before delivering a quality cross to Leandro Trossard.

Trossard’s subsequent shot was saved by Jan Oblak, only for Bukayo Saka to score from the rebound.

Speaking after the game, Arteta said that Gyokeres was ‘immense’ on the night and was ‘incredible’ with his hold-up play and work rate over the 90 minutes.

He told Amazon Prime (via BBC Sport): “He was immense. You can see the reaction from the crowd every time he had the ball, his work rate and what he’s giving the team is just incredible.”

Gyokeres has been one of the Gunners’ standout performers since the turn of the year. He was brilliant against Fulham in the Premier League with two goals and an assist last weekend.

It was a much different contest last night against Atletico, but he rose to the occasion despite missing a sitter. The fans were undoubtedly pleased with his tireless work rate leading the line.

Gyokeres played the full 90 minutes against Diego Simeone’s side. It remains to be seen whether he starts against West Ham United in Sunday’s much-awaited derby at the London Stadium.

Kai Havertz was back in the matchday squad following an upper leg injury, but did not play any part yesterday. Gyokeres’ fitness could be assessed in the lead-up to the Hammers game.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

The post 'He was immense': Mikel Arteta praises Arsenal star after 'incredible' performance vs Atletico first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.