Arsenal 2026/27 Squad: Who Will Start and Who Could Miss Out?

Arsenal head into the 2026/27 season with a different level of expectation.

After finally ending a 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season, Mikel Arteta's side are no longer chasing the champions — they are the team everyone wants to beat.

The Gunners have also strengthened during the summer, most notably with the arrival of Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United. Christos Tzolis has added another option in attack, while Piero Hincapié's move has been made permanent and goalkeeper Illan Meslier has joined the squad.

ESPN currently ranks Arsenal as the favourite to retain the Premier League title, while Reuters has highlighted the challenge Arteta faces in turning last season's breakthrough into sustained success.

Arsenal's key summer changes

Arsenal have made several important changes to their squad.

Incoming:

- Bruno Guimarães
- Christos Tzolis
- Piero Hincapié
- Illan Meslier

Major departures:

- Leandro Trossard
- Jakub Kiwior
- Christian Nørgaard
- Karl Hein

ESPN lists Guimarães, Hincapié, Tzolis and Meslier among Arsenal's key arrivals, while the Premier League also identifies Tzolis as an important addition after his productive season at Club Brugge.

The biggest change may be in midfield.

Guimarães gives Arteta another technically strong and aggressive midfielder who can compete for possession, progress the ball and add physicality to Arsenal's midfield.

Reuters described the £75 million signing as a statement that Arsenal intend to strengthen from a position of power rather than simply defend what they achieved last season.

Goalkeepers: David Raya remains No. 1

David Raya is expected to remain Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper.

The Spaniard has established himself as an important part of Arteta's build-up system because of his ability to distribute the ball from the back.

Illan Meslier has arrived as additional goalkeeping depth, while younger goalkeepers remain part of the wider squad structure.

Likely starter: David Raya

Main question: Can Arsenal maintain the defensive consistency that helped them win the title?

Defence: Arsenal's biggest early concern

On paper, Arsenal have one of the strongest defensive groups in England.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães remain the central defensive partnership when both are available, while Ben White, Jurriën Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié give Arteta several options.

However, injuries could complicate the start of the campaign.

ESPN reports that Saliba is expected to miss time because of a back injury, while Timber has also faced an injury setback.

That makes defensive depth particularly important during the opening weeks.

A possible defensive setup could therefore change depending on fitness, with Hincapié and other defenders potentially being asked to play larger roles.

Who could miss out?

The competition for places will be intense once everyone is fit.

Saliba and Gabriel would normally be among the first names on the team sheet, but the current injury situation could give Hincapié and other defenders an opportunity to establish themselves.

Midfield: Guimarães makes Arsenal even stronger

This could be Arsenal's most interesting area.

Declan Rice remains one of Arteta's most important players, while Martin Ødegaard provides creativity and leadership.

The addition of Bruno Guimarães gives Arteta another elite-level option.

A midfield containing Rice, Guimarães and Ødegaard would give Arsenal a combination of physical strength, ball progression, defensive work and creativity.

Mikel Merino also provides valuable versatility, while young players can compete for opportunities.

ESPN's analysis describes Arsenal as having a deep squad with many players in their prime years, while Reuters believes Guimarães can add leadership, quality and intensity to an already strong team.

Possible starting midfield

Declan Rice — Bruno Guimarães — Martin Ødegaard

However, Arteta has enough options to change the midfield depending on the opponent.

Attack: Bukayo Saka remains the key man

Bukayo Saka remains Arsenal's most important attacking outlet.

The England international provides goals, assists, creativity and the ability to beat defenders from the right side.

Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus provide further attacking options, while Gabriel Martinelli remains an important option on the wings.

The arrival of Christos Tzolis is particularly interesting.

The Greek winger was brought in after an impressive campaign with Club Brugge, where he reportedly recorded 17 goals and 23 assists in the Belgian Pro League last season. The Premier League describes him as a replacement for the outgoing Trossard on the left side.

Tzolis could therefore give Arsenal something they have sometimes lacked: greater directness from the left.

The left-wing question

This could be one of the biggest tactical questions of Arsenal's season.

The Premier League's analysis before the transfer window identified a direct left winger as an important need for Arsenal, noting that only 33% of their attacks came down the left compared with 43% on the right during the previous season.

That makes Tzolis an important signing.

If he can provide the same attacking threat from the left that Saka provides from the right, Arsenal could become less predictable in the final third.

Who could be Arsenal's strongest XI?

If the entire squad is fit, a potential starting XI could look like:

David Raya

Ben White — William Saliba — Gabriel — Riccardo Calafiori

Bruno Guimarães — Declan Rice — Martin Ødegaard

Bukayo Saka — Kai Havertz/Gabriel Jesus — Christos Tzolis

This should not be viewed as a confirmed team selection. Arteta has repeatedly shown that he adjusts his line-up according to the opponent, player fitness and tactical requirements.

The players fighting for places

One of Arsenal's biggest strengths is that several positions have genuine competition.

Ben White vs Jurriën Timber: Both can provide defensive security and contribute to Arsenal's build-up.

Gabriel Jesus vs Kai Havertz: Arteta has different options depending on whether he wants mobility, link-up play or a more physical presence.

Tzolis vs Martinelli: The battle for the left side could become one of the most interesting selection decisions.

Guimarães vs other midfield combinations: Arsenal now have greater flexibility in central midfield.

Young players such as Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri also remain important parts of the club's development pathway.

Arsenal's biggest strength

The biggest strength is depth combined with experience.

Arsenal have now experienced the pressure of a title race, a Champions League final and the expectation of being favourites.

Reuters noted that the squad has moved from being a group that repeatedly fell short to one that now knows what it takes to finish first.

That experience could prove extremely valuable.

Arsenal's biggest weakness

The biggest concern is fitness.

Saliba and Timber's injury situations already create questions in defence, while ESPN also highlighted fitness concerns involving Saka and Rice.

Arsenal will also need more attacking consistency if they want to defend their title and make another deep Champions League run.

The challenge is no longer proving Arsenal can compete.

It is proving they can maintain that level across an entire season.

Lavix Sports verdict

Arsenal enter 2026/27 with arguably the strongest squad they have had under Mikel Arteta.

The additions of Bruno Guimarães, Christos Tzolis and Piero Hincapié have increased the quality and depth of the squad, while the established core of Raya, Saliba, Gabriel, Rice, Ødegaard and Saka remains intact.

But defending a Premier League title is different from winning one.

Injuries, fixture congestion and increased expectations will test Arteta's squad.

If Arsenal keep their key players fit and Tzolis successfully adds another attacking dimension, the Gunners have a strong chance of remaining at the top of English football.

Lavix Sports prediction: Arsenal should be among the leading contenders for the 2026/27 Premier League title, with squad depth potentially giving them an advantage over several rivals.

Sources used for research

- "ESPN — Premier League 2026/27 Mega-Preview" (https://reference-url-citation.invalid/11)
- "Reuters — Arsenal ready to retain Premier League crown" (https://reference-url-citation.invalid/12)
- "Sky Sports — Arsenal transfer plans analysed" (https://reference-url-citation.invalid/13)
- "Premier League — Arsenal transfer needs and summer deals" (https://reference-url-citation.invalid/14)

Editor's note: Transfer situations and squad availability can change before the transfer window closes. This article reflects information available on 19 August 2026.