Latest news with #AndreaBerta
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Arsenal pre-season fixtures 2025: Full schedule and ticket details as Mikel Arteta prepares for huge summer
ARSENAL will be determined to end what is becoming a lengthy trophy drought in the 2025/26 season - so this summer's pre-season is more important than ever. The Gunners have only lifted one major trophy since Mikel Arteta took charge in December 2019, with it being an FA Cup victory in 2020. 2 2 And it has been several years filled with heartbreak as Arteta's men have finished second for three consecutive seasons in the Premier League. However, fans will be hoping that the appointment of new sporting director Andrea Berta is a catalyst for change off the pitch, as the Italian is known for his shrewd recruitment in the transfer market. But ultimately, it's about what the Gunners do on the pitch, and their pre-season fixtures have been revealed. Arsenal's pre-season schedule 2025 As things stand, Arsenal kickstart their pre-season with a tour around Asia, where they will take on a European giant, followed by some familiar faces. And fans can expect to see a lot more games that have not been announced just yet. How can I watch Arsenal's pre-season schedule 2025? All of Arsenal's pre-season fixtures for 2025 will be broadcast exclusively on Subscription members can also stream the entire action through the club's official app. Prices are yet to be confirmed, but fans could purchase individual match passes to watch the game online or buy a bundle for all of the fixtures. How can I buy tickets for Arsenal's pre-season schedule? Tickets for each pre-season fixture are available for purchase through the club's official website. Please note that StubHub and similar secondary ticket resale sites may list tickets above face value When does the 2025/26 Premier League season start? The 2025/26 Premier League season will begin on the weekend of August 16/17, 2025. The start date allows for the maximum player rest time available - 83 clear days - from the end of the 2024/25 campaign. 33 weekend and five midweek match rounds will make up the 2025/26 season. The Premier League states that the schedule "continues to allow more rest time for players over the festive match-round period". No two rounds of fixtures will take place within 60 hours of each other and there will be no game on Christmas Eve. The fixtures for the Premier League 2025/26 season will be released at 9am BST on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Arsenal Transfer DealSheet: Summer window latest, key targets and likely exits
Arsenal have once again qualified for the Champions League and go into the summer trying to give Mikel Arteta the tools he needs to push for that elusive Premier League title after finishing second for the third season in a row. But who will make the decisions over the signings they hope will get them there? What positions are they prioritising? Do they have players they want to sell? And will their PSR position allow them to strengthen significantly? The Athletic's James McNicholas has taken a look. Arsenal have a new sporting director in Andrea Berta. That adds another layer of intrigue to their transfer window. It will be fascinating to see how he dovetails with Arteta. Both are strong-minded individuals who are not afraid to make their opinions known. Arsenal's manager told a press conference in May that, thus far, there have been no major disagreements with the new guy. 'If that happens, that means that we cannot explain ourselves well enough, and we are not clear enough on what we want,' he explained. 'I guarantee you that hasn't happened.' It's no secret that Arsenal intend to add a new No 9. They considered signing one last summer and again in the winter transfer window, but ultimately chose to hold fire. Their intention is to address the issue this time. With Jorginho set to leave the club, they also have a vacancy in holding midfield — this will be addressed by the arrival of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. That move is effectively agreed, pending a medical, but Arsenal fans may have to wait for confirmation: the Spanish club have expressed a preference for the deal not to be ratified until July for accounting purposes. Advertisement Arsenal are also interested in finding other ways to augment their attacking threat, perhaps through another wide player. While there has been a lot of speculation about the left flank, Arsenal may need a player who is an option on the right. Raheem Sterling has not yet been officially notified that his time at Arsenal will not be extended, but the expectation is that he will leave when his loan from Chelsea expires at the end of June. Ethan Nwaneri can play that position, but in the long term has been earmarked for a central role. That leaves Arsenal without an obvious alternative to Bukayo Saka. If they do go for a wide player, the ability to play on either flank would be advantageous. The club are in the market for a new goalkeeper to understudy David Raya. Their longstanding interest in Joan Garcia of Espanyol is well documented, but he appears to be headed elsewhere. Arsenal are already working on alternatives. Arsenal have explored the signing of a young centre-half to complement William Saliba and Gabriel. They had a considerable interest in Vitor Reis, prior to the Brazilian teenager landing at Manchester City in January, and also hoped to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth before his recent move to Real Madrid. If Arsenal can identify a central defender of similar promise, they may pounce. The club have also allocated funds to Per Mertesacker to enable him to strengthen the academy. Arteta has spoken about his desire to increase the size of the squad, describing last season's group as being 'super-short' in terms of numbers. As stated above, in terms of positional needs, centre-forward is likely to figure prominently in this thinking. Arteta pushed for the signing of England striker Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa in January, but the club ultimately had concerns over the price tag. Arteta will be determined to remedy the situation this summer. Having accepted that Newcastle's Alexander Isak appears beyond reach, Arsenal have explored the parameters of deals for centre-forwards Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko. Arsenal's leadership group have debated the merits of both players. If they have made a clear decision on their preference, they are keeping it close to their chest. Advertisement If it is to be Sesko, RB Leipzig would prefer an early sale. That would grant them clarity and time to help their rebuild this summer. Having missed out on the Champions League qualification, there's also a financial shortfall for the German side to meet. Sporting CP's Gyokeres, however, may be the cheaper overall package. Arsenal must weigh the price alongside a number of other criteria before making a final decision. Although Gyokeres and Sesko appear foremost in the club's thoughts, there are also other names under discussion: January target Watkins has not been discounted entirely, although Arsenal would have the same reservations on price. In the wide areas, Arsenal have also explored a number of options. Senior figures at the club have held talks with 29-year-old Leroy Sane, who is out of contract with Bayern Munich this summer. Sane also has interest from Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in England. The expectation has been that Sane, whose family are happy in Munich, would renew with Bayern — but Arsenal are an alternative if the German international decides to move on. Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford caught Arsenal's eye, but as The Athletic reported on Monday, he has decided he wants to join Manchester United. Arsenal's interest in Nico Williams is longstanding, while the coaching staff are also keen admirers of Real Madrid's Rodrygo. The numbers associated with a hypothetical deal for the Brazilian international, however, would be challenging. Oleksandr Zinchenko could leave this summer. The arrival of Riccardo Calafiori a year ago and subsequent emergence of academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly have seen him fall down the pecking order. Other potential sales are likely to come from among the players who spent last season out on loan. Arsenal have taken up the option to extend Albert Sambi Lokonga's contract by a year. That should enable them to sell him this summer for a reasonable fee. Sevilla had an option to make last season's loan permanent but have not taken it up. Lokonga's preference would be to remain in Spain. Advertisement Reiss Nelson, who has been with Fulham, is another who could be on the move permanently — if he can prove his fitness. Nelson underwent surgery on a hamstring injury in February. Fabio Vieira spent the season back at previous club Porto but his future is now uncertain. Karl Hein is another whose next step is yet to be decided. He spent last season on loan at Real Valladolid, and the 23-year-old goalkeeper is keen to continue playing first-team football. Kieran Tierney and Jorginho agreed pre-contracts with Celtic and Flamengo, respectively. Arsenal intend to be — and plan in order to be — fully compliant with both the Premier League's financial rules and those of UEFA. The latter are actually more challenging to meet, limiting clubs' spending on wages, transfers and agents' fees to 70 per cent of revenue. However, Arsenal should be in a position of some flexibility, having offset last summer's purchases by selling the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Aaron Ramsdale and Emile Smith Rowe. (Top photos: Gyokeres, left, and Zinchenko; Getty Images)
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Arsenal transfer guide: Benjamin Sesko and top targets in ‘big' summer for Mikel Arteta
Arsenal will be hoping for a productive summer as they look to buck their trend of second-place finishes next term. It was once again a case of close but not close enough for Mikel Arteta 's side in 2024/25. Finishing second fiddle to the Premier League champions for a third successive season, the Gunners endured another trophyless campaign after their Champions League push fell at the hands of eventual winners PSG. A key reason for their failure to achieve was an attacking injury crisis that forced Mikel Merino, a defensive midfielder, to take up a role of makeshift number nine for the final months of the season. What these fitness problems demonstrated is that despite their undeniable quality in the starting XI, Arsenal's depth is far from good enough for a team hopeful of major titles, both domestically and on the continent. And with numerous players already on the chopping block, Arteta has promised a 'big' summer of recruitment at the Emirates. Leading their activity in the market will be new sporting director Andrea Berta, who proved his worth as a transfer miracle-worker during his decade-plus stay at Atletico Madrid. Arsenal will be hoping he can replicate his Atleti exploits in London as Arteta looks to finally live up to his potential and lead the club back to the Premier League pinnacle for the first time since 2006. Here's everything you need to know about Arsenal's summer transfer plans. Areas to improve The obvious priority for Arsenal will be to sign at least one world class striker. Gabriel Jesus is sidelined with a serious injury that could keep him out until midway through next season, and while the returning Kai Havertz remains one of Arteta's favoured players, there is a strong desire to add an out-and-out proven goalscorer to the ranks. The Gunners will also look to add central midfielder, with Thomas Partey set to leave the club on a free when his contract expires at the end of the month. The fact that Jorginho, 33, is also on his way out means there is a real need for depth in the middle of the park. Inconsistency on the Gabriel Martinelli front means that a left-winger could also be targeted, bringing healthy competition for the Brazilian if not to simply replace him. Elsewhere, cover is expected to be sought at full-back with current options touted for exits, while a backup goalkeeper for David Raya could be acquired as Neto returns to Bournemouth from his loan spell. Potential targets Martin Zubimendi, Real Sociedad Zubimendi looks pretty nailed on to become Arsenal's first signing of the summer. The Real Sociedad midfielder, 26, is set for a medical with the Gunners after his £51m release clause was met. It comes a year after the Spain international apparently rejected the advances of Liverpool, who pipped Arsenal to the Premier League title this term. A metronome in the middle of the park, excelling in a deep-lying playmaker role, Zubimendi fits the bill in terms of Arteta's midfield desires this summer. Viktor Gyokeres, Sporting CP Arsenal need a striker and prolific Sporting frontman Gyokeres, 26, has seemed to be their first choice for a while. The ex-Coventry man has stamped his mark as one of the best in his position in Europe, netting 97 goals in just 102 appearances across two seasons in Lisbon. However, the Gunners face stiff competition for the Swede and have apparently already had a £60m bid for him rejected. Benjamin Sesko, RB Leipzig If a deal for Gyokeres doesn't come to fruition, this would be a more than acceptable alternative. RB Leipzig sharpshooter Sesko, 22, has a penchant for ripping the net off and appears to be quickly transitioning into Arsenal's preferred option up top. Arteta has sanctioned talks with the Slovenian as they look to beat Chelsea to his signature. Nico Williams, Athletic Bilbao Williams has been on Arsenal's radar since his stunning Euro 2024 campaign last summer - and despite a slightly underwhelming follow-up campaign last season, there is still no denying the 22-year-old's talent. The Spaniard could prove the perfect reinforcement down the left wing, putting pressure on Martinelli to start playing at his dangerous best regularly, or else suffer a drop down the pecking order. Leroy Sane, Bayern Munich In a summer when Arsenal are bidding farewell to a number of players for zero fee, Sane could be an example of the Gunners capitalising on free agency. The ex-Manchester City winger is on the verge of leaving Bayern at the end of his contract and as a Premier League-proven talent, his signing could be a no-brainer. Current squad Not including confirmed departures or on-loan players returning to parent clubs. Goalkeepers 22. David Raya 30. Tommy Setford 31. Karl Hein (loaned out) Defenders 2. William Saliba 4. Ben White 6. Gabriel 12. Jurrien Timber 15. Jakub Kiwior 17. Oleksandr Zinchenko 18. Takehiro Tomiyasu 20. Nuno Tavares (loaned out) 33. Riccardo Calafiori Midfielders 5. Thomas Partey (out of contract this summer, unconfirmed departure) 8. Martin Odegaard 21. Fabio Vieira (loaned out) 23. Albert Lokonga (loaned out) 23. Mikel Merino 27. Marquinhos (loaned out) 41. Declan Rice Forwards 7. Bukayo Saka 9. Gabriel Jesus 11. Gabriel Martinelli 19. Leandro Trossard 24. Reiss Nelson (loaned out) 29. Kai Havertz 53. Ethan Nwaneri
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Transfer news LIVE: Gakpo ‘eyed by Bayern', Rodrygo makes U-TURN, Cherki ‘wants City move', Chelsea close in on Delap
Benjamin Sesko latest According to Sky in Germany, Andrea Berta and Marcel Schafer held a secret meeting in regards to Benjamin Sesko. As mentioned before, Benjamin Sesko is now the No1 target for Arsenal this summer, with Leipzig looking to get the deal over the line as soon as possible. The Gunners will be in no rush to acquire Sesko, with other clubs seemingly backing off, or looking at other options. With that said, the Gunners, according to reports, have a verbal agreement with the Swede ahead of any deal this summer. Leipzig's Sesko will cost Arsenal around £70 million, with Gyokeres coming in somewhere between the £60-90 million region, with reports all suggesting Sporting CP want a different price.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Arsenal chief makes Sesko discovery in transfer talks as Man Utd dealt blow
Arsenal are set to be busy in the transfer market with Andrea Berta in discussions to land Benjamin Sesko for the Gunners as they continue their search for a new forward Arsenal are braced for a significant summer in the transfer market as Andrea Berta takes charge of his first window as the club's sporting director. The Gunners will be once again tasked with strengthening their hand after finishing as Premier League runners-up for a third successive season. Mikel Arteta has already suggested the club could make a significant investment as they go in search of a new striker having been without one for much of 2024/25. "The budget is like when you have your wedding: you plan your wedding with your wife and you give her a budget and it's never less, it's always more," Arteta said. "When you build a house, it's always more. Normally this happens. You prepare for different scenarios. Then unfortunate things happen. There are so many variables that can happen but there is a budget. "There is always an idea of what we can do, what we can improve, what the priorities are going to be and then let's see if we can do it. It's always a 'we' I think it's always a decision that all of us have to come together." The coming weeks and months will show what they are able to deliver in the market, and on tying down some of their stars to longer contracts. Mirror Football takes a look at the lastest transfer news and rumours around the Emirates. Sesko fee Arsenal have opened talks with RB Leipzig over a deal to sign Benjamin Sesko as the Gunners look to finally strengthen Mikel Arteta 's frontline. A new striker is said to be top of the shopping list, with Arsenal lacking a goalscorer despite the head coach's calls to sign one. According to a report from the Daily Mail, Arsenal's new sporting director Andrea Berta has held talks with Leipzig chief Marcel Schafer. And it has emerged that the Bundesliga side want an initial £75million fee for the 22-year-old, who scored 13 times last term. Kai Havertz was Arsenal's top scorer in the Premier League with just nine strikes. Only Manchester United and Southampton had a top scorer who netted fewer times. Lewis-Skelly worry Real Madrid are taking an interest in Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly as the 18-year-old's contract runs into its final year. The teenager broke through into Arsenal's first team this season and made the full-back position his own on his way to making an England debut. But having signed his first professional deal in 2023, the teenager is now set to see his contract expire in 2026. Arsenal are now under pressure to come to terms on a new deal, with negotiations underway with the teenager. According to the Guardian however, it has not been a smooth process thus far and Real Madrid could look to take advantage. Los Blancos have made a habit of targeting out-of-contract stars and added Kylian Mbappe free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain a year ago before signing Trent Alexander-Arnold with little over a month remaining on his contract. Arsenal eye Manchester United target Arsenal have overtaken Manchester United in the race to sign Italian centre-back Giovanni Leoni, per reports. The 18-year-old Parma starlet has impressed with Andrea Berta said to be leading talks for the defender as Arsenal intensify their pursuit. And the Gunners, who wanted a young central defender having missed out on Dean Huijsen, could see a swift move beat the Red Devils to the punch. Ruben Amorim's side are monitoring Leoni, who is on the radar of Juventus and Inter Milan, but may see the north London side's decisive action now take precedent. Arsenal are also said to have made enquiries about Yarek Gasiorowski. The 20-year-old Valencia defender is another option as the side plans for the future.
