Arsenal news

Mikel Arteta has explained why his success at Arsenal is down to his "hero" Pep Guardiola while opening up on his first meeting with the legendary Spanish manager at the age of 15. Following his retirement from professional football in 2016, Arteta worked as an assistant coach under Guardiola at Manchester City before taking up his first head coaching project with the Gunners in December 2019.

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann has issued a concerning update on Arsenal star Kai Havertz. The German forward has not played for the Gunners since picking up a knee injury in a training session following their season opener against Manchester United. Havertz subsequently underwent surgery, but no firm return date has been set, and his recovery could take longer than expected after this new setback.

Arsenal have been named among the Premier League teams "reviewing their position" regarding a proposed salary cap that could be introduced to the competition and has been scheduled for a vote this week. But circumstances have changed for the Gunners after an executive at the Emirates Stadium who was in favour of the idea has left the club.

Arsenal look set to go through an extended period without key centre-back and squad leader Gabriel. The Brazilian defender has become a crucial part of the success Mikel Arteta's team has enjoyed in recent seasons, both as a defensive force and a threat at attacking set-pieces. But in the same way that a William Saliba injury derailed their 2022-23 Premier League title challenge, losing Gabriel is a huge blow.

Viktor Gyokeres has been told that he is "too heavy", with the Arsenal striker was advised to lose weight to achieve Premier League success. The Gunners' bold summer gamble on the Sweden international was meant to herald a new era at the Emirates Stadium, but his first weeks in north London have been dominated by concerns rather than celebration. He was signed for a total fee of £63.5 million from Sporting CP, but questions have been raised over his physical readiness for English football's unforgiving pace.

Arsenal have an "AI dossier" which is reportedly powering Mikel Arteta's Premier League title pursuit, with the manager being assisted with input on transfers, tactics and even injuries. This quiet revolution is an attempt to build the most technologically advanced operation in English football. They have computer models humming with millions of data points to predict problems before they happen.

Max Dowman is in line to be promoted five age groups within the England national team structure. At 15 years of age, the Arsenal wonderkid still qualifies to represent the Young Lions at U16 level. He is, however, among those being closely monitored by U21 coach Lee Carsley. Manchester United academy hopeful Shea Lacey is another that falls into that category.

Arsenal have learnt some worrying news on Martin Odegaard's fitness after Norway manager Stale Solbakken revealed a concerning update on the midfielder's injury progress, casting serious doubt over when the 26-year-old will return to action with fears he could be sidelined beyond the international break.

Chris Waddle has slammed Mikel Arteta for his supposed criticism of Sunderland's tactics as the Arsenal manager was told to stick to his own job. The Gunners boss' frustration was palpable after his side let a precious victory slip through their fingers in stoppage time and had to settle for a point instead in Saturday's 2-2 draw.

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris admitted to making a sly tactical tweak to try and prevent Arsenal's long throws. It was one of those epic Premier League encounters that saw Arsenal’s title charge momentarily halted by the fearless Black Cats, who matched the intensity of their more illustrious rivals in every department and also employed some unusual help.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is back training with Arsenal after becoming a free agent, claims to have turned down offers from a number of clubs. The 35-time England international has returned to his homeland after being released by Turkish side Besiktas. He is prepared to be patient while seeking fresh terms, with the midfielder making it clear where his next port of call will be.

Arsenal and Crystal Palace have both made requests to the Premier League regarding fixture congestion after the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw caused a headache. The festive season is supposed to be the highlight of the English football calendar, with packed stadiums and Boxing Day drama. But this December, fixture scheduling has been a sticking point for the league authorities as teams complain of a lack of breathing space.

Fabio Vieira’s spell at Hamburg has gone from bad to worse after the Arsenal loanee was sent off for the second time in just five Bundesliga games. The 25-year-old midfielder, who joined the German club on a season-long loan in the summer, lost his cool during a 4-1 defeat to Koln, receiving a second yellow card late on as HSV slumped to their fourth loss of the season.