At a Glance:
- Arsenal are interested in signing Sporting CP’s Maxi Araujo this summer.
- William Saliba has issued a rallying cry to his teammates ahead of the run-in.
- Two Gunners stars are expected to return from injury against Newcastle.
Arsenal’s season is set to enter a critical stage, with their Premier League and Champions League credentials to be tested and ultimately determined.
There are just five weeks until the end of the season, as Mikel Arteta’s team look to stabilise following a turbulent period and re-establish their grip on first place. Newcastle United, Fulham, West Ham United, Burnley and Crystal Palace await the Gunners in what is a tricky, but manageable, run-in.
Meanwhile, City still have to play four European-chasers in Everton, Brentford, Bournemouth and Aston Villa, in what could prove to be a difficult set of fixtures for the Citizens. It’s all in the balance, and it’s sure to be an intense spell of football that will define Arteta’s legacy in North London.
With that said, here is the latest Arsenal news today, including updates on Maxi Araujo, William Saliba and Newcastle.
Arsenal interested in signing Maxi Araujo
Arsenal will be in the market for a defender this summer, with Ben White expected to leave. They’ve been linked with the likes of Tino Livramento and Ivan Fresneda, although a different name emerged in reports from Portuguese media on Saturday morning.
According to Record Portugal, the Gunners have ‘initiated contact’ with the representatives of Sporting CP left-back Maxi Araujo. The Uruguayan impressed for the Portuguese giants in their Champions League tie against Arsenal earlier this month, and Arteta is said to have been left impressed.
Bom dia! A primeira página de Record de hoje, 25 de abril #capa #record pic.twitter.com/mcAznIqPz7
— Record (@Record_Portugal) April 25, 2026
Whether the Gunners actually pursue Aruajo remains to be seen, although given bolstering the right-side of their defence is more pressing, it feels unlikely.
William Saliba issues dramatic rallying cry to Arsenal teammates
The mood music around N5 is tense right now, and understandably so. The Gunners are on the precipice of achieving something the club hasn’t achieved for such a long time, and the players are unsurprisingly feeling the weight of this.
However, Saliba has urged his teammates to rise in the midst of this pressure and overcome the soft factor obstacles in their way. Speaking to Arsenal.com, the Frenchman claimed that the Gunners need to ‘die on the pitch’ to win the title.
“We need to be calm,” he said.
“We need to die on the pitch as well, because it’s [now or never]. Now we have to go [and push], and we need everyone: the supporters, the team, the staff, everyone, because we have to do it now. After that, it’s too late.
“You have to give everything and die on the pitch. Last game we wanted to win, and we didn’t. But it’s not finished. Now we know what we have coming, and we know what we have to do if we want to win the league. We have to start on Saturday.”
Arsenal vs Newcastle team news
The good news for Arteta heading into the clash with Newcastle is the the Spaniard’s squad is finally rounding into health. Reputable source, Hand of Arsenal, confirmed on Friday night that both Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori have been included in the Gunners’ squad for the visit of Newcastle.
Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Calafiori have been included in the squad for the Newcastle fixture tomorrow. Remains to be seen if they make the official matchday team sheet. pic.twitter.com/xM2OCWlww2
— HandofArsenal (@HandofArsenal) April 24, 2026
While it remains to be seen whether the two actually feature against the Magpies, Arteta seemed upbeat about their availability in his press conference on Friday afternoon. He was less optimistic about Jurrien Timber’s fitness status.
Meanwhile, Newcastle will be without Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento for the encounter, with both players suffering from groin injuries. Joelinton also misses out, through suspension.
