At a Glance:
- Arsenal are likely to sign another defender this summer.
- The Gunners have been linked with a number of full-backs, such as Ivan Fresneda and Tino Livramento.
- A new name has now reportedly emerged on Andrea Berta’s wishlist.
Arsenal may be embroiled in one of the most intense Premier League title races in recent years, but the club’s sporting director, Andrea Berta, is already looking ahead and drawing up summer transfer plans.
The Gunners were leapfrogged in the table by Manchester City this week, after the Citizens narrowly beat Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday. This result will no doubt damage Arteta’s side psychologically heading into the last five games, and thus it’s no surprise that Berta is already contemplating how he can improve the Spaniard’s squad to give the North Londoners an even greater chance next term.
Julian Alvarez has been linked with a switch to N5, while the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Anthony Gordon have also been mooted as potential targets. However, around the edges, Arsenal will need to add a number of non-superstars to boost the overall level of Arteta’s ensemble.
Arsenal ‘initiate contact’ over deal for Sporting star
Arsenal are likely to dip back into the market for a defender this summer, with a departure expected in this area of Arteta’s squad. That said, the expectation has been that Ben White will leave N5, and that a new right-back would be added to the manager’s group.
The speculation linking Sporting’s Ivan Fresneda to Arsenal therefore made sense when these reports emerged earlier this week. Fresneda has been linked with the Gunners in the past and operates primarily as a right-sided defender.
However, Portuguese media outlet Record Portugal suggest that Arsenal are actually targeting Fresneda’s teammate, Maximilian Araujo, who plays on the left-hand side. The publication’s front page on Saturday morning claimed that the North Londoners have already initiated contact with the Uruguayan’s representatives about a potential move.
Bom dia! A primeira página de Record de hoje, 25 de abril #capa #record pic.twitter.com/mcAznIqPz7
— Record (@Record_Portugal) April 25, 2026
Araujo only joined Sporting in the summer of 2024 from Mexican club Toulca, and has since made 81 appearances for the Lisbon outfit. He turned 26 in February and has already managed 28 caps for his national team.
Whether Arsenal are capable of pulling off a deal for the highly-rated full-back remains to be seen. Araujo is one of Sporting’s most prized possessions, and the Primeira Liga giants would likely demand a significant fee to lure the player away from Lisbon.
However, it’s unlikely that Arsenal would be able to guarantee the 26-year-old regular game time, given the presence of Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly in their squad. This may ultimately deter Araujo from agreeing on a switch to North London.
Maxi Araujo shone for Sporting against Arsenal
Arsenal just played Sporting in the Champions League, and this is reportedly where Arteta’s interest in Araujo spawned from. The former Puebla man impressed against the Gunners, producing two outstanding performances over both legs.
In the game at the José Alvalade Stadium, Araujo committed seven fouls without receiving a booking, cynically locking down Noni Madueke with a dirty but economical approach. He also hit the bar in this game with a rasping effort.
🤷 | Getting away with it is an art
— Sofascore Football (@Sofascore) April 7, 2026
Maximiliano Araújo has tonight become the first defender to commit 7+ fouls and avoid receiving a yellow card in a #UCL match over the last nine seasons 🤯
You can't say he didn't have a plan for keeping Noni Madueke and Max Dowman at bay 😅 pic.twitter.com/BAFyJ6wuxd
In the second leg, he was equally as impressive, again dealing with Madueke whilst also offering offensive flair in what was a stale match at the Emirates.
Having said all this, the reporting around Aruajo’s potential move to Arsenal feels somewhat convenient. He was good against the Gunners, and thus, it’s an easy story and link to manufacture.
In reality, there is no reason for Arsenal to add another left-back to their ranks, unless they are anticipating making a shock sale in this department.
