At a Glance:
- Arsenal are in talks to sign Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.
- The Gunners are exploring a deal for Club Brugge winger Cristos Tzolis.
- Arsenal target Bradley Barcola is expected to be available this summer.
Arsenal’s transfer window might be about to kick into gear, regardless of the World Cup now consuming football discourse.
The international tournament commenced on Thursday evening, with 15 Gunners stars currently in North America and set to represent their nations. This competition usually delays transfer activity every four years, but Andrea Berta is looking to be proactive and start to initiate deals.
A right-back, a striker, a central midfielder and, most importantly, a left winger are all on the Italian Sporting Director’s wishlist. With that said, here is the latest Arsenal transfer news today, including updates on Ayyoub Bouaddi, Christos Tzolis and Bradley Barcola.
Arsenal in talks with Ayyoub Bouaddi
Arsenal are looking to bolster their midfield department this summer, with Christian Norgaard expected to make way. 18-year-old Lille sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi, who is about to represent Morocco at the World Cup, has been mooted as a target for a while.
According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the Gunners have been actively working on the signing of Bouaddi for several months. The reporter indicates that Lille are demanding around €70 million for the midfielder, while Arsenal believe their healthy relationship with the French club could serve them will in this pursuit.
🔴⚪️ Arsenal a un plan pour battre la concurrence du PSG dans le dossier Ayyoub Bouaddi.
— Sacha Tavolieri (@sachatavolieri) June 13, 2026
🗞️ Récit ⤵️🇲🇦
🔗 https://t.co/4CKbFau8Qn
🇨🇭 @SkySportCH #mercato #AFC #LOSC
Paris Saint-Germain are also understood to be interested in Bouaddi, although the Gunners may have the upper hand in the race given they’re not a domestic rival of Lille’s.
Arsenal exploring deal to sign Christos Tzolis
Arsenal were hit with their first ‘Ornstein Bomba’ of the summer on Friday night. The reputable journalist revealed via The Athletic that the Gunners are exploring a deal to sign Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge.
The left-winger enjoyed an outstanding 2025/26 season, netting 23 goals and providing 29 assists across all competitions for the Belgian giants, sparking interest from a host of top clubs. It’s said that Tzolis may be gettable for around just €40 million, making him an attractive potential option for the North Londoners.
🚨 Arsenal exploring deal to sign Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge. 24yo left-sided winger expected to be gettable for ~€40m. Move for Greece international does not impact #AFC interest in Morgan Rogers or other options to strengthen attack @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/lBe1BINfU2
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) June 12, 2026
Ornstein specified in his report that a prospective move for the 24-year-old does not impact Arsenal’s interest in Morgan Rogers or other attacking targets.
Bradley Barcola likely to be available this summer
Arsenal have been intensely linked with Bradley Barcola so far this summer, and it now appears some more concrete movement might be set to occur on this front. The player’s agent, Moussa Sissoko, has been trying to negotiate with PSG over a new deal, but talks have stalled regarding this contract renewal.
According to HandofArsenal, the Champions League winners’ position is clear; they will sell Barcola if an extension isn’t agreed, as his current deal expires in 2028. This likely means that unless there is a U-turn in the negotiations, Barcola should be available this summer.
Bradley Barcola Situation
— HandofArsenal (@HandofArsenal) June 12, 2026
• Moussa Sissoko has been trying to renew Bradley Barcola’s contract for the best part of 9-12 months. Talks have been difficult, and it reached a point where both parties agreed to put negotiations on hold so that Barcola and PSG could focus on…
Berta tried to sign Barcola last summer, but was informed that the 23-year-old would remain in Paris for at least one more year. Arsenal’s sporting director is now back to reevaluate the situation, although he faces competition from Liverpool for the Frenchman’s signature.
