Now that the summer transfer window has closed Arsenal’s team for 2026-27 has taken shape. As deadline day drew near, only two more deals got done- Gabriel Jesus was sold to FC Barcelona for a small fee (well, small amount of money by transfer window standards) and Ethan Nwaneri was loaned out to Borussia Dortmund.
It was relatively quiet, but then still a solid couple pieces of business.
London Derby FYIs
Chelsea FC at Arsenal
Kickoff Time: 4.30 p.m. BST, Sunday, Sept 6
Location: Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Chelsea Predicted XI: go here
Team News: Chelsea FC Arsenal
Google Result Probability: Chelsea FC 19% Draw 24% Arsenal 57%
Premier League Standings, Form: Chelsea FC 4th 6 pts WW Arsenal 2nd 6 pts WW
Overall, Arsenal had a very good transfer window, as they didn’t just stand pat as Premier League champions and Champions League runners-up. They improved, in the areas that needed strengthening. And right now, it really seems pretty smart of them to sign Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa.
With Christhian Mosquera likely to miss out on the London derby this weekend, Ezri Konsa is needed, and he should get his first start in a Gunners shirt on Sunday.
Arsenal Starting XI Prediction vs Chelsea
David Raya; Ben White, Ezri Konsa, Gabriel Magalhaes; Riccardo Calafiori; Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Buyako Saka, Martin Odegaard, Christos Tzolis; Kai Havertz
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.