Welcome to the 2026 summer transfer window, Arsenal FC. We are a full week into July, and Arsenal have yet to add a new player. The only major piece of transfer business that they have conducted, up to this point, was converting Piero Hincapie’s loan arrangement into a permanent transfer deal. Illan Meslier, a free agent goalkeeper who saw his Leeds United contract run its course, will be the first new signing at the Emirates this summer. Meslier, 26, will serve as a backup to No.1 shotstopper David Raya.
Arsenal agree a deal to sign goalkeeper Illan Meslier, who is a free agent after leaving Leeds.
Still no guarantee Kepa Arrizabalaga stays. Spanish keeper open to leaving for a starting role.🧤 pic.twitter.com/bfxsq3MMUk
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) July 7, 2026
The French international left Leeds after seven seasons, and during most of his time at Elland Road, he was the first choice keeper, before losing his place in 2025. His arrival puts into question the future of Kepa Arrizabalaga at the club. In addition to Kepa, there is another transfer domino that could fall once this acquisition is complete.
According to The Athletic/New York Times, the Illan Meslier signing “would potentially allow England Under-21 goalkeeper Tommy Setford to leave the Emirates on loan.”
So this could end up being a much more consequential signing than it might initially seem for the reigning Premier League champions.
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.