No match, no peace: Arteta signs up for four more years
Arsenal did not kick a ball all week. In the space where the football should have been, their manager agreed to stay until 2030, their great rivals were found guilty, and the injury list kept growing.
The extended international break meant Arsenal's men went from the 3-0 defeat at Brighton and Hove Albion on 19 September to a blank calendar. Their next game is Leeds United at the Emirates on 10 October. That left the week to the people in suits, and they were busy.
The big one had broken on the Tuesday before this week began. Sami Mokbel reported for the BBC that Mikel Arteta had agreed an improved contract, ending months of talks. His existing deal runs out at the end of this season. In May, co-chair Josh Kroenke had called securing the manager's future the club's priority.
On Thursday the shape of the deal arrived. Fabrizio Romano reported that the agreement is valid for the next four years, which would presumably take Arteta to June 2030, and said the verbal agreement is done. Mokbel described a sharp pay increase on a current salary of around ten million pounds a year plus bonuses. No new figure has been published.
It is not only the manager. David Ornstein of The Athletic reported that Arteta's backroom staff are in the process of renewing their deals, and Romano said they will sign for the same four years. Ornstein did not name names. Arseblog News thought it reasonable to assume the group includes Albert Stuivenberg, set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana and tactical assistant Miguel Molina, with Gabriel Heinze also in line for improved terms.
There is one thing missing: an announcement. As of Tuesday night the club had confirmed nothing. Arseblog News reported the announcement was unlikely to come quickly because the club had yet to film the content that goes with it. For a manager who ended the long wait for a league title last season, after three straight second-place finishes, the paperwork feels like a formality. It is still paperwork.
The verbal agreement is done.
Fabrizio Romano, on Arteta’s new deal
The timing matters. Arsenal won their first four league games of the title defence and then were taken apart at Brighton. A contract signed in that light is a statement that the club sees one bad afternoon for what it was. It also gives Arteta security going into a stretch that, after the break, runs straight into Leeds United, Lille in the Champions League and a run of games every three or four days.
The other contract news of the week was about Declan Rice. Romano reported on Thursday that a new deal is really, really close, with final details being sorted and paperwork going to lawyers before an announcement. His current contract runs to 2028, so the extension would land before it enters its final year.
That good news came with a worry attached. Rice had withdrawn from the England squad on 21 September, with football.london reporting his workload was being managed. Then Thomas Tuchel confirmed on Saturday that he was carrying a problem. The England manager said he saw straight away on TV that something was off while watching Rice at Brighton, and that the player just confirmed that impression. After fifty-five games for Arsenal last season and seven of England's eight World Cup matches, the rest looks sensible rather than alarming.
Key Facts: the week at a glance
Played Nothing. Arsenal's men had no fixture between 23 and 29 September.
Last result 0-3 at Brighton and Hove Albion, Saturday 19 September.
NextLeeds United at the Emirates, Saturday 10 October, 12:30 in London. 4:30 a.m. Pacific.
Table Second, 12 points from 5, three behind Manchester City.
ContractsArteta, four years agreed, not announced. Rice, reported close. Backroom staff, renewing.
The league season so far: 3-0 Coventry City, 1-0 at Aston Villa, 2-1 Chelsea, 2-0 at Sunderland, 0-3 at Brighton. Also: 3-0 Manchester City in the Community Shield, 1-0 at Napoli in the Champions League, 4-2 at Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup. Results via the season record.
Who is under contract to when
2027Mikel Arteta, current deal, with a four-year extension agreed in principle.
2028Declan Rice, with a new deal reported to be really, really close.
2029Emily Fox, on a new three-year deal signed this week, per Arseblog News.
2030 Where Arteta and his staff would be tied if the reported four-year terms are signed.
Sources: BBC via Reuters, Fabrizio Romano via Daily Cannon, Arseblog News. The 2029 date for Fox is inferred from a three-year term starting this season.
Gyokeres speaks, and Sweden listens
Viktor Gyokeres still has no goal for Arsenal this season. He scored twice for his country in four days, and talked frankly about the gap.
On Friday he scored the winner in Sweden's 2-1 Nations League win over Romania, his goal arriving in the forty-third minute. Daily Cannon noted that he was named player of the match and looked fairly miserable celebrating. On Monday he volleyed in Patrik Walemark's cross in the seventy-second minute of a 3-1 win over Poland in Solna.
In between he spoke. I haven't played much, but I've had a few games, he said. It is clear that you want to play football. And, on the criticism: If you do well, you get accolades and if you don't score as a striker and perform as they expect, of course there will be criticism. I obviously need to do better and I'm willing to do it, so there's no problem.
The Havertz injury may hand him the minutes he wants. I hope it's nothing serious because he's an important player for us, Gyokeres said of his teammate. We need all the players because it's a long season and a lot of games.
Transfer News
A striker shortlist, and a striker who is not for sale
The window is shut until January, but the talk of who comes next is already about the number nine position.
Fabrizio Romano reported on Sunday that Arsenal see a striker as their next priority signing, and that Eli Junior Kroupi of AFC Bournemouth is on the shortlist. Daily Cannon relayed the report, adding that Barcelona, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have also had him on their lists.
Kroupi is twenty and scored thirteen Premier League goals in his debut season. He then suffered a serious foot injury in pre-season that needed surgery, and is expected back around early November. Romano suggested a summer deal is more likely than a January one. Earlier in the week Tom Canton of football.london had named Kroupi and Brentford's Kevin Schade as forwards to monitor ahead of January.
Mind the certainty tier. This is a shortlist, not a bid. No fee has been reported and no talks have been described.
The man in the shirt now is going nowhere, according to the same source. Romano reported on Sunday that Arsenal received several enquiries for Viktor Gyokeres over the summer, many of them from Spain, and that the club insisted he was not for sale. The club trusts him and expects him to be very important this season.
What Gyokeres has cost so far
Sporting's accounts give a rare look at the add-ons.
Sporting CP's latest accounts, reported by Daily Cannon on Wednesday, show a fixed fee of 65.8 million euros, about 56.5 million pounds, with up to 10.3 million euros in conditional add-ons. By 30 June, the end of their financial year, Sporting had received 4.1 million euros of those bonuses, roughly forty per cent of the maximum.
The bonuses are tied to goal contributions, appearances of forty-five minutes or more, and Champions League qualification. The article calculated that Gyokeres is a long way from triggering the next payments, not least because he is not starting many games.
Twelve clubs, and the Old Firm, want Dowman
Max Dowman cannot be loaned until he turns seventeen on 31 December. The queue has formed anyway.
Graeme Bailey reported for TEAMtalk that more than a dozen clubs have contacted Arsenal about a January loan for Dowman. Journalist Ekrem Konur, cited by CaughtOffside, named two of them: Celtic and Rangers, saying they had held talks. Konur described Arsenal as open to a loan, with first-team chances limited in the short term.
The timing is quirky. Dowman's birthday is 31 December, the day before the winter window opens, which is when he can turn professional and become eligible to move. The Celtic and Rangers detail is single-sourced. The general interest is not.
Martinelli's agent tells his side
The club-record sale was mutual, says the man who brokered it.
Marcos Casseb, agent to Gabriel Martinelli, said his client had offers from Italy, Germany and other Premier League clubs before choosing Al Hilal, which he called the biggest club in Asia. He said Martinelli wanted to change scenery and clear his head a bit, and that Arsenal also felt it was time for him to move on. He called ita very good departure for him and for Arsenal. Daily Cannon reported that Martinelli has scored three goals in his first four games in Saudi Arabia.
The Rumour Mill: certainty labelled
LINKEli Junior Kroupi, AFC Bournemouth. On a striker shortlist, per Fabrizio Romano. Injured until about November. No fee, no talks.
LINKKevin Schade, Brentford. Named by football.london as a forward to monitor. Nothing more.
OUTGOINGMax Dowman, loan. More than a dozen enquiries per TEAMtalk. Celtic and Rangers named by one journalist.
STAYINGViktor Gyokeres. Summer interest from Spain rebuffed, per Romano.
Every item is a report, not an official announcement. None of these stories has been confirmed by the club.
The Squad
A break meant for rest is filling the treatment room
One hamstring in Amsterdam, a kick in Oslo, a hidden problem for the vice-captain and a back four running short of bodies.
The first blow landed on Thursday. Kai Havertz started up front for Germany in Jurgen Klopp's first game in charge, a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in Amsterdam, and lasted about half an hour. He had been caught by Quinten Timber and was seen apparently mouthing the word hamstring to the physio. Klopp confirmed a muscular problem: Both are muscular injuries. Jamal's happened before the game and Kai's relatively early in the game.
David Ornstein reported that Havertz would return to Arsenal for assessment, with the belief that the injury is minor. Arseblog News was right to point to his history: he tore a hamstring in Dubai in February 2025 and needed surgery.
The second came on Sunday in Oslo. Late in Norway's 2-1 defeat to Portugal, Bernardo Silva kicked Martin Odegaard off the ball. The Arsenal captain was furious. It's a head fog from him, he just kicks me down long after I've played the ball away, he told TV2. I don't understand what he's doing. It does not belong on a football pitch.Silva laughed it off: It's football, my friend.
Odegaard was left with an ankle problem but sounded relaxed. He said: It probably won't be good tonight, but I'm hopeful it will be fine in the next few days. The pair meet again in the return fixture next week.
It does not belong on a football pitch. It’s a shame that people do that.
Martin Odegaard, on Bernardo Silva
The defence: thin, then thinner
William Saliba remains out long term. Ben White and Piero Hincapie missed the break through injury. On Saturday Hincapie confirmed in a broadcast in Ecuador that an injury had kept him out of their Asian tour, saying he was not fit enough to be available. He gave no detail on the problem or the timeline. Daily Cannon counted sixteen club and international matches missed through injury since he joined, twelve of them with groin problems.
Cristhian Mosquera has been working his way back in an unusual place. Super Deporte reported that he trained with his former club Valencia while home visiting family. He is reportedly hoping to be available for Leeds United.
Jurrien Timber is being handled with care. He missed Dutch training and the opener in Amsterdam, with Voetbal International reporting an individual programme because of the after-effects of his long injury. He then came on for the final ten minutes of a 2-1 win in Serbia on Sunday. Netherlands coach Xavi put it simply: We have to be a bit careful with Jurrien Timber, who was injured for a long time. But he is available.
Which leaves Ezri Konsa, the one defender Arsenal could call fully fit going into the break. He played ninety minutes against Spain on Saturday, then was one of two England players to miss full training on Monday, following an individual programme. Alex Howell of the BBC reported that he was set to be involved in Prague on Tuesday. Arsenal will be hoping the word involved means little.
The penalty that should not have been
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel delivered a verdict that came too late to matter. It ruled unanimously, five votes to none, that the penalty given to Sunderland for Konsa's challenge on Dan Ballard was wrong. The panel unanimously felt that the referee's call of a penalty for a holding offence was incorrect, it said. A three to two majority backed VAR's decision not to step in.
The rest of the game went Arsenal's way on review. The panel unanimously backed the penalty for the foul on Bukayo Saka and the sending-off that followed, and agreed that Jurrien Timber's disallowed goal was offside. Arsenal won 2-0, so the error cost nothing.
Availability: as of Tuesday 29 September
OUTWilliam Saliba, long-term. Ben White and Piero Hincapie, injuries that kept them out of international duty.
ASSESSINGKai Havertz, muscular problem from Germany duty, believed to be minor. Declan Rice, withdrawn from England, carrying a problem according to Tuchel.
WATCHMartin Odegaard, ankle after the Silva kick. Ezri Konsa, missed England training on Monday. Jurrien Timber, on a modified schedule.
RETURNINGCristhian Mosquera, training in Spain and aiming for Leeds United.
Compiled from Arseblog News, Daily Cannon, The Athletic and the BBC. No club medical update was issued during the week.
Hale End
Dowman scores, England wait, and a sixteen-year-old keeper steps up
The academy's international week was full of debuts. Its brightest talent is the one England are trying hardest not to rush.
Lee Carsley, the England under-21 coach, explained on Wednesday why Max Dowman was not moved up to his squad when senior withdrawals, Rice among them, opened space. Carsley said the sixteen-year-old is always in the conversation with Thomas Tuchel and that England really rate him, but that the timing has to be right.
He used an Arsenal example to make the point. We had a similar issue a few years ago with Ethan Nwaneri, he said, adding: We have to be patient.
Dowman answered on the pitch. On Friday he scored the seventieth-minute winner for England under-19s in a 1-0 friendly win over the Republic of Ireland, playing eighty-one minutes. On Tuesday he came off the bench for the last half-hour of a 2-1 win over Norway. He was also nominated for the Carabao Cup Player of the Round after his two goals at Ipswich Town.
Debuts all round
Charlie Phillips is technically an under-16 goalkeeper this season, and he was Arsenal's third-choice keeper for the cup tie at Ipswich Town. Arseblog News reported it was the first time Arsenal had used an under-16 goalkeeper in that role. He made his England under-17 debut on Wednesday 23 September, playing ninety minutes of a 5-1 win over the Republic of Ireland.
Mylo Bernard, the striker signed from Crystal Palace this summer, made his England under-17 debut on Monday, playing all ninety minutes as England came from behind to beat Israel 2-1. Vincent Joseph, recruited from Liverpool, was also in that squad.
Andre Harriman-Annous and goalkeeper Khari Ranson were late call-ups to the England under-20s. Harriman-Annous was an unused substitute in a 3-1 win over Italy on Friday, then made his debut with sixteen minutes off the bench in a 2-1 win over France on Tuesday. On the same day Ife Ibrahim started and played fifty-nine minutes on his debut for the under-19s against Norway. Defender Marli Salmon had to withdraw from the under-18 squad with injury.
Ceadach O'Neill, eighteen, came on for the closing minutes of Northern Ireland's 1-0 win in Georgia on Friday, settled by Shea Charles in the ninety-ninth minute. It was his first competitive cap. His earlier two had come in friendlies, so the option of switching to the Republic of Ireland is now closed.
The under-18s
The under-18s went into the break on three straight wins. Jeorge Bird, writing for Arseblog News, credited new coach Josh Smith with making the side more solid while keeping its attacking edge. He also noted a rare supply of central strikers: under-16 prospect Jaden Maghoma, Marley Frohock and Jayden Oba, with Bernard and Joseph adding more. They return at home to Tottenham Hotspur on 17 October.
Academy Watch
Messi CupArsenal's under-16s will take part in the second edition, hosted by Inter Miami from 25 October to 1 November. Sixteen teams, including Barcelona, Manchester City, Chelsea, Boca Juniors and River Plate.
Loan WatchEthan Nwaneri is at Borussia Dortmund for the season. Ismeal Kabia is on loan at St Mirren.
Former Arsenal assistant Carlos Cuesta left Parma by mutual agreement on Sunday after one win in five league games.
Beaten at the Bridge, and the goals still will not come
Arsenal controlled the first half-hour at Stamford Bridge, hit the woodwork twice and lost 1-0. Two WSL goals in four games is the number that will not go away.
Sunday's defeat at Chelsea was Arsenal's first of the season, and it did not feel like a fluke. Renee Slegers made two big calls, handing Anneke Borbe the gloves and playing Mariona Caldentey on the left wing. For thirty minutes it worked. Lisa Baum had two shots, Kim Little hit the post and Mariona struck the near post.
Then came the mistake. Around the thirty-ninth minute Steph Catley's short pass was intercepted by Ellie Carpenter. Borbe parried Wieke Kaptein's shot and Alyssa Thompson followed up to score. Arseblog's report noted that nobody in red followed the shot in. Borbe then blocked from Melvine Malard just before the break to keep it at one.
The second half told the story of the season. Slegers made a triple change on sixty-one minutes, sending on Chloe Kelly, Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord for Baum, Georgia Stanway and Mariona, then added Geraldine Reuteler and Selina Cerci on eighty-two. Arsenal finished with eighteen shots to Chelsea's thirteen, but only two on target and no big chances.
Slegers refused to call it confusion. I think we have a lot of clarity in the way we want to play and principles, so all players can execute that, she said afterwards. On confidence: Worried, no, and confidence is something that fluctuates. And on where that leaves her side: We have to earn the right, again, to be in the conversation, because now we've lost points in three games.
We have to earn the right, again, to be in the conversation.
Renee Slegers, after Chelsea
Tim Stillman's analysis for Arseblog, titled The washing machine, made the opposite case. Arsenal have used a different midfield trio and a different front three in each of their four WSL games. Alessia Russo has moved between the nine and the ten, and Mariona has played in central midfield, at ten and on the left. A graphic from Scott Willis showed shot output flatlining after the double changes. Stillman's verdict was that the solutions are inconsistent and chaotic.
The league table is the blunt version. After four games Arsenal have a 1-0 win at Brighton, a 0-0 with Crystal Palace, a 1-1 with Manchester United and Sunday's defeat: four points, two goals, seventh place and, by Arseblog's count, seven points off the top.
A new deal for Fox, and a welcome back for Cooney-Cross
The week did have good news. Emily Fox signed a new contract on Thursday, which Arseblog News understands runs for three years. Her old deal was due to end this season, and the report said significant interest from the NWSL had been dismissed quickly. I'm so happy to be extending my stay here, Fox said. This has felt like home since the moment I joined.
Kyra Cooney-Cross was voted player of the match by supporters after the 1-0 Champions League win over HB Koge on 22 September, settled by a stoppage-time Mariona penalty. She won the club's WhatsApp poll with more than 4,100 votes after around nine months away on compassionate leave. Slegersdescribed her as mature, calm and just enjoying her football.
Paris, then Manchester
There was no time to dwell. Arsenal travel to Paris FC on Wednesday for matchday two of the Champions League, at the Stade Jean-Bouin. Arseblog's preview listed Kelly (hamstring) and Catley (lower back) as out, along with Daphne van Domselaar (knee), Elisa De Almeida (muscle strain), and Michelle Agyemang and Katie Reid, both with ACL injuries. Paris FC lost 5-2 at Barcelona on matchday one but are dangerous on the break. Then it is Manchester City away on Sunday.
Manchester City were found to have broken the Premier League's financial rules on a grand scale. Arsenal, three points behind them, are among the clubs lining up to claim.
The news leaked on Friday. David Ornstein of The Athletic reported that Manchester City had been found guilty on all but one of the 115 charges brought against them, according to sources briefed on the matter. City responded that the process was ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed.
On Tuesday it became official. The Premier League announced that an independent commission had found City guilty of all the serious charges covering 2009-10 to 2017-18. Al Jazeera reported that the commission found the club had arranged sham contracts with commercial partners, used to inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than nine hundred million pounds, and had made concerted efforts to frustrate the investigation.
City said they were disappointed and surprised and will appeal, arguing the decision contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe. No sanction has been set. Richard Masters, the league's chief executive, said: There are elements of the case that remain to be decided. A points deduction, a fine and expulsion all remain possible.
There are elements of the case that remain to be decided.
Richard Masters, Premier League chief executive
For Arsenal there are two questions. The first is money. On Saturday, before the formal verdict, football.london relayed a report from The Independent that Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have preserved their right to compensation and are planning an action, with a potential claim of around two hundred million pounds. The same report said any claim might also look at loss of chance in later seasons. Arsenal finished second to City in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Nothing can be launched until the appeals are exhausted.
The second is the table. Manchester City sit top with fifteen points from five games. Arsenal are second on twelve. Any sanction applied during this season would change a title race that Arsenal currently trail by one result. That is a long way off. The appeal comes first.
It is worth being careful about what is known. The reporting describes slightly different periods: Friday's coverage described the charges as running from 2009-10 to 2022-23, while Tuesday's published findings were reported as covering 2009-10 to 2017-18. Until the full written reasons are digested and the appeal is heard, the safest summary is the simplest one: guilty, appealing, no punishment yet.
Awards season arrives early
A dozen nominations, and a goalkeeper backing his rival.
David Raya is up for the Yashin Trophy, the goalkeeper award, and his understudy Kepa Arrizabalaga made the case for him. He should be in the conversation to win it, Kepa said. He has shown over the last three to four years at Arsenal how consistent he is.
Arsenal are nominated for men's club of the year and Arteta for men's coach of the year. Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice and William Saliba are among the thirty men's Ballon d'Or nominees, and Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo made the thirty-player women's shortlist.
Gunners Abroad
Sixteen players, ten countries, one long week
Two goals for Gyokeres, two assists for Odegaard, a goal and an assist for Tzolis, and a hamstring scare for Havertz.
England. England lost 3-2 to Spain at Wembley on Saturday, with Mikel Oyarzabal chipping the winner after Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane had turned the game around. Myles Lewis-Skelly started in midfield, his first England appearance in almost a year, and Tuchel was pleased: He did very well for Arsenal on this position. I think it suits him a bit better than left-back.Bukayo Saka started on the right and Ezri Konsa at centre-back, with Vavel's ratings describing it as not the best evening for the centre-back pairing.
On Tuesday in Prague England won 2-0 against a Czech Republic side reduced to ten men after twenty-five minutes, with Gordon and Kane scoring. Saka and Lewis-Skelly started. Eberechi Eze replaced Lewis-Skelly at half-time and Sky Sports rated him the best of the Arsenal trio, noting he went close to a goal.
Sweden.Viktor Gyokeres scored the winner against Romania on Friday and the third goal against Poland on Monday. Sweden top their group, two points clear of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Norway.Martin Odegaard set up two goals in a 3-2 win over Denmark in Oslo on Thursday: a slide-rule pass for Oscar Bobb to open the scoring and a short corner for Erling Haaland's winner. Daily Cannon counted thirteen assists in his last thirteen internationals. Sunday's 2-1 home defeat to Portugal, with Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos scoring, ended with the Silva kick.
Greece. The best week of anyone's. Christos Tzolis equalised with his weaker left foot in the seventy-fourth minute of a 2-1 comeback win in Serbia on Thursday, his first goal of the season. On Sunday he set up the late winner in Augsburg as Greece beat Germany 1-0 for the first time ever. Our goal was a bit lucky, but we played our game how we wanted to and we're happy with the result, he said.
Germany and the Netherlands.Kai Havertz went off injured after about thirty minutes of the 1-1 draw in Amsterdam on Thursday, Klopp's first game, with Felix Nmecha scoring for Germany and Cody Gakpo equalising in stoppage time. Jurrien Timber missed that one and played the last ten minutes of the 2-1 win in Serbia on Sunday.
Spain.Martin Zubimendi made his first Spain start since November 2025 in Tuesday's 4-1 win over Croatia, going off with Spain 3-1 up after seventy-two minutes. Mikel Merino came off the bench and set up Nico Williams for the fourth. David Raya is the only Arsenal player in the Spain squad yet to play this break, with Unai Simon first choice.
Brazil.Gabriel Magalhaes and Bruno Guimaraes are on a tour of Australia. Bruno was taken off after sixty-two minutes of a 1-1 draw on Friday, then scored from close range in Tuesday's 4-2 win, set up by Endrick, with Gabriel starting. Asked why he left Newcastle United, Bruno said: I just want to win with Arsenal. I want to be champion.
Italy.Riccardo Calafiori was on the losing side as Belgium won 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico and the home crowd booed. They hurt, because at times I felt the passion of the crowd, he said. There is a lot of work to do, we've just started with a new coach.
Northern Ireland.Ceadach O'Neill won his first competitive cap in Friday's 1-0 win in Georgia.
The women away
Sarina Wiegman named her squad for the two-legged World Cup qualifying play-off against Greece on Tuesday. Leah Williamson, Georgia Stanway and Alessia Russo are in. Chloe Kelly, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Taylor Hinds are not. The main reason is that I think the levels weren't what I expect from them on the pitch, Wiegman said of the omissions. The first leg is in Crete on 9 October and the second at the King Power Stadium on 13 October.
Numbers of the Week
13
Assists for Martin Odegaard in his last thirteen internationals, two of them against Denmark this week.
114
Charges, out of 115, on which Manchester City were reported guilty. Arsenal are among four clubs reported to be planning a claim.
2
WSL goals for Arsenal Women in four games, after 18 shots and no goal at Chelsea.
4
Years on the contract Mikel Arteta has agreed, according to Fabrizio Romano. The club has yet to announce it.
In Brief
Dowman up for a cup award
Max Dowman was nominated for the EFL's Carabao Cup Player of the Round after his two goals at Ipswich Town. He was up against Ryan Christie, Jorgen Strand Larsen and Floyd Samba, with the result decided by a public vote.
Cuesta leaves Parma
Carlos Cuesta, once an assistant to Arteta, left Parma by mutual agreement on Sunday. He had taken them from sixteenth to thirteenth last season but had one win from five this term. Romano reported he is open to a new challenge.
Raya and the Yashin Trophy
David Raya is nominated for the Yashin Trophy after a third straight Premier League Golden Glove. He has never finished in the top three of the vote.
Martinelli scoring in Riyadh
Gabriel Martinelli has three goals in four games for Al Hilal since his club-record move, according to Daily Cannon. His agent says he dreams of one day returning to Corinthians.
Under-16s head to Miami
Arsenal's under-16s are one of sixteen teams in the second Messi Cup, from 25 October to 1 November.
A goalkeeping first
Charlie Phillips, an under-16, sat on the bench as third-choice keeper at Ipswich Town. Arseblog News says no Arsenal under-16 goalkeeper had done that before.
What to Watch
The seven days that followed, as they were scheduled at the time, with kick-offs converted to Pacific time. Arsenal's men were still on the international break. The women had two big away games.
Arsenal and internationals: 30 September to 6 October
Wednesday 30 September
Paris FC v Arsenal Women, Champions League matchday two, Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris. Disney+ in the UK.
5:45 p.m. in London. 9:45 a.m. Pacific.
Thursday 1 October
Nations League: Greece v Netherlands for Tzolis and Timber, Wales v Norway for Odegaard, Bosnia and Herzegovina v Sweden for Gyokeres.
Local evening kick-offs.
Friday 2 October
England under-19s v USA, friendly, for Dowman. France v Italy for Calafiori.
Under-19s at 3:00 p.m. in London. 7:00 a.m. Pacific.
Saturday 3 October
Croatia v England, Nations League, behind closed doors under a UEFA sanction. Saka, Eze, Konsa and Lewis-Skelly. Also Spain v Czechia, and India v Brazil for Gabriel and Bruno.
Croatia v England at 5:00 p.m. in London. 9:00 a.m. Pacific.
Sunday 4 October
Manchester City v Arsenal Women, WSL, Manchester Regional Arena. Also Portugal v Norway, the Odegaard and Silva rematch.
City v Arsenal at 4:30 p.m. in London. 8:30 a.m. Pacific.
Monday 5 October
Romania v Sweden for Gyokeres, and Italy v Turkey in Bologna for Calafiori. England under-19s v Belgium for Dowman.
Under-19s at 12:00 noon in London. 4:00 a.m. Pacific.
Tuesday 6 October
England v Czechia, Nations League, Wembley. Croatia v Spain for Raya, Zubimendi and Merino.
England v Czechia at 7:45 p.m. in London. 11:45 a.m. Pacific.
Standings snapshot: Premier League, after five matches
Team
GD
Pts
1. Manchester City
+8
15
2. Arsenal
+4
12
3. Brighton
+11
10
4. Brentford
+6
9
5. Leeds United
+4
9
6. Liverpool
+3
9
7. Everton
+3
9
8. Hull City
+2
8
No league games were played during the week, so the table stood as it did after 19 September. Via Fox Sports.
Beyond the week: the men return against Leeds United at the Emirates on Saturday 10 October, 12:30 in London, 4:30 a.m. Pacific, then host Lille in the Champions League on 13 October. England Women play Greece in Crete on 9 October and at Leicester on 13 October.
Kick-off times are converted from British Summer Time, which is eight hours ahead of Pacific Daylight Time. Where a confirmed time could not be found, only the date is given.
Sources and notes
The Athletic · BBC Sport · Sky Sports · Al Jazeera · Arseblog News · Daily Cannon · Vavel
This edition was written after the fact from reporting published during the week, and describes events as they stood on Tuesday 29 September. Every item above is attributed in the text. Transfer stories are labelled by certainty, from link through concrete interest and advanced talks to official. Anything that could not be stood up with a reliable source has been left out or marked unconfirmed, and where outlets report different fees the discrepancy is noted.
The Weekly Arsenal Digest. Catch-up edition for the week of 23 to 29 September 2026, compiled for the archive on Monday 26 October 2026. Companion edition to The Weekly Soccer Digest.