AFTV News

Who are the sides in Arsenal's Europa League group?  By Jack Lacey-Hatton After coming so close to a UEFA Champions League return at the end of last season, Arsenal have had to settle for a spot in Europe’s secondary competition this time around. Thursday night football may often be the source of ridicule for rival fans, but in truth, the competition is not to be sniffed at. The Europa League not only offers Mikel Arteta a chance to lift some silverware for the second time in his fledgling managerial career. Crucially it presents a direct route to Europe’s elite with the winners guaranteed a berth in the 2022-23 Champions League. Arsenal’s road to a potential final in Budapest’s Puskas Arena starts on Thursday in Group A. Here is the lowdown on the other three sides.   PSV Eindhoven A stalwart in the heyday of European football, Dutch side PSV Eindhoven have serious continental pedigree. Unlike Arsenal, they have previously lifted the European Cup, winning the 1988 final on pe...

Who should Arsenal go after on Transfer Deadline Day By Jonny Bray The summer transfer window closes on 1st September at 11pm, but there is still plenty of time to get important business done. Arsenal have enjoyed their best start to a Premier League season since 2004/05, when the Gunners won their opening five games before drawing 2-2 with Sam Allardyce's iconic Bolton side at Highbury. However, there are no delusions of grandeur amongst the Arsenal faithful. This side is not ready to challenge Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the table. But they could be if Mikel Arteta, Edu and the Arsenal board play their cards right over the next 60 hours or so. Our starting XI is good enough, but the squad lacks depth in midfield, on the wing and up front. If Arsenal sign some top-quality cover over the coming days, then there is no telling what this team could achieve. With that in mind, here are the players Arsenal should go after on Transfer Deadline Day. Youri Tielemans After b...

Transfer Profile: Mykhaylo Mudryk By Jonny Bray Ukrainian youngster Mykhaylo Mudryk has been linked with a move to Arsenal all summer. The talented left winger has been heralded as ‘the Ukrainian Neymar’ and with good reason. Despite a club career that has been significantly impacted by events off the pitch, Mudryk has already made his full international debut, winning five caps since making his first appearance for Shakhtar Donetsk back in 2018. The 5ft 9 forward has a huge future ahead of him, and with several papers linking him with a transfer to The Emirates Stadium, it could be time for Gunners fans to get excited. But should Mikel Arteta sign Mudryk, and if he does what would the 21-year-old bring to the Spaniard’s squad?  With the end of the transfer window just around the corner, it’s time to take a closer look at this exciting wonderkid.  What would Mudryk bring to Arsenal? The latest in a long line of exciting forwards, Mudryk has everything he needs to be a success ...

What have we learnt from the first three episodes of All or Nothing By Matt Wright It’s finally dropped. We’ve known for a year that Arsenal were to be the latest subject of the glitzy All or Nothing series for Amazon Prime and now we’ve finally seen the results.   Depending on how much you enjoy their brand of behind-the-scenes (albeit the scenes their subject wants you to see) documentaries, you’ve either been anticipating or dreading the release.   Now the first three episodes are with us – the rest are being released on August 11 and 18 – here is what we have learnt so far…   The elephant in the room   OK, let’s address the sneak peak that went viral, particularly among opposition fans, this week: Mikel Arteta having speakers at the training ground playing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ in the build-up to Arsenal heading to Liverpool in an attempt to prepare his players for the (often overrated) Anfield atmosphere.   It’s certainly an unorthodox approach. It’s ...

What can Arsenal expect from Crystal Palace in the opening day of the season? By Jonny Bray The new Premier League season is just ten days away. Arsenal will get the season underway on Friday Night Football with a mouth-watering London derby against Crystal Palace. The Gunners will make the trip down south to Selhurst Park to take on the high-flying Eagles, who have been tipped to challenge for Europe after a stunning first season under Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira. But what can Mikel Arteta's side fans expect from Palace in the season's opening game? Ridiculous going forward The Crystal Palace attack has gotten even more potent over the summer. They already had one of the most exciting forward lines in the league, with young stars like Michael Olise and Odsonne Édouard adding to the experience of the talismanic Wilfried Zaha. Then, as last season progressed, Jean-Philippe Mateta found his feet in English football. The Frenchman scored five goals and recorded one assist after ...

Where will Oleksandr Zinchenko play? By Alec McQuarrie Arsenal have signed another left-back.  Or should that be central midfielder? Or maybe attacking midfielder? Or even winger?  What’s certain is that Mikel Arteta has signed versatile Ukrainian international Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City for £32 million.  The rest is ripe for interpretation and there may not even be a definitive answer to the conundrum of where Zinchenko will line-up for Arsenal next season.  Pep Guardiola offered up a hint in April when he said: “In the position that we have in the midfield, in the pockets as the attacking midfielder. That is his position definitely.  “When we bought Oleks for £2 million from Ukraine, he was a No 10, a Phil Foden position, a creative player. But the needs we had… We didn’t have a left-back for many years.”  Zinchenko's versatility  The 25-year-old has played in a number of positions for his country including left midfield, wing-back...

What are Arsenal’s pre-season plans? By Tum Balogun  With the unusual timing of this year’s World Cup in Qatar, the first half of this season’s footballing calendar is about as condensed as humanly possible.  Many Premier League clubs, including the Gunners, will be returning to pre-season training as early as next week ahead of a busy Premier League campaign which begins 5th August.  Mikel Arteta’s men will be looking to integrate the summer recruits into the team’s system and get some crucial running into their legs for the intense year ahead.  Where are they going?  Arsenal will be participating in two foreign camps before a final pre-season fixture back home at The Emirates.  The first, shorter, trip takes them to Germany ahead of a US tour which is split between Baltimore, Maryland and Orlando, Florida.  The Gunners could yet add more fixtures to the light schedule to guarantee sharpness at the start of the campaign.  Who are they playing?...

Transfer Profile: Lisandro Martínez  By Jonny Bray Ajax and the Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez has been linked with a move to the Premier League all summer.  He has been a key player for the Eredivisie champions for several seasons now. Arsenal and Manchester United are both reportedly after the centre-back, with Erik ten Hag seemingly looking to recruit as many of his Ajax stars as possible.  The Daily Mail is reporting that Martínez has already been the subject of a £25-million bid from the Gunners.  But with United now in for him, the Argentine's value is bound to increase.  So, should Arsenal sign Martínez?  And if they do, what type of player will they be getting? What would Lisandro Martínez bring to Arsenal?  Martínez made 24 appearances in the league last year for Ajax and also gained valuable experience in Europe, playing a further eight games.  He was particularly impressive in the Champions League group stages last year, showing h...

Transfer profile: Gleison Bremer By Jonny Bray Gleison Bremer was one of Serie A's most exciting players last season, with the 25-year-old defender making a big impact at Torino. The Brazilian centre back's star-making displays have put him on the radar of many of Europe's top clubs, with Arsenal being one of many sides keen to secure his signature. The Gunners will face some serious competition for Bremer, though, with Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea also reportedly interested in the defender. Bremer told ESPN: "It's just a matter of time and then I'm gonna leave Torino. I'm considering some proposals. We'll see." But would he be the right fit at The Emirates? And would he even be guaranteed a spot in the team after the huge strides forward the Arsenal defence made last season? What will he offer Arsenal? If Arsenal sign the Brazilian, then he could fill a hole in the heart of the Arsenal defence for the next decade. Bremer is now a fully establishe...

Who do Arsenal need to sell this summer? By Jonny Bray  While some players made a significant impact at Arsenal last season, others let the club down big time during the run-in. The 2022/23 campaign will be a decisive one for Mikel Arteta, with the Spaniard on thin ice after failing to qualify for the Champions League last term. The summer transfer window will be crucial to his chances of keeping his job and to Arsenal's chances of playing in Europe's elite competition anytime soon. And with that in mind, it is time to take a look at the players Arsenal need to sell this summer. Bernd Leno Aaron Ramsdale has come out of nowhere and made a lot of pundits look incredibly silly. Few expected him to impress as he did last season and now that he has established himself as the club's first choice, there is little use left for Germany's Bernd Leno. That may not be such a bad thing. He's an excellent second choice to have but Gunners fans know he lacks commitment to the cau...

How would Serge Gnabry fit in the Arsenal attack? By Jack Lacey-Hatton They say never go back. Yet transfer rumours are gathering pace that Serge Gnabry could make a surprise return to the Emirates this summer, having first left the club back in 2016. Gnabry broke through into the first team with some impressive performances during 2013-14, but after two injury-hit seasons followed, which included a disastrous loan spell at West Brom, he decided to move on. Since then the Stuttgart-born winger has returned to his native Germany, first with Werder Bremen before going on to have four trophy-laden years with Bayern Munich. However, despite playing a key role in the Bavarians' recent success, Gnabry is out of contract in 2023 and it is thought the German superclub are keen to cash in rather than let him leave on a free. It certainly feels like the 26-year-old has unfinished business in North London, but how would he fit into Arsenal's forward line?   Current attacking set-up   Man...

Season Review: End of Season Awards By Jack Lacey-Hatton With the Champions League final and Championship play-off final rounding off the European club season this weekend, it won’t be long before attentions turn to 2022-23. Some supporters will see the last twelve months as a positive step forward for Arsenal and manager  Mikel Arteta, while others will be keen to move on after a missing out on the top four right at the end of the season, to fiercest rivals Tottenham. But before we start assessing summer transfer rumours and counting down the days till the next fixtures are revealed, 18 by the way, first we need to handout the Arsenal FanTV unofficial end of season awards. Ahead of the club's official Player of the Season award to be announced next week, here are our own picks after a rollercoaster season at the Emirates.   Player of the Season Bukayo Saka Sometimes you have to remind yourself where Arsenal would be without Bukayo Saka. The 20-year-old has once again ...