Hansi Flick has sanctioned Barcelona’s move (Picture: Getty)

Barcelona have work to do to convince Thomas Partey to join this summer despite beginning talks with representatives of the Arsenal midfielder.

Partey, 31, has entered the…

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal face a crucial summer transfer window (Picture: Getty)

Mikel Arteta has been warned Arsenal have already made their first transfer mistake of the summer.

The summer transfer window officially opened on June 1 to a…

Antonio Conte wants to strengthen following Napoli’s title win (Picture: Getty)

Antonio Conte has told Napoli to sign one of the most coveted players in Europe after committing his future to the club.

The former Chelsea manager has …

Mikel Arteta is set to lose out on one of his transfer targets (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal are set to lose the race to sign Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia after he agreed terms to sign for Barcelona, according to reports.

The Gunners had be…

Benjamin Sesko is on Arsenal’s shortlist ahead of the summer transfer window (DeFodi Images/Shutterstock)

Arsenal target Benjamin Sesko has been told by RB Leipzig that he can leave the club as soon as possible, according to reports….

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has approved the deal (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal have held ‘concrete talks’ with RB Leipzig and Benjamin Sesko over a summer transfer move to the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta is desperate to sign an e…

New Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso (Picture: Getty)

Real Madrid have been given fresh hope of beating Arsenal to a deal for Martin Zubimendi by Real Sociedad’s president.

Arsenal appeared to be closing in on a £51m move for the Spa…

Arsenal are already making progress in the transfer market (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal have made a transfer U-turn and are planning to work on a deal for Leroy Sane after making Martin Zubimendi their first summer signing.

Zubimendi was set …

Arsenal have held talks to sign Benjamin Sesko (NurPhoto/Shutterstock)

Arsenal will need to pay £92.5 million to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko this summer, according to reports.

Having ended the season without a trophy, Mikel Art…

Andrea Berta is overseeing Arsenal’s summer transfer business in conjunction withMikel Arteta (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal are close to making their first summer signing with Martin Zubimendi set to undergo a medical.

The Spain interna…

Arsenal and Chelsea are both in the market for a new striker (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal and Chelsea have been told signing a £64m star would ‘almost guarantee’ them the Premier League title.

The London rivals are both in the mar…

Chelsea loanee Raheem Sterling failed to make an impact at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

Raheem Sterling needs a ‘fresh challenge’ at another Premier League club after his struggles at Arsenal and Chelsea.

That is the opinion of ex…

Jorginho spent two-and-a-half years at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

Jorginho has released an emotional statement confirming his departure from Arsenal.

The Italian midfielder spent two-and-a-half years at Arsenal after joining the club in Jan…

Arsenal have put forward their offer to sign Viktor Gyokeres (Getty)

Arsenal directors held talks with Viktor Gyokeres’ agent in Lisbon and have put forward a €70 million (£58.7m) proposal to sign the Sporting CP striker, according t…

Arsenal have been hailed for producing the ‘two best young players in Europe’ by ex-England defender Stuart Pearce. 

Gunners fans have been left disappointed after Mikel Arteta’s side went a fifth successive season without a trophy. 

Arsenal failed to keep pace with Premier League champions Liverpool and were knocked out of the Champions League in the semi-finals by PSG. 

The Gunners also fell short in the domestic cup competitions, with Arsenal now facing a crucial summer to improve Arteta’s squad and end the club’s trophy drought. 

Despite the lack of silverware, Pearce says ‘very stable’ Arsenal are still on an ‘upward trend’ and only need a couple of shrewd signings to go to the ‘next level’. 

Pearce’s confidence in Arsenal stems partly from the fact he believes the Gunners have the ‘two best young players in Europe’ in Bukayo Saka and Myles Lewis-Skelly. 

Saka continues to have a huge impact for club and country while Lewis-Skelly, 18, is also rated as one of the best players in the Premier League after a breakout season at the Emirates Stadium. 

Asked whether Arsenal had ‘gone backwards’ since last year, Pearce said on the Seaman Says podcast with Betway: ‘I think it’s a little bit difficult this year when you compare to last year, because this year you’ve had three teams that have been relegated and hardly got any points, but you’ve had a mid-band of teams that have been even stronger. 

‘Fulham have been strong, Brentford have been strong, Forest have come strong again, Brighton and Crystal Palace too. So they’re getting points off the teams above them. 

‘You’ve got the likes of West Ham and Tottenham that can win any game on any given day, and Manchester United did that to Arsenal in the FA Cup. So you’ve got teams right at the bottom of the league, not in the relegation places, that can all pick points up. 

‘That probably is directly reflective of the lack of points Arsenal have picked up this year. I probably look at it from a coach or manager’s viewpoint and say, is there an upward trend at Arsenal? Are they a very stable club in what they’re trying to achieve? 

‘And the answer is yes. I think to myself that they’re permanently in the Champions League places, no doubt about that. 

‘They’ve probably been permanently one or two players away from really going to that next level. So I would stick with the manager. He’s a consistent manager who is growing and growing.’ 

On Arsenal’s failure to sign a top striker in recent years, Pearce added: ‘I’ve found this before, people think it’s easy to go out and buy a centre-forward that can get you 25 goals a year. 

‘It’s the hardest thing in the world to do. Then the trouble is the likes of Chris Wood turns up, all of a sudden gets 20 goals a season – “well why didn’t we sign Chris Wood then?” It’s just ridiculous, but that’s football. 

‘We talk about Arsenal bringing players in and recruitment, they’ve got the best two youngsters in European football in Saka and Lewis-Skelly that they bought through the academy system. So that’s a real plus for Arsenal as well.’

Arsenal beat Southampton 2-1 on the final day to clinch second place in the Premier League for the third year in a row.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Arsenal have been hailed for producing the ‘two best young players in Europe’ by ex-England defender Stuart Pearce. 

Gunners fans have been left disappointed after Mikel Arteta’s side went a fifth successive season without a trophy. 

Arsenal failed to keep pace with Premier League champions Liverpool and were knocked out of the Champions League in the semi-finals by PSG. 

The Gunners also fell short in the domestic cup competitions, with Arsenal now facing a crucial summer to improve Arteta’s squad and end the club’s trophy drought. 

Despite the lack of silverware, Pearce says ‘very stable’ Arsenal are still on an ‘upward trend’ and only need a couple of shrewd signings to go to the ‘next level’. 

Pearce’s confidence in Arsenal stems partly from the fact he believes the Gunners have the ‘two best young players in Europe’ in Bukayo Saka and Myles Lewis-Skelly. 

Saka continues to have a huge impact for club and country while Lewis-Skelly, 18, is also rated as one of the best players in the Premier League after a breakout season at the Emirates Stadium. 

Asked whether Arsenal had ‘gone backwards’ since last year, Pearce said on the Seaman Says podcast with Betway: ‘I think it’s a little bit difficult this year when you compare to last year, because this year you’ve had three teams that have been relegated and hardly got any points, but you’ve had a mid-band of teams that have been even stronger. 

‘Fulham have been strong, Brentford have been strong, Forest have come strong again, Brighton and Crystal Palace too. So they’re getting points off the teams above them. 

‘You’ve got the likes of West Ham and Tottenham that can win any game on any given day, and Manchester United did that to Arsenal in the FA Cup. So you’ve got teams right at the bottom of the league, not in the relegation places, that can all pick points up. 

‘That probably is directly reflective of the lack of points Arsenal have picked up this year. I probably look at it from a coach or manager’s viewpoint and say, is there an upward trend at Arsenal? Are they a very stable club in what they’re trying to achieve? 

‘And the answer is yes. I think to myself that they’re permanently in the Champions League places, no doubt about that. 

‘They’ve probably been permanently one or two players away from really going to that next level. So I would stick with the manager. He’s a consistent manager who is growing and growing.’ 

On Arsenal’s failure to sign a top striker in recent years, Pearce added: ‘I’ve found this before, people think it’s easy to go out and buy a centre-forward that can get you 25 goals a year. 

‘It’s the hardest thing in the world to do. Then the trouble is the likes of Chris Wood turns up, all of a sudden gets 20 goals a season – “well why didn’t we sign Chris Wood then?” It’s just ridiculous, but that’s football. 

‘We talk about Arsenal bringing players in and recruitment, they’ve got the best two youngsters in European football in Saka and Lewis-Skelly that they bought through the academy system. So that’s a real plus for Arsenal as well.’

Arsenal beat Southampton 2-1 on the final day to clinch second place in the Premier League for the third year in a row.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

New Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso (Picture: Getty)

New Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso intends to keep ‘spectacular’ Rodrygo at the club amid interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.

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Besiktas manager and Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Picture: Getty)

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Mikel Arteta will need to refresh Arsenal’s squad this summer (Picture; Getty)

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The…

Champions League football is already in the bag for the Gunners.

Rafael Leao is on Arsenal’s shortlist for the summer transfer window (Getty)

Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta has held talks with AC Milan winger Rafael Leao, according to reports.

Mikel Arteta is looking to reinforce …

Ian Wright says Arsenal’s Women’s Champions League victory has ‘saved the club’ (Getty)

Ian Wright believes Arsenal women’s side have saved the club from ’embarrassment’ after their Champions Leagu…

Champions League football is already in the bag for the Gunners.

‘I congratulate them.’

Arsenal have pulled out of the running to sign Leroy Sane from Bayern Munich (DeFodi Images/Shutterstock)

Arsenal have withdrawn from the race with Chelsea to sign Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane, according to reports in Germany.

The form…