Antony and De Bruyne to Arsenal? Six Premier League rejects Mikel Arteta should consider signing

These six players could all be on the move this summer – three are basically confirmed departures, and Kevin De Bruyne is certain to leave Man City. We reckon Arsenal should be taking a serious look…

Antony (Manchester United)
What would have seemed a completely insane suggestion a few months ago is now something several big clubs might seriously consider. On loan from Manchester United to Real Betis, Antony has been on fire, helping the La Liga side reach the Europa Conference League final, where they will face Chelsea on May 28.

But in the Premier League, Antony has been one of the worst signings ever. Only Alexis Sanchez’s miserable swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan ranks lower among Manchester United transfers in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. And when it comes to £70million-plus Premier League signings, he’s second-last again in a diabolical list of flops.

Yet there’s a chance the spinning Brazilian could still come good in England – not for United, but perhaps for someone else.

The Red Devils played a blinder by sending Antony on loan to Spain in January. Before his resurgence at Betis, it was widely accepted that £15million would be a generous fee for someone who cost £65m more. Now there’s genuine hope United could recoup closer to £40m – still a colossal loss, but decent damage limitation.

No one expects Mikel Arteta or Andrea Berta to spend too long pondering a move for Antony – and this isn’t a prediction that they will – but he’s shown he can thrive in the right environment, under the right management, and surrounded by competent footballers. Arsenal can offer all three, and if he’s willing to put the defensive work in, he could be a very handy back-up to Bukayo Saka.

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Martin Odegaard has been a little off the boil this season, and who better to ease the creative burden than a man who’s spent the last decade tormenting Arsenal?

Obviously, wage demands and his injury record are two pretty major stumbling blocks when it comes to signing a player who’s clearly on the decline, but it’s Kevin De Bruyne, lads. He knows full well that the £400,000-a-week wages he earns at Manchester City aren’t going to be matched anywhere outside Saudi Arabia, and while MLS clubs might stretch to $300,000 per week, remaining at the top level still seems to be the Belgian’s main priority.

With that in mind, Arsenal could be an ideal landing spot. We know all about his leadership, experience and winning mentality, but the fact is that KDB can still contribute. He still massively improves a Gunners squad that’s crying out for an X-factor signing – someone who could finally get them over the line in the Premier League or Champions League.

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Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Had Arsenal not made the pointless and panicky signing of Raheem Sterling, they might have thrown their hat in the ring for Marcus Rashford in the winter transfer window. He would have been exactly what Mikel Arteta was crying out for – and as someone who’s played plenty of football through the middle, he would have been a natural replacement for the injured Kai Havertz.

Instead, Arteta was forced to chuck Mikel Merino up front, ignoring Gabriel Martinelli’s potential in that role. And with Bukayo Saka sidelined until March, there’s been a real lack of bite in the forward areas this year.

Rashford – growing in confidence by the week at Villa Park before suffering a season-ending injury – has swiftly returned to something close to his terrifying best under Unai Emery, freed from the Old Trafford shackles just like Antony. He still has so much to offer, but once again, it comes down to wage demands and whatever fantasy figure United slap on him.

At 27, there are legitimate questions over the logistics of any move – particularly given his wild inconsistency over the last few seasons – but honestly, you have to take the form of any Manchester United player with a hefty pinch of salt. As we’ve seen with Antony and Rashford this year, and Jadon Sancho in 2024, that club is bloody cursed.

Rashford still has the potential to be a world-class forward. He just needs to get this summer move right, and Arsenal could be the perfect fit.

Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea)
Nkunku scored a frankly ridiculous 58 goals and provided 29 assists in his final two seasons at Leipzig, earning a move to Chelsea.

The Blues struck a deal to sign him before their spiral into chaos truly began. Had the Frenchman waited just a few more months, he might’ve ended up elsewhere – and kept hold of both his form and his reputation as an elite goalscorer.

But he didn’t. And he hasn’t.

Anyone who watched him tear it up in the Bundesliga knows there’s a top-class attacker in there somewhere, but signing Nkunku now carries an obvious degree of risk. Still, Arsenal do love a Chelsea cast-off – and at 27, Nkunku is a fair bit younger than most of the Stamford Bridge alumni they’ve taken on in recent years.

📢 TO THE COMMENTS! Should Arsenal sign any of these six Premier League rejects? Have your say Below The Line…

Evan Ferguson (Brighton)
Ferguson’s stock has fallen off a cliff, but under the right manager he could still realise his potential. If Arsenal do come calling, it’s likely to be either as a second striker signing or as their tenth-choice option – after being turned down by Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko, Jonathan David and half a dozen others.

A loan spell at West Ham hasn’t had the desired effect, and Ferguson will return to Brighton for pre-season with a point to prove. Fabian Hurzeler appears content with Danny Welbeck leading the line and, while Welbeck remains a valuable player, he’s someone the young Irishman should be looking to usurp.

A summer exit does feel somewhat inevitable. Arsenal will certainly keep an eye on things, and bringing him in alongside a marquee striker signing would be a statement of intent.

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Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
Not quite a reject or an outcast, but certainly a player United would happily sell for some sweet, sweet pure profit.

Arsenal need midfield reinforcements this summer, with Jorginho set to leave on a free. Martin Zubimendi is arriving from Real Sociedad for around £51million, and if Thomas Partey follows Jorginho out the door, another midfielder will be required.

Kobbie Mainoo would command a hefty fee, but he’s one of the most promising young midfielders in Europe and would add much-needed dynamism and technical quality to an Arsenal midfield currently lacking both. Capable of playing as a No.6, 8 or 10, he fits the profile perfectly.

United might baulk at the idea of selling to what they’d audaciously consider a ‘direct rival’, but if the right offer lands on the table, they’ll surely be tempted. PSR has been a real thorn in the Red Devils’ side, and the sale of an academy graduate would be a financial godsend.

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