Arsenal preview: Key questions heading into 2026-27 Premier League season

Does Guimaraes complete the midfield? Can Arsenal finally win the Champions League? And who is set for a breakout season?Arsenal begin their first Premier League title defence in 22 years on Friday with a home game against newly promoted Coventry.The Gunners, who lost in the Champions League final on penalties last season, are also hoping this is the season they can finally be crowned champions of Europe.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Barcelona reaches deal with Man City to sign Spain skipper Rodrilist 2 of 3La Liga: The key talking points for Real Madrid before the 2026-27 seasonlist 3 of 3WAFCON: Cameroon beat tournament debutants Malawi to win maiden titleend of listSo the English champions face plenty of key talking points before the season – here are the five key ones.Can Arsenal successfully defend title for the first time in 90 years?With major rivals City and Liverpool rebuilding under Enzo Maresca and Andoni Iraola respectively, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s methods are tested and trusted after ⁠nearly seven years at the helm.His well-established side will be confident they can defy history and win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1935.They have also strengthened their squad with a few key signings – not least bringing in Bruno Guimaraes to bolster the midfield and replacing the outgoing Leandro Trossard with a likely upgrade in Greek winger Christos Tzolis.But centre-back William Saliba’s long-term back injury will be a big blow for a side that won the league while conceding just 27 goals.And the Gunners’ reliance on set-pieces may face more scrutiny from referees this season after some rule changes and some contentious flashpoints last season.“Now, we have to show that we belong to this level and we want to increase and take this football club to a different dimension,” Arteta said.His side were certainly impressive in their first competitive game of the season, sending a clear message of intent to their rivals as they cruised to a 3-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday.Arteta reacts during a preseason friendly against Como 1907 [AFP]Can Arsenal finally win the Champions League?Arsenal are the club with the most European Cup/Champions League appearances in history without ever lifting the trophy – 226 games and counting – and last season’s final loss to PSG on penalties in Budapest will sting for a long time.