Arsenal 2026/27 Premier League preview: Can they retain the title?

Arsenal will head into the 2026/27 season aiming to join a select group of clubs that have won back-to-back titles in the Premier League.

Only Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City have previously achieved the feat, highlighting that it is rarely easy to defend the crown.

With that in mind, read on as we look at the 2026/27 Premier League season from an Arsenal perspective and assess whether they can get the job done.

Arsenal Premier League fixtures 2026/27

Arsenal summer transfers 2026

IN: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle United, £75m), Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen, £34.5m), Christos Tzolis (Club Brugge, £34m), Reiss Nelson (Brentford, end of loan), Illan Meslier (Leeds United, free), Elijah Upson (Tottenham Hotspur, free).

OUT: Jakub Kiwior (Porto, £19m), Leandro Trossard (Besiktas, £15.3m), Christian Norgaard (Everton, £7m), Karl Hein (Werder Bremen, £2.6m), Josh Nichols (released), Alexei Rojas-Fedorushchenko (released), Samuel Onyekachukwu (released), Will Lannin-Sweet (released), Cam’ron Ismail (released), Seb Ferdinand (released), Harrison Dudziak (released), Sam Chapman (released).

(Information correct on August 14).

Arsenal Premier League season 2026/27 preview

Arsenal deserved to end their 22-year wait to win the Premier League title last season, although they were helped in no small part by their main rivals underperforming.

Serial winners Manchester City lacked the swagger they had shown in previous seasons, while Liverpool made a truly laughable attempt to defend the trophy.

Manchester United improved after Michael Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim as manager, but they were never in a position to mount a title challenge.

Chelsea briefly looked like they could force their way into contention before dropping off a cliff, while Tottenham Hotspur were nearly relegated.

That quintet of clubs has each changed their managers since the turn of the year, creating a landscape of uncertainty amongst the big guns.

By contrast, the Gunners have stability with Mikel Arteta steering the ship. The challenge now is to build on the foundations he has established over the past few years.

Arsenal have splashed the cash to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United this summer. He will take some of the weight off Declan Rice in midfield.

Christos Tzolis should prove to be a shrewd acquisition from Club Brugge, but the Gunners still need to complete more business before the transfer window closes.

Arsenal desperately need to sign defensive cover for William Saliba. He has been ruled out for several months after aggravating a back injury at the World Cup.

The Gunners’ 3-2 Emirates Cup defeat against Borussia Dortmund last weekend highlighted their defensive flaws without the Frenchman in the line-up.

There are also concerns over Jurrien Timber, who is still some way off returning to competitive action due to a long-standing groin injury.

Arsenal have had a bid for Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa rejected, but are expected to make a revised offer. His versatility could help the Gunners navigate some tricky early fixtures.

The Gunners are also trying to balance the books with Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Reiss Nelson all available for a move this summer.

If Arsenal can complete some productive business before the transfer window closes, they would be worthy favourites to retain the title.

However, history has shown that defending the trophy is generally easier said than done, and the Gunners may ultimately fall short this season.

With all of their rivals significantly strengthening their squads this summer, Arsenal will find it extremely difficult to claim back-to-back titles.

Read more: Premier League 2026/27 season preview.