How much prize money have Arsenal earned in Champions League?published at 07:55 BST 29 May
07:55 BST 29 May
Image source, Getty Images
Arsenal will have pocketed at least £95m in prize money from this season's Champions League, should they beat Paris St-Germain in the final.
The Gunners have already guaranteed themselves a minimum of about £91.5m for reaching the final, although that may be nearer £130m depending on how much they have earned from Uefa in the form of television revenue.
Winning the final itself is worth an additional 6.5m euros (£5.63m).
Arsenal received 18.62m euros (£16.14m) for qualifying for the league phase. For winning all eight league phase matches, they were given a 16.8m euros (£14.6m) bonus. They were then awarded 2m euros (£1.7m) for a finish between first and eighth place and a further 9.9m euros (£8.6m) for being the top-ranked team.
For reaching the last 16, Mikel Arteta's side were awarded 11m euros (£9.5m). They were given an additional 12.5m euros (£10.8m) for reaching the quarter-finals and a further 15m euros (£13m) for the semi-finals.
As finalists, Arsenal have already guaranteed themselves 18.5m euros (£16m) – a number which will increase to 25m euros (£21.7m) should they beat PSG.
The evolution of 'sleeping giant' Arsenalpublished at 18:36 BST 28 May
18:36 BST 28 May
Alex Howell Arsenal reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Arsenal co-chair Josh Kroenke says behind-closed-doors football during the Covid-19 pandemic allowed manager Mikel Arteta "space" to help revive the "sleeping giant".
The Kroenke Sports and Entertainment (KSE) group took full control of Arsenal in 2018 but it has not always been easy, with fan protests targeted at how the club was being run taking place during their tenure.
The Kroenkes hired Arteta in 2019, giving the former Arsenal player his first senior managerial role, after a period of uncertainty at the club.
It took time for that vision to take hold with two eighth-placed finishes, despite a 2020 FA Cup win, leading to some questioning whether Arteta was the right man for the job.
But the Spaniard has transformed the club after six-and-a-half years in charge and has led the Gunners to their first Premier League title in 22 years.
"I knew we were a sleeping giant that we needed to awaken in some way," Kroenke said. "We haven't had a team or a squad like this in the social media age.
"Social media evolved, the Twittersphere, the instantaneous information, the 'Banter Era' and everything else around it - I'm aware of all of this. I turned 46 [years old] last week. I've grown up around this and I've seen it all from my own perspective.
"I think that is what I'm so proud to see. There was almost a time when you were a closeted Arsenal fan."
But this success does not mean the end of the journey for Kroenke and his vision for the club, with the Gunners playing Paris St-Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday.
"I can think back and say that our stated goal was winning the Premier League because if you can put yourself in contention for the Premier League, you are in contention for everything else," Kroenke added.
"Should we get a great result on Saturday, it isn't going to change or affect who we are. When you win something, the sun is still going to come up the next day.
"You have to get back to work. There are many teams trying to gain on you, including some historically great ones around the Premier League.
"So we are going to look to strengthen because we know that teams around us are going to get better. If you aren't trying to continually evolve and improve, you are standing still."
Arsenal need 'to get angry again' to secure first Champions Leaguepublished at 17:02 BST 28 May
17:02 BST 28 May
Image source, Getty Images
A Champions League triumph would eclipse anything achieved by Arsenal before, says former Gunners defender Martin Keown.
Keown - who was a member of Arsene Wenger's 'Invincibles' in 2002 when Arsenal won the Premier League without losing a game - believes getting Europe's most coveted trophy back to Emirates Stadium will "cement" Mikel Arteta's side in the club's folklore.
"They'll be the first ever winners of the Champions League so, for me, they're the 'Number Ones', not the 'Unforgettables' or the 'Invincibles', they're the 'Number Ones'," said Keown. "And it puts them there because no-one else has won it.
"Arsenal have been disappointing in Europe. There was a Cup Winners' Cup competition that fell through our hands in 1995. The Uefa Cup in 2000 as well, with Galatasaray beating us on penalties, so the club needs to do something major in Europe.
"Arsenal haven't lost a game yet in this season's Champions League. They must be really proud of that. It can quickly be taken away, by the way, but winning would really cement them in folklore at Arsenal and that is a massive incentive for the players."
The 59-year-old won 10 major trophies in north London and says Arteta's men need "to get angry again" if they want to do the double and see off Paris St-Germain on Saturday.
"I hope there's enough gap between the celebrations to turn them into a different animal. You've got to get angry again, get angry to win. But I'm pretty certain they're going through that now," added Keown.
"The training sessions would have been stepped up. And you get out of that celebration mode and into another. That steely determination comes back.
"Maybe the history of the club doesn't frighten this group. The sky is the limit for them. And I just hope that they can use this as extra energy. It should give them the wings to go and do something really very special."
Bowen? Wan-Bissaka? - fans on who Arsenal could sign from relegated sidespublished at 15:10 BST 28 May
15:10 BST 28 May
We asked for your views on whether Arsenal should sign any players from the relegated Premier League sides, Wolves, Burnley and West Ham United
Here are some of your comments:
Paul: Jarrod Bowen would look good in the red and white!
Peter: Aaron Wan-Bissaka would be my choice as backup to Jurrien Timber. I think Ben White is too injury-prone and maybe needs to move on.
Lachlan: I think the only person Arsenal should focus on from relegated clubs is Matheus Fernandes. We need him, Julian Alvaraz and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to have a successful window!
Matthew: I think Arsenal should sign Jarrod Bowen. He is a tireless performer, a proven goalscorer with untapped potential.
Phil: Naturally, people will be drawn to Matheus Fernandes, Crysencio Summerville and Bowen. I personally think Summerville and Mateus Mane would be the players to go for for Arsenal. Further back-up to our left and right wings is always a good idea. Fernandes as a Declan Rice backup would be good too, but I think the guy from Porto - Victor Froholdt - is a better bet there.
Laurence: We should sign no-one from the relegated teams, we should be aiming for elite-level players only.
David: Apart from Bowen from West Ham, nobody stands out
Vince: West Ham's Jarrod Bowen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Despite an above-average strength in depth, there were still moments this season when a surfeit of injuries threatened to derail things. And with some players set to be moved on this summer, Bowen will inject fresh impetus upfront with Wan-Bissaka providing good competition and cover in defence. Both are proven top-flight quality and team players, and importantly, will hardly break the bank.
Emil: I think we should sign Summerville from West Ham. I think he is a very talented young player.
Claudio: I think Fernandes and Joao Gomes are top. However, as an Arsenal fan, I would also ask the question: should we be only signing players who can improve this XI? If that's the case, we don't sign either, but Fernandes looks very good and he's younger too. If we can get him for good value, I'd go for it. If I was other clubs though - Fernandes, Gomes, Summervile, Mane, Bowen, Diouf...
Sterls: Bowen and wonderkid Mane from Wolves would be the only two options I would be interested in.
Where do Arsenal rank in alternative Premier League tables?published at 11:25 BST 28 May
11:25 BST 28 May
Daniel Austin BBC Sport senior journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Arsenal might have ended their 22-year wait to the win the title, but is there any metric by which the Gunners wouldn't have been champions?
Very few people would suggest Arsenal were not worthy champions, so is there some insight for us to gain by assessing the performances of all 20 teams in alternative ways?
Just for fun, BBC Sport and Opta have crunched all the numbers to find out - and the Gunners are still looking good!
Now, I already know exactly what you're thinking - "It's real points that count, not expected ones!"
And yes, you're right, points win prizes and that's why the real league table is the only one that matters.
But expected points (xPTS) are useful for football analysts because they can serve as a decent indicator of whether a team over or under-performed across the course of a season.
In another classic of the alternative league table genre, home table and away table, the Gunners also lead the way in both showing their consistency across the campaign. The top four remains the same in both tables.
It will come as no surprise that Arsenal were among the best performers from set-pieces, something that became one of the main talking points of the season.
Will top-flight clubs spend the summer transfer window trying to master the set-piece meta by buying new free-kick takers and a gaggle of giants for them to lash the ball at? Or will a less industrial way of scoring goals re-emerge instead?
However, one alternative table not led by Arsenal is long shots. For goals from outside the box, the Gunners finish third - behind Bournemouth and Aston Villa.
Havertz cares little for underdogs tagpublished at 08:04 BST 28 May
08:04 BST 28 May
Image source, Getty Images
As Arsenal prepare to take on Paris St-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest, Kai Havertz says their tag as underdogs "doesn't matter".
The Gunners go into their meeting with the French champions buoyed by their own title win but given PSG are defending the Champions League crown, they carry the tag of being favourites.
Havertz has already lifted the Champions League, socring the only goal as Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 in Porto to claim their second-ever Champions League title in 2021.
Now, Havertz is hoping to "get that feeling again" when Mikel Arteta's side take to the Puskas Arena on Saturday (17:00 BST).
"For me, there are obviously positive emotions," Havertz said. "I cannot wait to play in that game and bring the trophy home to north London.
"We have a lot of players that have played in big games like this before. Obviously, Kepa [Arrizabalaga] and I played in that final [with Chelsea] and we won it. I can only give the team good memories of myself, so maybe that will help.
"I just cannot wait to be in Budapest and to play in that game.
"Personally, it [the first Champions League title] is something I will never forget. We were the underdogs on that day, for sure. We hadn't had the best season, but obviously it is completely different now [with Arsenal].
"As a kid, I could've never dreamed I would score a goal in a Champions League final and win that game. It is a moment I will never forget, I will always be proud of it.
"I will just try to take that feeling into Saturday and, hopefully, I will get that feeling again."
On whether he believes Arsenal are the "underdogs" against Paris St-Germain, he said: "They won it last year, so they were probably the best team in Europe. They've had an unbelievable season yet again.
"For us, it is the second time this club has made it to the [Champions League] final. We have so much confidence because we have been fighting at the highest level for a couple of years now, and we have finally won the Premier League. I think that gives us a big boost.
"It doesn't matter if you're the underdog or whatever [in these situations]. We are just going to go on the pitch and we are going on it to beat them. We will go for it."
'Let's get comfortable at the top... 10/10' - season report cardpublished at 09:03 BST 27 May
09:03 BST 27 May
Scarlet Katz Roberts Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Season score out of 10 and overriding emotion?
10/10. But the overriding emotion has been anxiety (only recently subsided).
Best moment and why?
"After review, West Ham number 19..." - just joking, that was horrible! Honourable mentions must go to Gabriel's late winner at St James' Park, Eberechi Eze's hat-trick against Spurs. But the dizziest high was watching Max Dowman accelerate away from the Everton defence. That game was horrendously nervy. To turn defending your own goal with a narrow lead in the last minute of stoppage time into a sure goal over that distance is pure football magic.
Player of season and why?
Outstanding performers this season have been: Declan Rice, William Saliba, Gabriel and David Raya. But the player of the season simply has to be Rice. His quality, determination and sheer force of will make him an undeniable champion.
Unsung hero and why?
Myles Lewis-Skelly has had a strange campaign. After such a rapid rise in 2024-25, there was always the risk of second-season syndrome. For a time, I thought perhaps he would move on this summer. But to step in at such a high-pressure moment in the season and reassert himself as a fan favourite by playing some exceptional football in midfield is a testament to his ability, and also his strength of character.
Biggest disappointment?
It's hard to be disappointed when you finish the season as champions. The biggest drain on my well of positivity this year has been the exhausting stream of injuries to significant players. It almost threatened to derail the entire season in April. We just about kept going, but we have to find a better way of keeping our best players fit.
What needs to change this summer?
The negativity about Arsenal because I'm sick to death of hearing that we are bad champions, a bad football team or somehow bad for football. It's simply not true, and it's sour grapes - it has to stop.
Major hope for next season?
Let's do this more. Winning feels good. The pressure's off, so let's get comfortable at the top.
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Madueke says pressure still on despite Premier League title winpublished at 22:30 BST 26 May
22:30 BST 26 May
Alex Howell Arsenal reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Winger Noni Madueke says that winning the Premier League title will not affect how he and his Arsenal team-mates prepare for the Champions League final.
The Gunners take on Paris-St Germain in Budapest on Saturday as they try to win Europe's elite club competition for the first time.
However, Madueke does not accept that the "pressure is off" after winning the first league title in 22 years.
"No. It's separate. The pressure of the Champions League is there," said the 24-year-old.
"This is Arsenal Football Club. One of the biggest teams in England. Pressure is always with us.
"The Champions League is, of course, the big one. So we're looking forward to it."
Manager Mikel Arteta has said his squad can now take confidence when attempting to win more trophies after getting over the line following so many near misses.
"It is definitely better that we won the Premier League before we go into the Champions League final," Madueke added.
"I just don't know if we will be thinking about that. We will be thinking about getting another one. I think the Premier League will be irrelevant on that night.
"It will be full focus on the Champions League, just giving our all and trying to make sure we bring that to the final as well."
It would be a historic double if Arsenal are able to overcome the side that knocked them out of the competition last season at the semi-final stage.
And the thought of making history is something that motivates Madueke.
"The Premier League is massive, but the Champions League is so big," he said. "To be able to do that for the first time in the history of the club would be amazing.
"And then to celebrate it with all the Arsenal fans would be the cherry on top."
The apprentice becomes the masterpublished at 16:58 BST 26 May
16:58 BST 26 May
Pat Nevin Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty Images
Not for the first time, the biggest story in the Premier League is hard to nail down this week. Surely it was Arsenal winning the title and finally becoming champions. Most neutrals felt a little cheated that the title was won while their players were having a day off.
We expected and hoped for some final-day drama but Manchester City lost to Bournemouth during the week and the champagne was scarcely chilled before it had to be popped. After all that toil, there will be no chance to celebrate after a game at the Emirates this season.
I suspect the fans don't care a jot. The celebrations will last long into what could be a long, hot north London summer, especially if they triumph in the Champions League final. There are a multitude of reasons why Arsenal triumphed, top among them is that they are simply the best team, or more accurately, they have the best squad.
For everyone who cares for the club, that delayed gratification of 22 years just made the gift all that sweeter, no matter where you celebrated it. As one Arsenal fan said to me, the only thing that could have made the final day even better, would have been watching Spurs get relegated.
So, what next? Will it be the start of an all-conquering Arsenal dynasty over the next few years. With City, Manchester United and Liverpool each in transition, there is a chance, maybe the best chance for a generation at least.
If they were to retain their title next season, I would argue it would be even more significant than this one – after all, the league is looking for a new Pep and his apprentice Mikel Arteta could be the one.
The rest of my column has a new home – on the BBC Sport website.
How many Arsenal players made Opta's team of the season?published at 15:20 BST 26 May
15:20 BST 26 May
Opta have conjured up their Premier League team of the season based on data collected throughout the 2025-26 campaign.
Four Arsenal players have been selected in the XI following their title-winning endeavours, as Mikel Arteta's side lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time in 22 years.
David Raya (goalkeeper): Raya ended the season with four clean sheets in Arsenal's last five matches, including a season-defining save against West Ham, as the Gunners closed in on their first title since 2004.
Overall, Raya amassed 19 clean sheets in the Premier League this season - four more than any other goalkeeper. It is the joint most by an Arsenal goalkeeper in a single season, with David Seaman keeping 19 clean sheets in both 1993-94 and 1998-99.
Raya also joined a select group of Spanish goalkeepers with a Premier League winners' medal - only David de Gea in 2012-13 with Manchester United and Adrian in 2019-20 with Liverpool had picked one up previously.
Gabriel (defender): One of the odder statistics of 2025-26 is that central defender Gabriel Magalhaes ended the season with more Premier League goals and assists combined than the likes of Jorgen Strand Larsen (5) and Bernardo Silva (6), and as many as Bournemouth striker Evanilson (7).
Of his seven goal involvements (3 goals, 4 assists), six unsurprisingly came via set-pieces. The Brazilian caused chaos in opposition boxes, helping the Gunners to score a record 19 corner goals this season.
It is, of course, at the other end where Gabriel really stands out though. He ended the season with 17 clean sheets - more than any other defender - despite being absent from eight starting XIs in 2025-26.
Arsenal conceded just 20 goals in 2,751 minutes with him on the pitch, an average of one every 138 minutes. This is the best record by an Arsenal defender who has played more than 2,000 minutes since 2003-04, when Sol Campbell went 140 minutes between goals going in with him on the pitch.
William Saliba (defender): Alongside Gabriel, who else but Saliba? The pair are forging a legendary Premier League central defensive partnership, losing just 15 of the 117 games they have played together for Arsenal.
On average, since 2022-23, the Gunners have conceded a goal every 44 minutes more frequently when they haven't been playing together.
Only Gabriel kept more clean sheets (17) than Saliba (15) during the 2025-26 Premier League season, with Arsenal conceding a goal every 131 minutes with Saliba on the pitch. The second-best of any defender this season behind... well, you guessed it, Gabriel.
On the ball, Saliba was accomplished. He completed 92.9% of his passes, the third-best of any player to attempt 2,000 or more. He completed 67 passes per 90 minutes and, on record since 2003-04, the only Arsenal defender with more in a season is Saliba in 2023-24 (69) and 2024-25 (71).
Declan Rice (midfielder): It was another impressive season from the Arsenal midfielder, whose consistency has seen him play at least 30 Premier League matches in each of the past eight seasons. This season, he played 36 times for the Premier League champions.
Arsenal are the set-piece kings of the Premier League, and Rice's deliveries are a huge part of that. He posted the highest expected assists from set-play total (3.3), with only Bruno Fernandes and Pedro Porro playing more passes into the penalty area.
This season also saw Rice record personal bests for chances created (63), set-play chances created (27) and big chances created (17).
His ball-carrying abilities also saw him lead the way for ball-carry distance (7,460m) and carry progress up the pitch (3,660m) among central midfielders, while he was the only central midfielder to carry the ball more than 100 times into the opposition half.
Image source, Getty Images
