Arsenal have made a £9.3 million offer to sign Brentford skipper Christian Nørgaard as part of their midfield rebuild ahead of the 2025–26 season, according to The Times.
Despite being close to finalising a £55m deal for Real Sociedad’s Martín Zubimendi, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wants additional depth and experience. With Jorginho already at Flamengo and Thomas Partey set to leave as a free agent at the end of June, Nørgaard has been identified as a reliable option.
The 31-year-old Denmark international, who has two years remaining on the contract he extended in March, played 35 games and scored six goals for Brentford last season. He was among the Premier League’s best for ball recoveries and remains key to Brentford’s structure. The West London club have not accepted Arsenal’s bid and are expected to demand a higher fee.
Arsenal have offered Brentford £9.3million for Christian Norgaard as Mikel Arteta looks for extra cover in central midfield
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— Times Sport (@TimesSport) June 25, 2025
Nørgaard joined Brentford in 2019 from Fiorentina for £2.8m, reuniting with former Brøndby coach Thomas Frank. With Frank now at Tottenham, Brentford could be open to reshaping their midfield, though Nørgaard’s leadership remains valued.
Arsenal are also finalising a deal to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. The Gunners triggered his £5m release clause after his loan spell at Bournemouth. Kepa will provide cover for David Raya next season. Arsenal had Neto on loan from Bournemouth last term but opted not to make the move permanent.
Arteta wants experience to complement new signings as Arsenal look to stay competitive on multiple fronts.
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