Both Arsenal and Manchester United are making changes to their teams for the new season Premier League 2025/26. They’re bringing in new players, adjusting tactics, and trying fresh strategies. In this article on HeyVIP.Live, we explain how each team is rebuilding and what their new game plans might look like.
Manchester United’s Rebuild with Ruben Amorim – Vision and Strategy
Manchester United has a new direction under Ruben Amorim. He took over in November 2024, and now, he’s shaping the squad for 2025/26.
Key Departures:
- Marcus Rashford (Loan to Barcelona, confirmed July 23, 2025) – A significant loan move.
- Christian Eriksen (Released).
- Jonny Evans (Retired).
- Victor Lindelof (Released).
- Several academy players released or loaned out (e.g., Dan Gore, Elyh Harrison, Joe Hugill, Enzo Kana-Biyik, Habeeb Ogunneye).
Key Signings:
- Matheus Cunha (£74.2m from Wolves) – An outstanding dribbler.
- Bryan Mbeumo (£75m from Brentford) – A clinical forward. Excellent ball-carrier.
- Diego Leon (£4m from Cerro Porteno).
- Enzo Kana-Biyik (Free from Le Havre, then loaned out).
- Patrick Dorgu (£30m from Lecce) – Joined Feb 2025.
- Ayden Heaven (£1.8m) – Joined Feb 2025.
Vision and Strategy: Amorim’s plan for United is clear: fast transitions. He wants to use possession to draw opponents out. Then, quickly break into space. His preferred formation is a narrow 3-4-2-1. Cunha and Mbeumo fit this perfectly. They’re direct. Risk-taking. Aiming to make United much more vertical in their play. Ruben Amorim’s signature 3-4-3 (or 3-4-2-1 in attack) is built on defensive solidity and explosive transitions. The back three provides a strong foundation, with wing-backs (like Dorgu on the left) providing width in attack and dropping back to create a five-man defense.
In midfield, Amorim prefers dynamic, box-to-box players who can win the ball and quickly launch attacks. The two ‘tens’ (Cunha and Mbeumo) are crucial: they operate in the half-spaces, linking with the lone striker, and are encouraged to be direct, dribble, and shoot. United will aim to be compact without the ball, drawing opponents in before unleashing rapid, vertical attacks, often bypassing the midfield with direct passes to the attacking trio. Expect a focus on counter-attacking prowess and exploiting space behind high defensive lines.
Arsenal Under Mikel Arteta rebuild for 2025/26 | Arsenal Viktor Gyokeres ‘headache solved’
Arsenal continues its rebuild under Mikel Arteta. They’ve been runners-up for a few seasons now. They’re pushing for that final step.
Key Departures:
- Nuno Tavares (€5m to Lazio).
- Kieran Tierney (Free to Celtic).
- Marquinhos (£2.5m to Cruzeiro).
- Takehiro Tomiyasu (Contract terminated).
- Jorginho (Expected to Flamengo, Free).
- Raheem Sterling (Returned to Chelsea from loan).
- Several academy players released.
Key Signings:
- Viktor Gyokeres (€63.5M + €10M add-ons from Sporting CP) – This is the big one for Arsenal fans. A prolific striker. Confirmed. Solves the “headache” of a consistent goalscorer.
- Martin Zubimendi (Undisclosed from Real Sociedad) – Midfield reinforcement.
- Christian Norgaard (Undisclosed from Brentford) – Another midfield option.
- Noni Madueke (Undisclosed from Chelsea) – Attacking talent.
- Kepa Arrizabalaga (Undisclosed from Chelsea) – Goalkeeper depth.
Arteta’s Rebuild: Arteta believes his squad has the “right balance”—maturity, experience, youth, hunger. His tactics involve an aggressive approach. A 4-4-2 block when defending. High pressing. And looking for quick counter-attacks. Gyokeres’s arrival gives them a focal point. Someone who can convert chances consistently. This is about adding the missing pieces. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal operates with a clear tactical identity: controlled possession, asymmetrical attacking shapes, and an aggressive out-of-possession system. They often build in a 3-2-5 shape with one fullback inverting and the other providing width. This allows Saka or Martinelli to occupy wider positions while Odegaard drifts centrally to create overloads.
Gyokeres’s signing is pivotal; he offers the physical presence, hold-up play, and clinical finishing that Arsenal has sometimes lacked in central areas, allowing wingers and attacking midfielders to play off him. Defensively, they form a disciplined 4-4-2 medium block, making it difficult for opponents to play through the middle. Their high press is coordinated and intense, aiming to force turnovers in dangerous areas. When they win the ball back, they look for quick, incisive counter-attacks, leveraging the pace of their wingers. Midfield signings like Zubimendi and Norgaard enhance their ability to control the tempo and win midfield battles.
Also Read: Arne Slot’s Liverpool 2.0 | Key Departures, Smart Signings, & Tactics
