After a number of years of severe disappointment as Arsenal fans saw manager Mikel Arteta's side fall at the final hurdle when it came to our chase for the Premier League title, it is beginning to look like the 2025-26 domestic top flight campaign could be the year where we get ourselves over the line and firmly put 'bottling it' back in the box and consigned to history.

Heading quickly towards the month of March, the Gunners continue to occupy top spot in the division and despite a wobble or two with the pressure really mounting now at the true business end of the campaign, we continue to hold a five point gap over Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side (maximum two points given their game in hand). For those who like a flutter we are in a great position right now, and for those who prefer casinos that accept Google Pay, they would be confident of their own chances for success as well.

Not quite as comfortable as it was a couple of weeks back when it comes to the buffer zone on the nearest chasers below us, but it is also no where near the capitulation that many in the wider world of football felt that we would again suffer. Our form continues to be good, our consistency is high and confidence will again be boosted following the comprehensive North London derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend - the 4-1 scoreline was simply the cherry on top.

Whilst most eyes are understandably focused on watching (and wishing the team well) as we hopefully finally get over the line on lifting another league title, with the end of the season drawing near some of beginning to look at next season, and given the performances of on loan Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie, it is now believed that we will quickly option the buy clause we hold on the 24 year old versatile Ecuadorian international defender.

Having come in for the season back ahead of deadline day over the summer, the player has gone on to feature 19 times in the starting XI for our 43 year old Spanish gaffer, and he has impressed many so talk of potentially greenlighting his £45 million move slightly early just so it is done, does make a lot of sense.

Having been steady and composed in the German Bundesliga, he certainly has not looked out of place in the English game and given it is believed sporting director Andrea Berta agreed a £5.2 million loan fee on top of the buy clause, that is very sensible business from our point of view given how well he has settled in and been performing.

Although he understandably had a slightly slow start to life at the Emirates Stadium, particularly the groin injury that originally held him, there cannot be many fans who have not been delighted with the role that he has played so far in our season. He is certainly making himself the go to guy for the left back spot over Ricardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly so there should be no surprise that we are interested in making the deal permanent now as we look ahead to what will hopefully be a title defence campaign in 2026/27.

For now, fans will await news of this and we will just eagerly watch on to the fixtures that remain.