The alkylation of arenes is one of the most fundamental transformations in chemical synthesis leading to privileged scaffolds in many areas of science. Classical methods for the introduction of alkyl groups to arenes are mostly based on the Friedel-Crafts reaction, radical additions, metallation or pre-functionalization of the arene: these methods however suffer from limitations in scope, efficiency and selectivity. Moreover, they are based on the innate reactivity of the starting arene, favoring the alkylation at a certain position and rendering the introduction of alkyl chains at other positions much more challenging. This can be addressed by the use of a directing group facilitating, in the presence of a metal catalyst, the regioselective alkylation of a C-H bond. These directed alkylations of C-H bonds in arenes are overviewed, in a comprehensive manner, in this review article.