How do Arsenal improve on a record-breaking year this time around? In 2023-24, they have the most wins (28), most goals (91) and best goal difference ever (plus-62) in a Premier League season, yet they have missed out on a first title since 2004. Some associated with the club could be forgiven for feeling a little let down at standing in the shadow of the unforgiving giant that is Manchester City – who have won a record four consecutive titles and six of the last seven – but Arsenal co-chairman Josh Kroenke believes the Gunners are just getting started.
“When you see what they do out there on the field, on game day, the way they communicate, our new anthem before the game, you feel the energy shift,” he told ESPN.
“It starts with a feeling. It’s like moving a train. It takes a lot of coal. You start the train and it starts moving at a tremendous speed (the wheels are spinning), and once the train starts moving it’s hard to stop, and now our train is leaving the station.”
The ultimate goal for Arsenal is to end a two-decade wait for a league title. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will once again start the season as favourites, so how can Arsenal continue their quest to secure a top-flight finish? Here the Gunners looked for marginal gains to take the final step towards glory.
Pre-season
Sources have told ESPN that Arteta and his coaching staff consider the eight-week break too long for elite athletes to maintain peak fitness. So while the majority of his squad were involved in international matches at either Euro 2024 or the Copa America, Arteta took nine first-team players to Marbella in early July for what was essentially a pre-season tour. Participants worked on their fitness, but there was an effort to ensure a work-life balance: sources say families were invited on the trip, at least one barbecue was organised and the players were given most evenings to themselves to do as they pleased.
ESPN sources have also reported that Arteta’s message to the squad was either “come into pre-season ready, or come into pre-season ready” so they can hit the ground running when the serious games against Wolverhampton Wanderers begin on Saturday. Arteta said he believes there are clear signs that the high levels of determination and hunger within the squad have not diminished after City’s two near-misses to the title.
Summer contracts
Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal’s internal analysis has pointed to left-back as a clear area for improvement. The knee injury suffered on the opening day of last season by Jurrien Timber – who was signed for £34m from Ajax on the final match of the season – was a major blow to their planning. It has led to a situation where Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwioro and Takehiro Tomiyasu have all been substitutes, with mixed results. The uncertainty has led opponents to target Arsenal’s left flank as a vulnerability that can be exploited.
The return of Timber, coupled with the £42m acquisition of Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna, bolsters that position significantly. It is possible that Kiwior or Zinchenko could leave before the summer transfer deadline, with Calafiori’s versatility – the Italy international can play at centre-back or left-back – creating an opportunity to recoup some of the money if the right offer comes in.
On that point about the backline, centre-back William Saliba was one of only three Arsenal players to play every minute in the Premier League last season, and sources have told ESPN that Arteta believes more rotation may be required, particularly towards the end of the season, if Arsenal are still competing on multiple fronts.
Arsenal’s only league defeat in 2024 was at home to Aston Villa, a game that came between their Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich. They were knocked out of Europe three days after their defeat to Villa. These are small margins, of course, but a little extra quality should allow Arteta to rotate and keep his squad thick. It was notable, for example, that they managed just one win from five away games in the Champions League last season.
Arteta has previously indicated he wants to work with a slightly smaller group of around 20 midfield players with a more interchangeable level of quality, similar to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Last season, Arsenal used the joint-lowest number of players in the Premier League at 25 – a number level with Fulham and Manchester City.
Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal are in talks over signing Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad, with Arteta keen to sign the midfielder who helped Spain win Euro 2024 to ease the burden on Declan Rice in midfield.
Arsenal appear to be more flexible when it comes to signing attacking reinforcements. Kai Havertz surprised the club with his ability to play in the middle last season, and Arteta admitted in April that “when it flows, you have to let it go” in reference to his rejuvenated squad starting to work. Havertz has scored nine goals and provided nine assists in Arsenal’s last 17 Premier League games this season, easing the pressure on the club’s search for a striker this summer.
Gabriel Jesus has returned to pre-season in good form, while Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli can also play in midfield if required. Eddie Nketiah was deemed surplus to requirements, but has yet to secure a move away from the club.
Arsenal are considering whether to sign a striker or winger. Benjamin Sissoko was a target before he signed a new contract with RB Leipzig, while the Gunners have opted not to pursue their long-term interest in Pedro Neto, who left Wolves to join Chelsea earlier this week. They remain open to adding with two weeks left in the transfer window, but do not feel under pressure to act.
More confidence in the academy
There has been frustration among Arsenal supporters that several promising academy talents have been allowed to leave this summer, including Omario Cosier-Dubéri, Roel Walters and Chiedo Obi Martin.
Arteta has shown some reluctance to hand youngsters first-team responsibility, although sources have suggested in the case of Obi Martin that there were financial reasons behind the striker’s proposed move to Manchester United.
The new momentum could come from two promising players in Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-Skelly. Nwaneri became the youngest player ever to appear in the Premier League in September 2022, aged 15 years and 181 days. The midfielder, now 17, has shown promise in pre-season – as has Lewis Skelly, also 17 – and both will be hoping to get opportunities to help Arsenal’s first-team progress this season.
More broadly, sources have told ESPN that there has been a radical change in Arsenal’s approach to signing young talent, with the Gunners looking to invest more aggressively to help increase the flow of talent coming through the club’s Hale End academy in the coming years.
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Is the end of the Manchester City era approaching?
Gab and Jules talk about Julian Alvarez’s move to Atletico Madrid and Pep Guardiola’s contract expiration date at Manchester City.
Will Manchester City finally stumble?
There is also the possibility that Arsenal will not have to exceed last season’s tally of 89 points to win the title. Arteta has spoken (with a wry smile) of aiming for the maximum (114 points) and working from there, which mirrors the standards set by Manchester City; in their six seasons they have won the title with points totals of 100, 98, 86, 93, 89 and 91.
Of course, there is every chance that Manchester City will record a similar total again, and it is right that they start the new season as the favourites to win. But there is more uncertainty about Manchester City before the start of the new season than in previous years.
The departure of Julian Alvarez and a serious injury to young winger Oscar Bob have left the champions scrambling in the transfer market. Guardiola is entering the final year of his contract, while Manchester City will also begin defending themselves against 115 alleged breaches of Premier League rules next month in a case that threatens to suspend the entire season.
Arsenal, by contrast, are in a quieter position. Arteta is also in the final year of his contract, but there is still widespread expectation that he will sign a new deal. The manager himself hinted at that in an interview with ESPN earlier this summer.
There is a sense that the Gunners are still on an upward trajectory with a young and vibrant squad ready to break new ground. Time will tell if they can.
