Arsenal remain on course for a third successive runner-up finish in the Premier League, potentially prompting manager Mikel Arteta to look for summer reinforcements
Regardless of how the 2024-25 season finishes, Arsenal may feel they need reinforcements over the summer. An unfortunate run of injuries has derailed their campaign, and they’ll want to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen again next term.
There’s still time for Mikel Arteta’s team to end the campaign on a high. While making up a 12-point gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool will be a tall order, their Champions League hopes are very much alive.
If the Gunners get past holders Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, they will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa for a place in the final. They haven’t made it past the quarter-final stage since 2009, when their dream ended at the hands of Manchester United.
There were calls for attacking reinforcements even before Arsenal found themselves without Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli at the same time. That might not be the only area where they’ll look to strengten ahead of the new campaign.
Last summer was all about increasing solidity with the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino. The next window might be about star power, though, and Mirror Football has looked at what the dream might look like for Arteta.
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Goalkeeper and defence
There might have been issues elsewhere this season, but Arsenal look well-stocked at the back. Arteta will have the luxury of rotating depending on the opponent, but against elite opposition he may well stick with the combination used in recent weeks.
That means David Raya continuing in goal, with the Spaniard conceding a Premier League low of just 24 goals this term. William Saliba and Gabriel have continued to show their quality in the middle, while Myles Lewis-Skelly has earned the trust of Arteta at left-back and Jurrien Timber has excelled down the right.
Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori will both have a part to play after injury issues this term, especially in those games where the Gunners are comfortable attacking more from the full-back positions. With Kieran Tierney leaving, there may be recruitment to add depth, but there appears little need to bring in a new defensive starter.
Midfield
Jorginho’s move to Flamengo appears close to completion, while the Italian’s fellow midfielder Thomas Partey has yet to extend a contract which expires in June. If both men leave in the summer, Arsenal are likely to need at least one new face.
Martin Zubimendi’s name is one that has been regularly linked. The Spain international opted against a move to Liverpool last summer, preferring to stay with Real Sociedad, but the chance of a reunion with former La Real team-mates Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino could tempt him to London.
With Declan Rice still an automatic starter, the Merino-Zubimendi-Odegaard axis is unlikely to be fully recreated every week. The most likely outcome, if Zubimendi signs, would see the new man sitting deeper behind Rice and Odegaard while Merino steps in when needed.
Attack
A number of names have been mentioned when it comes to a new goalscorer, including Benjamin Sesko and Jonathan David. However, it’s Alexander Isak who remains the big draw i the eyes of many.
The Swedish international would arrive with Premier League and Champions League experience, while he also excelled for Real Sociedad before joining current club Newcastle in 2022. He already has 23 goals in all competitions this term, and no Arsenal player has scored as many since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finished with 29 in the 2019-20 campaign.
Isak’s ability to drift wide would also suit Arteta’s more fluid front three setup. Saka and Havertz would likely occupy the other two starting spots, providing their respective returns from injury go according to plan, but there are plenty of options with Martinelli, Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard all battling for minutes.
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