Arsenal enter the 2024/25 season with one clear goal in mind: win the Premier League title.
Mikel Arteta's project has led the Gunners to back-to-back second place finishes and their best performance in the top flight in 20 years - when they last hoisted that majestic piece of silverware aloft.
They have, however, reached that awkward point of seemingly needing 'just a couple more' to get them over the line. Arsenal's starting lineup is so strong that building upon it is mightily tough. That's the problem Mauricio Pochettino ran into at Tottenham off the back of a superb 2016/17 campaign, with Spurs failing to ever go one better with the Argentine at the helm.
Arteta requires specialists to get Arsenal over the hump, but we shouldn't expect the Gunners' starting lineup to look much different to the Spaniard's strongest XI from last season.
Here's what Arsenal's team could look like for the 2024/25 season.
GK: David Raya - Arsenal moved ruthlessly to upgrade their goalkeeper position last season by adding Raya to usurp fan favourite Aaron Ramsdale. Many disputed the decision for months, and while Raya wasn't perfect, he proved to be an upgrade on the Englishman. The Spaniard ended the Premier League season with the Golden Glove and his loan move was made permanent this summer.
RB: Ben White - Gareth Southgate's exit means White may no longer have the luxury of enjoying his international breaks off. The converted centre-back would've surely been included in Southgate's Euro 2024 if it wasn't for that hoo-ha at the 2022 World Cup. White was among the best-performing right-backs in the division last season, especially down the stretch and while Arteta does have a strong alternative, White will remain first choice.
CB: William Saliba - Saliba proved his worth on the international stage over the summer having previously been relentlessly overlooked by Didier Deschamps. The Arsenal star was one of the standout defensive performers at Euro 2024 and he'll return to north London knowing he has a key role to play in the club's title tilt.
CB: Gabriel - Arteta seemingly once regarded the Brazilian as disposable with Arsenal flirting with the idea of selling Gabriel to the Saudi Pro League last summer. As a result, his start to 2023/24 was disrupted, but the brutish defender barely put a foot wrong after being re-integrated. Gabriel produced the best season of his senior career last time out.
LB: Riccardo Calafiori - We have to mention Jurrien Timber, whose versatility could result in fewer starts. He's excellent across the backline, and he showed at the start of his Arsenal career that he could perform a left-back role to a very high level. However, Calafiori is one of the specialists Arteta has got his hands on this summer. The Italian is also versatile and adept at receiving possession in a myriad of zones. Arteta must adore the ease at which he plays, as well as his impressive athleticism and front-footed nature.
CM: Declan Rice - Rice floated in and out of the #6 and #8 positions last season, but we should see more continuity this summer. It just doesn't seem likely that Arsenal will sign a holder before the window closes, so Rice will likely take more responsibility in a deeper position. The England international endured a fairly mixed Euros, but he was excellent during his debut season with the Gunners.
CM: Mikel Merino - While it may underwhelm some, this move does make sense. If Arteta rekindles the 2022/23 system, he's got another Granit Xhaka in Merino. Their profiles do differ, but the Spaniard has the potential to perform the 'Xhaka role' to a similarly high level. Arsenal are keen on the Real Sociedad midfielder and a move should be pretty easy to pull off if they opt to pursue it.
CM: Martin Odegaard - It's hard to imagine this Arsenal team without their captain. When Odegaard is off the boil, which is rare, the Gunners just don't function at their optimal level.
RW: Bukayo Saka - Battered and bruised from his 2023/24 endeavours, Saka still carried his country at times during the Euros to help them reach back-to-back finals. Saka needs a long, long rest before the start of the new season because there's no guarantee Arsenal will acquire sufficient cover to offer him respite. Reiss Nelson is also on his way out.
ST: Kai Havertz - It seemed inevitable that Arsenal would sign a new striker at the start of the summer window, and their interest in Benjamin Sesko was well-known. However, since missing out on the Slovenian star, links to forwards have been scarce and it seems as if they're happy to enter 2024/25 with Havertz as their leading man.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli - A bounce-back season is required from Martinelli. The Brazilian was out of sorts last season but there were mitigating factors. The winger dealt with a foot injury down the stretch and he also suffered systematically following Xhaka's exit. He was more isolated on the left wing in the absence of clear-cut connections and combinations.
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