Last year was a difficult season for Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s head coach, and the entire team. They finished ninth in the league, meaning they are not part of the Champions League or Europa League next season. Manchester City and Southampton also dumped them off the League Cup and FA Cup respectively.
That is gone; it is now time to bolster the squad to ensure they get better results next season and be part of the champions league. All their fans can’t wait to get together and watch their favourite team win again and again. Just don’t forget to turn on your VPN UK while supporting your team on the big screen. This is the easiest way to secure your internet connection and private data during the most important moments.
In this article, we focus on seven key changes that Arteta needs to make during the pre-season. Here we go;
Get a Goalkeeper
Mikel made a decision last summer to allow Emiliano Martinez to join Aston Villa at $28 million that now looks misguided. Bernd Leno, the current Arsenal goalkeeper, has not done disastrously bad, but he has not been up to standard. On the other hand, Martinez has impressed throughout the season, making great saves each week.
Pressure mounted on Leno from fans, and the huge expectations may push him to leave Arsenal this summer. If that does happen, Arsenal will be left without a competitive goalkeeper. Matt Ryan, the second goalkeeper, will not fit in the shoes and what the fans expect.
If Arsenal is to get a champions league spot next season, Arteta and technical director Edu Gaspar will need to sign a goalkeeper. However, this has to happen very fast, with pre-season approaching.
According to Football League World, Arsenal may approach Brentford’s David Raya after performing well in the last two seasons. The deal may go through, given that Inaki Cana Paving, former Brentford goalkeeping coach, works at Arsenal.
Sign Another Left-back
The left-back position has been a problem at Arsenal for some time now. Kieran Tierney is the obvious first-choice in that position under Arteta, and he is expected to retain that status next campaign. He is usually one of Arsenal’s consistent performers when he plays.
However, Kieran is prone to injuries that keep him out for long periods. For example, he has missed a whopping 28 games in the past two seasons. Arteta is left with no natural replacement when that happens, meaning he has to use players from other positions to fill that gap.
Granit Xhaka, Bukayo Saka, and Cedric Soares are among those who have filled the gap lately. The position does not need a world-class defender at the moment but a natural replacement who can step in to help. Arsenal will neither participate in the Europa league nor the champions league, which means few games and fewer injuries are expected. Ryan Bertrand, who played for Southampton, looks like a better option because he is now a free agent.
Decide Who Starts on the Right-Back
Arteta has not been consistent in his selections, especially when it comes to left-backs. He has Hector Bellerin, Calum Chambers, and Cedric Soares to choose from. Consistency is key, and this has been a major problem for Arteta as he tried to rotate the squad.
Because of those rotations, it isn’t easy to gauge their performances. Through the friendlies and training, Arteta needs to decide who will start in that position in the next campaign during the pre-season.
There are also reports that Hector Bellerin may consider seeking a new challenge somewhere. If that happens, then signing a replacement will be considered. Achraf Hakimi, Inter Milan’s right back, and Norwich’s Max Aarons have been linked to Arsenal if they have that option of signing.
Sign Another Center-Midfielder
Arsenal had major issues in the central midfield area last season. Signing Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid was not enough, and he needs a backup before next season begins. Granit Xhaka has been on and off throughout the season, and there is no guarantee that things may get better this season.
The position suits Mohamed Elneny, but Arteta has not trusted him in the past, even after impressing him in several games. This also comes back to consistency and playtime. Elneny has not played so many games in a row since Arteta joined.
Dani Ceballos, who plays in that position, has completed his loan spell and returned to Spain, meaning he has left a gap. Because of that, Arsenal has lined up Yves Bissouma of Brighton and Sander of Sheffield United. One of the deals has to go through before next season begins.
Get A Creative Attacking Midfielder
Emile Smith Rowe emerged as one of Arsenal’s creative midfielders about 12 months ago. Arteta’s attacking midfield has been better since then, and with Odegaard on loan from Madrid, he also looked to make the position even healthier.
With Odegaard set to return after a beautiful loan spell at Arsenal, Arteta has to find a replacement soonest. Odegaard could have wished to stay, but the process is not that simple. After impressing, Madrid is likely to demand huge amounts or keep him for long-term plans.
Arsenal is now left to either sign someone for that position or bring back Joe Willock, who is on loan at Newcastle. Although he has excelled in the past campaign, his playing style may not fit Arteta’s plans, and signing may be the only option.
Bolster Centre-forward
Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette are Arsenal’s current center forwards so far. Lacazette is the first-choice and top scorer, but Nketiah has also had significant playtime. Unfortunately, both have a year left in their contracts, and they may decide to seek new challenges somewhere else.
Before their contract expires, Arsenal has to look for replacements as early as now to help them acclimatize. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Gabriel Martinelli, who are also centre fowards, have played many games this season as wingers. So Arteta and Edu have to think about a senior striker now.
Avoid Many On-loan Players
A competitive team like Arsenal will need to avoid getting too many players on loan but rather focus on signings. This has been the trend in the past few years, leading to unnecessary inconsistencies.
On that note, they will also have to avoid giving young talents like Willock on loan. Arteta needs to make long-term decisions this summer if they are to get back in the champions league.
Conclusion
Arsenal has been going through a lot in the past two seasons, but time is here to revive all that. With only a few games to play next season, they look like threats. However, that will depend on their business during this coming pre-season. If the above positions are strengthened, then surely Arsenal may be in the champions league mix next season.