A few weeks ago I ran an article that concluded to be a successful team you need a core of players running through the team, I wrote that Arsenal lacked that and until they do, success will be hard to come by.
The article did say that we currently have two of the four core players and the potential to have a couple more to complete the set but that would be short term, mainly because of the age of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
This article focusses on the potential for a quality core over the next decade.
The four players I feel will be that core for years to come are Bernd Leno, William Saliba, Matteo Guendouzi and Nicolas Pepe.
I do not include Dani Ceballos as I am doubtful he will be with Arsenal long term.
Pepe is not an out and out striker but he is of such quality that he more than compensates for that. Saliba needs a season to bed in once he joins and Guendouzi is not quite there yet.
But the three outfield players are young enough that in two years time they will at a level so much higher than they are now and the core in the Arsenal team will be well established.
Having that quality core means Arsenal can build around them with other highly talented players like a Kieran Tierney and so on but it is the core that is the critical element here.
Arsenal simply does not have that core right now, but the players they have bought, players arriving will form that core for years together.
Of course, Saliba has to prove he is a top-quality centre back, Guendouzi has to continue with his progress and Pepe has to live up to the hype and I am very confident all three will do just that.
Put it this way, do not be surprised if in years to come those these players are being compared to the likes of Lehmann, Campbell, Vieira and Henry.