Three players Arsenal need to bring in to challenge City next season

Three players Arsenal need to bring in to challenge City next season

Arsenal have been nothing short of outstanding this season. In a season where few expected them to finish fourth, let alone challenge for the title, the Gunners have put together their best campaign since the Invincibles, taking the race to the final three games of the season.

A string of untimely draws and defeats has meant that City are  crowned champions of the Premier League once again but there’s no denying the remarkable run Mikel Arteta and his side have been on this term. While spirits are understandably down as the bleak reality of Pep Guardiola’s Blues steamrolling their way to another title sets in, there’s still reason to be excited about the future at the Emirates.

The likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard have all enjoyed their best seasons to date and have propelled the Gunners back to Europe’s top table for the first time in six years. Some strong signings in January paired with an incredible summer transfer window in 2022 have laid the groundwork for the Spaniard’s squad to have another crack at challenging City for top spot next year. However, to ensure the North London club do just that they will need to continue their impressive recruitment of the last 12 months and bolster their ranks in some key areas of the pitch. Here’s a look at some of the big names the Gunners should bring in this summer. 

Declan Rice

Champions League football is returning to the Emirates for the first time since 2017 and with that comes the lure of playing amongst Europe’s elite in 2023/24. Arteta will be thrilled with the options this opens up for adding to his squad and one such player the 41-year-old has had his eye on for a while is midfielder Declan Rice.

The England International has not shied away from speculation of where he wants to play his football; it’s been made clear on multiple occasions that wants to play in the Champions League. While his current club West Ham have made strides in Europe the last two seasons that few would have expected, domestically they have underperformed for the quality of their squad, languishing just above the relegation zone.

Even though the Irons may yet guarantee Europa League football for next season, their underwhelming performance has all but guaranteed that the 24-year-old will be heading for the London Stadium exit door this summer. As a result, Rice has been made Arsenal’s top priority this window and according to the top sports betting platforms in the UK, he is 6/4 to be an Arsenal player by the end of the summer.

Alternative options like Brighton’s superstar Moises Caicedo are out there should this deal fall through, but Rice’s off the ball workrate is what Arteta will want next campaign. No midfielder has made more tackles and only three have made more interceptions this season. Not only that, but his ability to recycle the ball is second to none. With him, Jorginho, Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey, the Spaniard will be spoilt for choice in the engine room next year. 

Dusan Vlahovic

Eddie Nketiah expertly stepped in to fill the shoes of the injured Gabriel Jesus earlier in the season. The Brazilian’s injury threatened to derail Arsenal’s momentum at the top of the table midway through but the 23-year-old’s vital goals ensured that the Gunners stayed on top at a crucial point of the campaign. However, the concern and anxiety that existed over whether Nketiah could do the job in Jesus’ absence highlighted a weakness in that department that could do with strengthening this summer.

To that end, Serbia and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic is the ideal fit. Arteta has been crying out for a new physical striker to challenge Jesus for his starting place for a while now. There’s still an outside chance that Folarin Balogun’s return from loan in France could solve Arteta’s problem but he is rumoured to be moving elsewhere in the summer.

With Nketiah, Martinelli and Leandro Trossard all of fairly similar stature and build, there is a lack of variety that leaves the manager with fewer options tactically. This is where the Serbian comes in; with over 30 goals in the last two seasons with Fiorentina and Juventus and still relatively young, he is a hot prospect for the future. Arsenal are currently leading the race to sign him and with Juve likely to sell this summer after missing out on Champions League football courtesy of a points deduction, their chances have been boosted further. He still has three years left on his deal in Turin so the expected fee would likely exceed £70 million, but for a young prospect with proven goalscoring pedigree, he could be the man Arsenal are looking for. 

Josip Sutalo

Rob Holding has become an unfortunate scapegoat for Arsenal’s dip in form since March. It’s not all the Englishman’s fault, but it is undeniable, the Gunners missed William Saliba and when Holding was on the pitch it was made all the more obvious. Takehiro Tomiyasu suffered injury in the same game against Sporting Lisbon which sidelined him for the rest of the season, and so Arteta’s hand will be forced this summer as he needs to address this problem position before the start of the next campaign. In recent weeks, it has been rumoured that the man that will be brought in to fix that issue will be Dinamo Zagreb defender Josip Sutalo.

Josko Gvardiol is the jewel in the Croatian defence’s crown and is set for a big money move himself this summer, but his International teammate Sutalo is a hard grafter in his own right. The 23-year-old’s form has been excellent this season; comfortable on the ball and an imposing figure off it, he is an ideal purchase. His style is similar to Ben White and with the Croat able to fill in at right-back, he offers the kind of versatility Arteta would relish making use of in 2023/24.

Better still, his release clause is believed to be set at only £18 million making him an absolute bargain. There are still faults in his game that Arteta and his team will need to stamp out but the youngster undoubtedly has the potential to be one of the standout transfers of this window.