They've licked their wounds, picked through their Premier League wreckage and are ready to go again.
You suspect the pain of surrendering the Champions League place they had in their grasp to Tottenham, just two months ago, will drive everyone at Arsenal to go one better. Mikel Arteta, in conjunction with his trusted sporting director Edu, has wasted no time in reshaping his squad with another tilt at the top four the target.
The Spaniard is currently in a tug of war with Manchester United for Ajax’s £43million Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez. The 24-year-old helped the Dutch club to win the Eredivisie title last season. His leadership and versatility would address a key component of Arteta’s rebuilding programme.
The progress this summer for the Gunners has been impressive. Rookie marksman Eddie Nketiah finally signed a new five-year deal with the club hoping to benefit from the apparent improvement suggested by his end of season goal spree. Gabriel Jesus arrives from Manchester City as the senior striker with a superb attitude and a winning mentality.
The Brazilian has lifted four titles, three League Cups, the FA Cup and has been a Champions League runner-up. Six years younger than Alexandre Lacazette, has has already achieved far more and will inherit the Frenchman’s No.9 shirt. Jesus is also able to play out wide as well as up front and brings much-needed quality to the centre-forward position.
Excitement and intrigue surrounds the arrival of young forward Marquinhos who arrived last month from Sao Paulo on a five-year contract for about £3m. He has represented Brazil at youth level, he made 33 appearances for Sao Paulo and was part of the squad that won the Campeonato Paulista in 2021.
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He is a winger for a future but, like Gabriel Martinelli, the indications are that he will get game time if he hits the ground running. Arteta and Arsenal’s fans will be hoping £34m attacking midfielder Fabio Vieira is able to do just that after signing from Portuguese champions Porto.
He had just finished last season’s league campaign with six goals and 14 assists to his name. The 22-year-old is described as the kind of creative midfielder who arrives with a solution when you are struggling during a game. A schemer who can see the big picture. He’ll give Arsenal options next season as they try to combine that top-four drive with a push for a domestic trophy.
The Gunners need goals and a good start in what will be a top-four race of fine margins next season. 11 months ago, they were beaten in their opening three games by Brentford, Chelsea and Manchester City to suggest a long season ahead, despite the fact that Arteta had spent a small fortune in the transfer market. The hope is that in games against Crystal Palace, Leicester and Bournemouth next month, the North Londoners will respond more positively and showcase just how well stage two of their rebuilding programme is going.
