Arsenal have a significant number of reasons to be excited for the 2023/24 season. Firstly, the Gunners completely exceeded expectations in the previous campaign as they pushed Manchester City all the way in the Premier League title race and their transfer window business has offered further incentive to supporters that the next nine months really could be special.
Heading into the summer trading period, signing Declan Rice from West Ham was the priority, football.london understands. After laying the ground work for a move throughout 2023, Arsenal finally reached a total agreement on Tuesday with the Hammers for the transfer of Rice in a deal worth up to £105 million.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a wonderful season at London Stadium as he guided West Ham to European glory and he is sure to take Arsenal to the next level as they hope to reignite their intense battle for silverware with City. Other transfer moves also give cause for optimism, while key players extending their stay in north London also prove that many believe Arsenal is the place to be.
On the contract front, an extension for Saka has already been confirmed. While improved offers for William Saliba and Reiss Nelson have been verbally agreed to with official announcements to come ahead at any moment. football.london understands talks over an extension for Martin Odegaard are also in the works.
The £65m transfer of Kai Havertz from Chelsea is thus far the only confirmed acquisition for Arsenal, but joining Rice in sealing a move will be Jurrien Timber. football.london understands a £38.5m deal is in place to sign the Netherlands international and a medical has been booked in.
Three new options for Arteta will significantly help the squad depth as Arsenal prepare for a return to the Champions League. The Spaniard's starting XI was often very easy to work out last season, however for the August 12 clash against Nottingham Forest the tactical set up and chosen players he will use is mostly unknown.
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Much of this could be worked out in pre-season, but that could also be time for Arteta to experiment with varying formations and a new one looks to have emerged which could give the Gunners the perfect balance. Timber is arriving as versatile defender and while the obvious choice could be to push him into the centre of defence alongside William Saliba or move Ben White to the left and place Timber in his natural position, there is a way Gabriel Magalhaes keeps his place.
White previously played in midfield for Brighton before his £50million move to the Gunners and he could be given another chance in the position. It would be safe to assume, the holding midfield role is sure to be Rice's, however he has shown an inkling to play further forward with the last six months proving he can have an impact in the final third and contribute to goals.
The possible plan could therefore be to use White in the deepest midfield position and use Rice as a box-to-box option with his driving runs sure to cause teams many problems. “I’m interested to see what happens with Ben White because we know they’re going to bring in Jurrien Timber," journalist Alex Crook told talkSPORT regarding Arsenal's plans for the position.
"I think he might move up to a sort of John Stones midfield role, I wouldn’t rule that out. So, he might well be the holding midfielder and that will enable Declan Rice to go further forward.” Going off this suggestion, Timber and Oleksandr Zinchenko could both invert and form 'a box' in possession with Martin Odegaard and one of Rice or Havertz.
Two defenders would therefore be left, but as clearly referenced with the Stones, White could transition between defence and midfield. Saliba and Gabriel would be left as the final line between an opposition attack and Aaron Ramsdale's goal, but White could easily slot in between the centre-back duo.
The mass tactical changes in midfield and defence would unlikely alter the front three of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus. Rice, Odegaard or Havertz could then fill the advanced eight roles with White switching between the defensive line and midfield, allowing Timber and Zinchenko to both invert and get forward without leaving Saliba and Gabriel isolated.
Starting XI (in possession): Ramsdale; Saliba, White, Gabriel; Timber, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
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