A survivor. From the first team composition aligned by Mikel Arteta in 2019, against… Bournemouth, the team which has just offered him the title by slowing down Manchester City, only Bukayo Saka is still present. It was also one of the discoveries of the Spanish coach, who aligned him in his position at the time, that of left back. The rest is history, that of Gunners doomed to failure and mocked in England, with a hinge David Luiz-Sokratis and the aging Özil and Aubameyang in the eleven.
Arsenal’s coronation, validated last night, was patiently constructed, and is the result of a plan established over the long term, from 2020, as told The Athletic. It was during the summer of 2020, after a season ending in 8th place, that the club undertook a thorough overhaul, particularly in the recruitment department. A new strategy has been put in place, with the purchase of players aged 23 or under for a maximum amount of €40 million. In the summer of 2021, Arsenal signed six players for their first team, mostly meeting these criteria. Although not all of these operations were successful, this first wave notably included Martin Odegaard and Ben White, who would become the pillars of the project.
A carefully drawn up plan
Then we had to get rid of the mistakes of the past, like Nicolas Pepe, David Luiz and invite the biggest salaries on the decline to change scenery, like Özil or Bellerin. Make way for youth and a common desire for progression. When this plan is put in place in 2020, the decision-makers judge that the window to win the title will be between 2023 and 2027. Arsenal will finish 2nd in 2023, 2024 and 2025 before winning the title in 2026. The consecutive 2nd places allowed the Gunners to return to the Champions League and thus invest more massively in the transfer market, like Declan Rice, recruited in 2023 for nearly €120 million.
The 2023-2024 season could also have been that of the crowning moment for the London club, with the second highest total of points in the history of the club (89) and the record for goals scored (91). The next one was less glorious, marred by injuries, and pushed Mikel Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta towards expensive recruitment in order to offer fabulous bench depth. This changed the situation this season, between the offensive substitutes who were formidable (11 goals and 11 assists came from the bench this season), and the defensive sector remained solid despite the absences (notably that of Gabriel) thanks to players like Mosquera and Hincapie. “It’s not done”said Declan Rice to his teammates on the pitch at the final whistle, recording the defeat against Manchester City on April 19. Arsenal’s title is summed up by this phrase, the praise of perseverance.
