Premier League 2025-26 Preview No 1: Arsenal

Guardian writers’ predicted position: 2nd (NB: this is not needfully Ed Aarons’ prediction but nan mean of our writers’ tips)

Last season’s position: 2nd

Prospects

Mikel Arteta vowed this would beryllium a “big summer” aft finishing arsenic runners-up successful nan Premier League for a 3rd play successful succession and nan caller sporting director, Andrea Berta, has delivered connected a number of signings successful his first transportation window. The mobility now for Arsenal supporters is whether Martin Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyökeres, Cristhian Mosquera and Kepa Arrizabalaga tin thief them return that elusive last measurement to becoming champions for nan first clip since nan Invincibles successful 2004.

The presence of Gyökeres will surely quieten nan clamour for a caller No 9 that has rumbled connected for respective years, though nan unit will instantly beryllium connected nan Sweden striker to deed nan crushed running. Longstanding target Zubimendi should supply metronomic accuracy astatine nan guidelines of a new-look midfield that Arteta will dream tin proceed to get nan champion retired of Declan Rice and rejuvenate nan skipper Martin Ødegaard, while Madueke will surely supply overmuch amended back-up for their talisman Bukayo Saka than Raheem Sterling managed past play and could besides push Gabriel Martinelli for a starting spot connected nan near flank.

But moreover pinch nan teenage sensations Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri having committed their futures to nan nine aft enjoying outstanding breakthrough seasons, location stay concerns astir a deficiency of productivity successful nan squad. A move for Crystal Palace’s FA Cup leader Eberechi Eze could dangle connected players departing earlier nan extremity of August to equilibrium nan books.

Yet while Arsenal whitethorn extremity up paying much than £200m for nan additions to their squad truthful far, seeing champions Liverpool comfortably outspend them aft finishing 10 points up past play has near galore fans wondering if they person gone acold enough. The squad decidedly looks stronger than this clip past twelvemonth but pinch different rivals besides closing in, it could beryllium make aliases break for Arteta.

The manager

Ending yet different run without silverware was a bitter pill to swallow for Arteta, who celebrated his 5th day successful complaint conscionable earlier Christmas. A solitary FA Cup a fewer months later is not a adjacent reflection connected nan advancement Arsenal person made since past – particularly given nan tally to nan Champions League semi-finals past play – but Arteta knows he will beryllium yet judged connected delivering titles. He made nary concealed of his vexation complete nan deficiency of screen successful Arsenal’s squad arsenic nan injuries mounted up past year. With plentifulness of reinforcements now added, Arteta must prehend his opportunity.

Off-field picture

The surprise departure of Edu Gaspar successful November disrupted plans for nan January transportation model but Berta has provided immoderate caller position since joining successful March. Arsenal’s American owners, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, were rated arsenic nan astir valuable sports ownership group connected nan satellite successful July astatine an estimated $21.3bn (£16.1bn) acknowledgment to a portfolio that besides includes nan NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, nan NHL’s Colorado Avalanche and nan NBA’s Denver Nuggets. So backing different summertime spending spree wasn’t an rumor aft keeping their powder comparatively barren past year. They – for illustration Arsenal’s supporters, who salary for 1 of nan astir costly play tickets successful nan state – however, will want a return for their finance astatine immoderate point.

Star signing

No Arsenal subordinate managed 10 goals successful nan Premier League past play truthful nan onus is connected Gyökeres – who scored a staggering 97 goals successful 102 games for Sporting – to capable nan void. The only rumor is that nan 27-year-old ne'er played successful English football’s apical formation contempt being connected Brighton’s books and past excelling successful nan Championship for Coventry. He will beryllium expecting to get plentifulness of opportunities successful a broadside that usually dominates their opponents successful midfield but struggled to break teams down past season, drafting 14 times successful nan league. Having yet opted for Gyökeres alternatively than RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko aliases Alexander Isak of Newcastle, Arsenal must now find a measurement to utilise his evident strengths.

Arsenal fans replicate nan trademark extremity ceremony of caller signing Viktor Gyökeres earlier nan pre-season friends against Newcastle successful July. Photograph: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Stepping up

It is highly probable that only Premier League regulations prevented Max Dowman from taking Nwaneri’s grounds arsenic nan competition’s youngest ever subordinate past season. The attacking midfielder has been training pinch Arsenal’s first squad squad since celebrating his 15th day astatine nan move of nan twelvemonth and was described arsenic “special” by Arteta aft coming disconnected nan chair to triumph a punishment successful their pre-season triumph against Newcastle successful Singapore. “What he’s done against this squad successful nan clip that he had connected nan transportation is thing surely not communal to witnesser for a 15-year-old,” he said. Dowman is expected to beryllium handed an opportunity sooner alternatively than later and it will beryllium intriguing to spot what effect he tin have.

A large play for …

Martin Ødegaard was nan first to admit that his performances past play lacked their accustomed sparkle, pinch a return of 3 convention goals his lowest since moving to northbound London permanently successful 2021. The 26-year-old skipper was besides substituted connected 12 occasions aft missing portion of nan play owed to an ankle wounded arsenic he struggled to find his champion form. The Norwegian must rekindle his narration pinch Saka that has proved truthful effective down nan years, while Arteta will beryllium hoping that Gyökeres tin decorativeness disconnected immoderate of nan chances Ødegaard will inevitably create fixed nan deficiency of different options too nan inexperienced Nwaneri and Dowman.