What Arsenal Must Fix Next Season?

Despite all the praise Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have received in recent years, some justified and some not, it’s clear that this current Arsenal project is at a crossroads as we start looking ahead to the 2025/26 season. The 2024/25 season has witnessed Arsenal lose ground at the top of the Premier League and go out to PSG in the UEFA Champions League. Now, that Champions League run can be viewed as somewhat of a positive. Arsenal reached the last 4 of the competition for just the third time in their history, but they were clearly beaten over the two legs by a Paris Saint-Germain side led by Luis Enrique.
Question Marks over Arteta?
In the Premier League also, the club are somewhat floundering to a Top 5 finish. For so long, they appeared safe in second position behind obvious champions Liverpool, but poor form has brought several clubs within touching distance of the North London club. They should still have enough points on the board to reach the Champions League next season with only two games left in the season, but it’s another sign that they are still not as close to bringing trophies to the club as many had thought heading into this season.
The summer transfer window is going to be huge for Arteta and his team. It looks like he is going to be backed financially once again, as the club looks to increase the reported €750 million outlay, they have spent on signings since Arteta has been at the club. One FA Cup and one realistic title challenge to his name in that time, with that money spent, would ordinarily bring question marks to a manager, but the former Arsenal midfielder has been immune, it seems, to that line of enquiry so far.
What Arsenal need?

As has been said, this summer window needs to be a big one for Arsenal if they want to try and potentially become a credible Premier League challenger, season in, season out. Their lack of a title challenge this year and exit from the Champions League highlighted issues within the squad that need to be remedied if they are to have any chance of competing for the biggest trophies under Arteta.
A top-quality centre forward that can be relied upon to find the back of the net is certainly needed at the Emirates as we look ahead to next season. Kai Havertz has done a job as the focal point of Arsenal’s attack at times, hitting 22 League goals since he joined in 2023, but to move forward they need an out-and-out finisher that could help turn some of the 14 draws they have got in 36 Premier League games so far this season into wins.
Several well-known strikers have been linked with the club, including RB Leipzig centre forward Benjamin Sesko, as well as Sporting Lisbon’s goal machine, Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres. Sesko has a return of 39 in 86 appearances for the Bundesliga club, while Gyökeres has a remarkable haul of 95 goals in 100 appearances for the Lisbon club since his move there from Coventry City in 2023. They will face competition from other top clubs for either of those strikers, but if they could get one in, it would certainly elevate the team to another level.
A world-class holding midfield player is also needed at Arsenal. Thomas Partey has played in that role in recent seasons, but clearly if Arsenal want to take the next step, they need an upgrade in that role. The fact that the Ghana international is out of contract in the summer and has yet to be given new terms suggests the club believes it also. Arsenal spent over €100 million on Declan Rice back in 2023, and at that time many believed he was going to be Arsenal’s holding midfielder for many years. That didn’t materialise, and the England international has found his position to the left of Arsenal’s midfield three, a role he seems perfect for, where he can use his physical attributes to help the team. Whether Rice was the original choice and they realised he wasn’t the right fit for the role is unclear, but what is clear is that they need a top-class player in that position to help them improve.
Martin Zubimendi from La Liga side Real Sociedad has been the one linked most with Arsenal, and he would certainly fit the bill in that position to play alongside Rice on one side and club captain Martin Ødegaard on the other.
A top-quality centre forward that can be relied upon to find the back of the net is certainly needed at the Emirates as we look ahead to next season.
Conclusion
Another factor that Arsenal may need to start worrying about is keeping the huge stars they have at the club now. The likes of Bukayo Saka and William Saliba are highly rated players and might become agitated if they see the club maybe stalling and failing to become regular challengers. That is why this transfer window is so vital in bringing in the right players. It will then be on Arteta to take Arsenal to the next level.
Can he? Only time will tell.
Stay tuned for more weekly sports content.
Liam Lacey
Liam is a sportswriter from County Laois in Ireland who specializes in delivering content on GAA and Football matters (though he does see himself as somewhat of a tennis aficionado also!). Liam has written about All Ireland Gaelic Football and Hurling Championships, Premier League, Champions League and International Football offering expert opinion and match previews and predictions. Occasionally even getting some right!