Arsenal have made so much progress since the beginning of the Mikel Arteta era, as he had to pick up the pieces left behind by previous regimes and forge a new identity for a club that hasn’t truly competed at the highest level of English or European football since the mid-2000s.
Arteta shuttered off relics of the past like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and brought in a host of players with talent who were just as hungry as him to prove a point. Players like Martin Odegaard, Ben White, and now Kai Havertz have brought a fire to Arsenal that cannot be quenched.
Arsenal remain in the thick of the Premier League title race, but they are now out of the Champions League at the quarterfinal stages, losing to historic powers Bayern Munich without so much as a whimper in a disappointing 1-0 second leg.
Bayern have looked anything but powerful this season, so Arsenal will feel like they missed a real opportunity to make it to the semifinals, where a comparatively weaker field could have awaited them, given the struggles PSG and Borussia Dortmund have endured at times this season.
But Arsenal do not wallow. They will be back with a vengeance next season, because their process is one based on sustainable, consistent growth.
Here are five signings Arsenal need to make in order to keep progressing in the Champions League and eventually challenge the elite teams at the top.
Bayer Leverkusen CM Exequiel Palacios
Exequiel Palacios is the best center midfielder in European football whom most fans have not heard of, though the secret is slowly being unraveled with each successive Bayer Leverkusen victory and each successive transfer rumor linking him to a top club.
It seems like the Premier League is destined to pick up Palacios, with Unai Emery’s Aston Villa keen on signing the Argentinian international. However, Arsenal are an even more prestigious and successful club with a clear use for the holding midfielder.
Arsenal signed the best defensive midfielder in England last summer, adding Declan Rice by submitting a transfer offer to West Ham that was beyond what Manchester City were offering.
It was a statement-making signing that has paid off already for the Gunners, but Rice needs some help next to him. Thomas Partey isn’t good enough for a Champions League finalist, and Jorginho is in the twilight of his career.
Enter Palacios, teammate of former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka. Palacios is entering the prime of his career as a center midfielder at the age of 25 and is the unsung hero pulling the strings for the juggernaut already crowned as Bundesliga champions
He has three goals, five assists, 2.1 fouls drawn per game, and nearly four combined tackles and interceptions per match. His all-around work and even end product would be perfect for Arsenal, who would have the best midfielder tandem in the game between Rice and Palacios.
Lille RB Tiago Santos
Ben White has performed admirably as a converted center back at right back, adding defensive steel and no shortage of heart to the Arsenal defense, showing great chemistry with superstar right winger Bukayo Saka and even left-footed playmaker Martin Odegaard.
Arsenal could use more options at both fullback positions. Takehiro Tomiyasu is a nifty player, but the Gunners should consider going for a more forward-thinking right back with high upside.
Tiago Santos could be the next great right back from Ligue 1, following in the footsteps of former Lyon – and current Chelsea – standout Malo Gusto.
The 21-year-old has been key to Lille’s Champions League push this season, averaging nearly five combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game with two tackles per match.
An active, two-way presence, Santos can bring key depth to the right back position for Arsenal and eventually grow into an every-game starter.
Athletic Club LW Nico Williams
Arsenal’s biggest need is at striker, as they need to sign a proven goal-scorer to work with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, though Havertz’s emergence in recent weeks has perhaps called Jesus’ own future into question.
Regardless, striker isn’t the only area of need for Arsenal. The Gunners could also use another top-class winger in case of injury to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, as the club rely an awful lot on these two young stars.
Nico Williams could be the next big transfer battle between Chelsea and Arsenal, with LaLiga giants Barcelona likely interested in plucking one of the league’s biggest attacking standouts from Athletic Club.
But the Premier League makes more sense for Williams as a new challenge, especially since leaving Bilbao for another LaLiga side would be a hurtful step.
Williams is a dynamic, intelligent winger who can play on either side but has the most upside on the left. He is a top creator with eight assists on the season. He is averaging nearly four combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game, too. Williams has all the tools to develop into a world-class player.
Monaco CB Wilfried Singo
Ligue 1 is rich in talent, which is why it has earned the “League of Talents” moniker. Arsenal could find plenty of quality in the French top flight this summer, just as they have over the years. William Saliba had a grand time at multiple Ligue 1 clubs, especially Marseille, and Lille’s Gabriel Magalhaes was also one of the best central defenders in France during his time there.
Wilfried Singo is currently emerging as a shutdown defensive player in Ligue 1 despite being overshadowed by teenage sensation Leny Yoro, who is almost certainly going to Real Madrid this summer.
The 23-year-old Monaco man is averaging an astounding 1.4 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game while being dribbled past 0.4 times per match, making him one of the most active and productive center backs in European football.
Chelsea signed Axel Disasi from Monaco last summer, but Arsenal could be getting a better pure defender in Singo this summer. He could be a real bargain find, too, since most do not know of the work Singo is doing in Monaco this season.
Lille ST Jonathan David
Tiago Santos’ teammate Jonathan David is a much bigger name and has shown a resiliency under pressure that is required at the top, showing consistent improvement and often biting critics back with his play on the pitch.
David has overcome a slow start to the 2023/24 season to put up more big numbers for Lille, as he’s found the back of the net 16 times during the current Ligue 1 campaign.
The Canadian star uses his body well, picking up nearly two fouls per game while averaging nearly a key pass per match as the clear goal threat for Les Dogue.
Arsenal need an out-and-out No. 9 who can score goals at a high clip, hold play up, use his body, and subtly create chances in tight spaces for goal-scoring wingers.
David checks off so many boxes for the Gunners, and he could be a much better value on the transfer market than the more expensive – and prone to injury – Victor Osimhen, David’s predecessor as the main man in Lille.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He has been an editor for NFL Spin Zone, Daily DDT for pro wrestling, Autzen Zoo covering the Oregon Ducks, Musket Fire covering the New England Patriots, The Real Champs covering Real Madrid, Old Juve covering Juventus, Rush The Kop covering Liverpool, and Release The Knappen covering Schalke. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.