 but, for now, he provides yet another option. City, by contrast, have Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez and Jack Grealish as their only three recognised forward players. Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva can also play on the flanks, but are regarded by many as attacking midfielders rather than forwards. Young Cole Palmer will surely have more minutes this season, but he is far from being an established senior player. It is a similar story in midfield, where Arsenal have added the versatile Rice to a list of options that already included Jorginho, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith-Rowe and Fabio Vieira. Only in defence do Arsenal look notably shallower than City, who have Kyle Walker, Joao Cancelo, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias in the current squad. Josko Gvardiol, meanwhile, is joining for £77 million . By any measure, it is a formidable back line. Of course, the transfer window remains open. City could yet add a new forward, and they are thought to be considering a move for Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise. For now, though, the Treble winners appear unusually light, at a time when Arsenal are bulking up.){kind=link}
Arsenal sustained a prolonged title challenge last season but fell apart in the final stages – that could be different this season
If 2022 was the year Arsenal built a team capable of challenging for the league, then the hope in north London is that 2023 is the year they have constructed a squad that is strong enough to get over the line. Title races are not an 11-man endeavour and Arsenal know that depth is just as important as the quality of Mikel Arteta’s first-choice lineup.
Internally, there is an acceptance at Arsenal the lack of top-class backup options proved fatal in their battle with Manchester City last term. Arteta’s side were the best team in the league when their key players were fit but once they suffered a few injuries, momentum was lost. The absence of defenders William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu, in the same match in March, will go down as the turning point of their campaign.
Now, as they prepare to face City again in Sunday’s Community Shield, Arsenal’s squad seems stronger – and deeper – than at any point in recent years. In 2023 alone they have added Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior, Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice. Aside from Jorginho, all of those players can play in multiple positions.
Those signings since the turn of the year have cost Arsenal in the region of £250 million. The result is that Arteta has more options to choose from than ever before.