Arsenal won't challenge for the Premier League again next season considering the current squad has already reached their peak, according to Tony Adams
The north Londoners had led the league for the majority of the 2022/23 campaign before a drop in form saw Manchester City finish five points clear as Pep Guardiola and Co clinched their fifth title in six years. "I do fear that this could be as good as it gets for them,” Adams wrote for the Sun regarding the Gunners.
“I hate to sound like a prophet of doom, but I do believe that a lot of this team has already peaked. It was possibly the best season that many of them will ever have. I don’t think they’ll get to that level again.
READ MORE: Barcelona hand Mikel Arteta dream Arsenal striker transfer chance with bargain £17m summer offer
“They’re definitely not going to challenge Manchester City next season and without serious recruitment this summer it will be a struggle for them to finish runners-up again. City’s B team is better than any other Premier League side and we know that Newcastle, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea will all be much stronger next time out.”
This seems to be a common theory. That Arsenal's team blew their best-ever chance of winning the title and will soon be surpassed by teams who had an off year.
But when you look at the context, that argument makes little sense. Firstly, in Arteta's three full seasons, progress has been made each time.
A young, inexperienced coach is effectively learning on the job and he consistently learns from his mistakes. In his first full year in charge, his side managed 63 points, 68 the season after and now 84 in their most recent campaign.
Yes, progress like this doesn't guarantee better or the same results next term but it seems likely when you look at the squad the Spaniard has to work with. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, arguably the two best wingers in the Premier League last season and they're both 21 years old.
First-choice right-centre-back William Saliba only recently turned 22. Martin Odegaard produced one of the best goalscoring seasons from a midfielder in Premier League history. He's 24.
Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes and Aaron Ramsdale were three mainstays in the starting XI and they're all 25. Even the so-called more experienced stars in the team, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko are only 26. The list is endless.
What reason is there that this crop of young, hugely talented players under the tutelage of an ever-improving manager, miraculously stops improving? Adams also brings up Arsenal 'without serious recruitment' which also seems to be a regular qualm amongst sceptics, who seem to think that their rivals will recruit several signings whilst the Gunners will stay still.
But recent history has shown that Stan and Josh Kroenke are more than willing to fund significant signings. In fact, the Kroenke's are said to be handing Arteta and sporting director Edu a budget of around £180 million-plus sales, more than enough cash to build on their young high-potential squad.
Declan Rice remains the priority target, football.london understands as Arteta looks to his midfield options, with the Spaniard also keen to strengthen his backline - where Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi is one name on the north London club's shortlist of options. Arsenal's current squad is only going to get better and they will also be recruiting fresh faces.
Despite what some people say, they aren't going anywhere.
READ NEXT:
The Champions League rule changes to affect Arsenal next season as UEFA announces new format
Emile Smith Rowe's role foreshadowed and what it could mean for Declan Rice to Arsenal transfer
Mikel Arteta handed new Arsenal transfer budget as Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo lead revamp
Arsenal handed £95m Declan Rice setback as Mikel Arteta gets Pep Guardiola transfer green light
Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: £95m Declan Rice bid, James Maddison move, Joao Cancelo twist
