In a weekly attritional dance for much of last season, Mikel Arteta repeatedly resisted suggestions that the title was beyond an Arsenal squad requiring an out-and-out goalscorer.
The issues were interlinked for a side whose leading marksman in the division, Kai Havertz, scored nine times. No pressure, Viktor Gyokeres, but 20 goals as part of a first Arsenal title since 2003/04 would be nice.
Arsenal have come second in each of the last three seasons under Arteta but 2024/25 was the first campaign of those in which top spot rarely looked realistic, scoring 22 fewer goals than they did in 2023/24.
With reigning champions Liverpool spending heavily and Manchester City hoping for a return to imperious form, can Arsenal challenge more convincingly this time?
Arsenal signings 2025/26
Gyokeres, who could cost £64 million, scored 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting but never made a Premier League appearance for Brighton & Hove Albion before establishing himself in the second tier with Coventry City.
Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi – a £55.8m signing from Real Sociedad – will improve the supply line as an all-rounder in midfield, where Denmark’s Christian Norgaard adds steel for a modest £15m from Brentford.
England forward Noni Madueke cost £52m from Chelsea and provides far stronger competition in attack than Arteta’s loan gamble on Raheem Sterling last season, while versatile 21-year-old defender Cristhian Mosquera has arrived for £13m after playing an astonishing number of minutes for Valencia over the last two seasons, a reliability that could be important for a backline frequented by injuries.
David Raya’s £5m understudy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, retains the distinction of being the world’s most expensive goalkeeper thanks to the £72m fee Chelsea paid Athletic Club for him in 2018.
What else might change for Arsenal in 2025/26?
Following Edu’s departure in November, Andrea Berta has his first full season as sporting director but has already made his mark with those signings, while another newcomer, 15-year-old attacking midfielder Max Dowman, has had a sparkling pre-season as an impact substitute and could feature in the league for the first time.
Martin Odegaard’s form is potentially crucial after a return of six goals and 12 assists that was underwhelming by the captain’s standards last season, and Havertz will want a repeat of the prolific start he made before a mid-season hamstring injury kept the forward out for 18 games.
Bukayo Saka was scintillating before missing the same number of matches with the same issue, directly contributing to 22 goals by December.
Where will Arsenal finish in 2025/26?
A sample size of two home friendlies has yielded the revelation that Arsenal’s fortunes are likely to hinge less on their strikers than the quality of service they receive.
Gyokeres looked isolated in the 3-2 defeat to Villarreal but scored alongside Saka and Havertz in an encouraging 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Liverpool alone, having reinforced from a position of strength, should make second place again an achievement for Arsenal. Arteta would more likely see that as a sign of inertia.
