Arsenal is positioning itself to finally conquer Europe after a narrow defeat in the Champions League final, but several factors will be crucial for Mikel Arteta’s side to overcome that final hurdle. The club fell short of its first European Cup in 140 years after losing a penalty shootout to Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest.
Manager Mikel Arteta expressed his deep disappointment following the loss, noting the pain of being so close to winning the competition's biggest prize. For Arteta, who has not won a European trophy as a player or manager, the Champions League represents a significant benchmark for defining legacies. Despite strengthening the squad over the summer with additions like Bruno Guimaraes, Christos Tzolis, and Ezri Konsa, the path to European glory remains challenging.
Utilizing Squad Depth
A critical area for Arsenal is better utilization of its squad depth to manage player workloads. Last season, several key outfield players, including Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, William Saliba, and Gabriel, accumulated over 4,200 minutes each. Rice, in particular, played 91% of available minutes and later revealed he had been playing through hamstring pain. Arteta acknowledged the need to improve player condition management for the upcoming season. The club has acquired players such as Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has performed well in place of the injured Bruno Guimaraes, and Christian Norgaard as a backup for Zubimendi and Rice. Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are also options to cover for Saliba and Gabriel, respectively. Arteta needs to trust these players to provide adequate rest for his key personnel.
Mikel Arteta's side was a penalty shootout away from finally lifting their first European Cup against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest in May.
January Transfer Window Considerations
The striker position presents another area for potential reinforcement. Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 21 goals across all competitions last season after Kai Havertz's injury, has seen his role diminish with Havertz's full return to fitness. Gyokeres has made only limited substitute appearances this season. Beyond Havertz and Gyokeres, Arsenal’s options upfront are limited, with midfielder Mikel Merino potentially being deployed as a temporary solution. Having failed to secure targets such as Vinicius Junior, Julian Alvarez, or Lautaro Martinez, the club may look to players like Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi in the January transfer window, a player Arteta reportedly admires.
Eli Junior Kroupi scored home and away for Bournemouth against Arsenal last season - could he be the missing piece in Arteta's puzzle?
Jurrien Timber's Return
The full fitness of defender Jurrien Timber is also a significant factor. Timber, who was only partially fit during the Champions League final and came on as a substitute, is considered defensively solid and an impactful attacking presence from right back. He was voted into the PFA Team of the Year last season. Timber has been on a lengthy recovery from a groin injury sustained in March, which ruled him out of the Netherlands' World Cup squad. He has resumed light training and is in contention for an upcoming fixture. His complete return to form and fitness would be a considerable boost for Arsenal, particularly in the latter stages of European competitions.
In Myles Lewis-Skelly and Bruno Guimaraes, Arteta has two high-class options he can call on to give Rice a rest.
Gabriel's decisive miss from the spot was an agonising end to a season that could have been historic.