After being absent from the Champions League for over six years, Arsenal reached the semi-finals at just the second time of asking under Mikel Arteta.
Despite a 3-1 aggregate defeat to PSG, the Gunners can hold their head high following their campaign, which saw them humiliate current holders Real Madrid home and away.
The club themselves posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the squad had ‘come of age’ this season, a phrase that should give Arsenal fans hope for the coming years as they look to win trophies under Arteta, who is ranked at no.4 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best managers in the world right now.
Arteta has changed the culture of the club, now he needs the backing to take them to the next level
Sections of the Arsenal fanbase are growing frustrated with Arteta following another season without a major trophy, leaving the 2020 FA Cup as still the only major honour the Gunners have won under his stewardship.
Each season has seen progression however, and Arsenal are edging closer to taking the leap and clinching one of the trophies available to them.
The view appears to be supported by Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague. Appearing on The Sports Agents podcast he said: “Yep, they didn’t win [the tie vs PSG]. But there is a progression at this club. It’s quite clear. There’s a progression.
“They were out of the Champions League for six years. Mikel Arteta comes in; he changes a culture of the club. So hard to do.
“Mikel Arteta has done his job. He’s stabilised the team. The team is stable. You know what you’re going to get; you know they’re going to compete physically.
“To the ‘Mikel out’ brigade, sorry, but you’ve got a manager there for a while!”
Some of the criticism levelled at Arteta revolves around his squad building. Arsenal seem light in some departments, notably striking and attacking options with natural centre-midfielder Mikel Merino having to deputise following injury to Kai Havertz in February.
Andrea Berta was hired as the new Sporting Director in March and many believe this is a move that will propel Arsenal to the next level.
“The way that the role of Andres Berta has been explained to me by the club, he’s not coming in to be the assistant to Mikel,” Balague said on The Sports Agents podcast.
“He comes in at the same level as Mikel Arteta to say, ‘Okay, tell me the profile you need. I’m going to get you the player…’ This is the guy that everybody expects to take arsenal to the next level. Now that they’re stable, they need better quality.”
The rumour mill has been going into overdrive surrounding Arsenal already, with names such as Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres all mentioned in the past few weeks as they look to prepare a more solid title challenge next season.
It is yet to been seen where Arsenal prioritise ahead of the new season, but it does seem a striker will be top of the shopping list.
