Arsenal’s terrifying XI next season as Mikel Arteta uses warchest to spend £317m | Football | Sport

Arsenal could have a truly frightening team next season as they embark on their first Premier League title defence in two decades. The north Londoners were confirmed as champions on Tuesday night, when Manchester City were held to a draw at Bournemouth. It sparked wild scenes of celebration outside the Emirates Stadium as thousands of fans gathered to mark Arsenal’s return to the summit of English football.

While the party will go on for some time, the Gunners will soon be thinking about next season as they look to secure back-to-back domestic titles. Despite being the finest team in the country, there is still room for improvement within their squad. Mikel Arteta will reportedly be handed a huge budget to sign players as he sees fit ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Here’s a look at how Arsenal could look next season if everything goes to plan in the summer…

There won’t be any need for the Gunners to find a new goalkeeper, with David Raya already among the best shot-stoppers in Europe. His distribution is crucial to the way they build from the back and he will continue to be a hugely important player next season.

Arsenal will also have Kepa Arrizabalaga to deputise in the domestic cup competitions, as well as being a dependable back-up if Raya gets injured.

Defence – Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori

Arsenal will also be able to head into next season with the same back four that carried them to the title. Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori already fit the system perfectly, with Piero Hincapie and Ben White providing unrivalled strength in depth.

In the middle, there are few better pairings in world football than William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes and Arsenal will have no interest in breaking that up.

Midfield – Rice, Tonali, Odegaard

The north Londoners may well decide to sign a new central midfielder, with Sandro Tonali probably the best option there is. He would go straight into the side, creating a formidable partnership with Declan Rice in the engine room.

Newcastle are said to be demanding around £100million to sell the Italy international, but it could be worth every penny for the Gunners. Further forward, captain Martin Odegaard would continue to shoulder the creative burden just behind the front three.

Attack – Saka, Barcola, Alvarez

This revamped front three would strike fear into the hearts of Premier League defences on a weekly basis. Arsenal’s main weakness is on the left flank and a move for Bradley Barcola, who is thought to be valued at £87m, would go a long way towards addressing it.

They could also benefit from signing a prolific striker, given that Viktor Gyokeres hasn’t really lived up to expectations. Julian Alvarez is essentially the complete forward and would be the ideal signing, though he would reportedly cost an eye-watering £130m.

Arsenal’s dream XI next season: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Tonali; Saka, Odegaard, Barcola; Alvarez.