A Guard of Honour — and a New Perspective
When Arsenal visit Anfield on Sunday, they’ll perform a guard of honour for Premier League champions Liverpool. For Mikel Arteta, it’s a bitter moment — but not a defining one.
“We knew from the beginning that our squad was super short,” Mikel Arteta said. “And we had players with high injury probability based on past seasons.”
Despite falling short in the title race, the Arsenal manager pointed to a campaign shaped by adversity — not underperformance.
A Season of Setbacks — and Still, Progress
From Champions League semifinal runs to being the last English club in Europe, the Gunners still made their mark. But the grind was relentless.
While Liverpool boasted a stable lineup, Arsenal patched together teams weekly. Ødegaard, Saka, White, Havertz, Jesus, Tomiyasu — all endured layoffs. By season’s end, four starters were ruled out entirely.
“We never found that rhythm — not for lack of quality, but because of the issues we faced,” said Mikel Arteta.
Still, he remained optimistic.
“With all of that, we were still the only Premier League team in the Champions League semifinals. That’s the level we’ve reached.”
Summer Strategy: Reinforcements Incoming
Arsenal’s plans for 2025-26 are already in motion. According to ESPN, Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi is expected to be the first signing — even with Real Madrid circling.
Up front, Arteta wants firepower. The club is evaluating strikers including:
- Benjamin Šeško (Red Bull Leipzig)
- Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP)
- Alexander Isak (Newcastle United)
“We’ll do everything we can to improve the team,” Arteta confirmed. “That includes improving what we already have — and if the market gives us something to boost our chances, we’ll go for it.”
Arsenal Aren’t Done — They’re Reloading
The scars of this season might sting, but they’ve also shown Arsenal what’s needed to go the distance.
Title dreams aren’t dead. They’re being retooled.
And with Mikel Arteta still leading — and reinforcements looming — the Gunners are preparing to fire again.
