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Arsenal won the FA Cup last season and started the new season by lifting the FA Community Shield.
If only these two pieces of silverware were enough to talk about Arsenal's form since last season. An eighth-place finish in the 2019-20 Premier League does not paint the complete picture as Arsenal's two recent trophies would suggest.
It was an erratic season at the Emirates Stadium, to say the least. There were two managerial changes, a lot of instability in the boardroom and inconsistent performances on the pitch that led to unrest and backlash from the fans.
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The low point of Arsenal's 2019-20 season was the sacking of Unai Emery in November. The Spaniard was supposed to be the man to carry Arsenal to domestic and European success, given his track record with Sevilla in the Europa League.
However, after a run of indifferent results, the Arsenal board decided to give Emery the sack. Former player Mikel Arteta, who was Pep Guardiola's number two at Manchester City and earmarked for success by his mentor, was brought in to transform the club's fortunes.
Since the hiring of Arteta, Arsenal have had a slight resurgence in form and are playing a style of football that the fans have come to appreciate.
After winning the FA Cup to qualify for the Europa League, Arsenal wasted no time in making additions to their squad this summer. They acquired Willian on a three-year deal from Chelsea and bought Gabriel for €30 million from Lille while William Saliba arrived after his loan spell with St. Etienne.
However, there is one area of the field where Arsenal lack depth and quality: it is at the back. That has been the case with the North London club since the days of Arsene Wenger as defensive frailties have blighted Arsenal over the years. Therefore, bringing in personnel to bolster their defence could significantly improve Arsenal's performances in various domestic competitions and in Europe.
5 players who could help solve Arsenal's defensive problems:
#5: Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig)
21-year-old French centre-back Dayot Upamecano has been a revelation during the last two seasons while playing for German club RB Leipzig.
His strong performances in the knockout rounds of the 2019-20 Champions league helped Leipzig reach the semifinals of the competition for the first time. Upemecano was also a key player in the Bundesliga last season as Leipzig finished a creditable third.
Dayot Upamecano has been linked with a host of top European clubs, with Manchester United reportedly set to trigger his release clause this summer. Barcelona have also registered interest in Upamecano. That gives Arsenal a lot of competition to deal with if they decide to enter the race for the Frenchman.
The RB Leipzig defender would add pace, physicality and stability to Arsenal's defence which has lacked any sort of consistency and reliability in recent times. Upamecano will, however, not come cheap and may not be on the wishlist of Mikel Arteta, given the limited spending capacity of Arsenal this summer.
#4: Samuel Umtiti (FC Barcelona)
Samuel Umtiti seemed to have the world at his feet after forming a successful centre-back pairing alongside Raphael Varane in France's victorious 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign. Prior to that quadrennial tournament, Umtiti enjoyed two successful seasons at Barcelona where he made the centre-back position his own alongside Gerard Pique.
However, post the World Cup, Umtiti has been afflicted by numerous injuries that have led to a dip in his form and Barcelona signing fellow Frenchman Clement Lenglet from Sevilla for €35 million.
After being reportedly told by new Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman that he does not have a future at the club, Umtiti has been put up for sale to raise funds for new player arrivals.
At 26, the Frenchman is still young and possesses all the qualities and physical attributes required to succeed in the Premier League. He would be a valuable acquisition for any top Premier League club, especially Arsenal whose defenders lack the speed and physicality of Umtiti.
#3: Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal)
Arsenal acquired Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes from Lille for a fee of €30 million.
Magalhaes. who had been the subject of interest from some of the top clubs in Europe like Manchester United, decided to sign with Arsenal and be a part of Mikel Arteta's project.
Gabriel Magalhaes will add youth, physicality and pace to a weak and error-prone Arsenal defence. The signing of the Brazil U20 international will excite Arsenal fans, given the hype surrounding the player's potential.
However, considering that Arsenal's recent Ligue 1 signings like Nicolas Pepe, Alexandre Lacazette and Laurent Koscielny took time to settle in the Premier League, Margalhaes may not hit the ground running.
#2: Tyron Mings (Aston Villa)
Tyron Mings represents the type of player that most Premier League clubs , especially Arsenal, are looking to sign this summer.
Mings is a tall, strong and quick English defender who has experience in the top-flight of English football. He received his first England callup in August last year and was a part of the Three Lions team for the 2020 UEFA Euro qualifiers as well.
The 27-year-old centre-back has come off a gruelling season with Aston Villa who escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth on the last day of the season. Mings was one of Villa's rare shining lights in an otherwise underwhelming season.
Tyron Mings may be a good investment for Arsenal but will not come cheap. He is a full England International who is approaching his prime. Aston Villa will look to ward off any potential suitors for Mings by slapping a hefty price tag on the player, similar to the £80 million they quoted for their much sought-after midfielder Jack Grealish.
#5: William Saliba (Arsenal)
William Saliba joined Arsenal on a long-term contract for £27 million from Saint-Etienne in July 2019 but was immediately loaned back to the French club for the entirety of the 2019-20 season.
In Saliba, Arsenal have acquired a young, dynamic centre-back with bags of potential and possibly a long future ahead of him at the club.
Arsenal, on several occasions in the past , have succeeded in signing exciting prospects from the French league. The club's fans will be hoping that Saliba will fall into the same category as Koscielny, Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy.
The Gunners will hope that Saliba's season-long loan spell at Saint-Etienne would have given him valuable experience at the top level.
