Gabriel Magalhaes is feeling optimistic about this season, saying it “will be different†for Arsenal. He’s reflected on how they’ve “let a couple of titles slip through our fingers†in recent years, which is a tough pill to swallow.
Mikel Arteta has really shaken things up since he took over almost six years ago. Still, it’s been a while since they last lifted a major trophy—remember that FA Cup win back in 2020? That was Arteta’s first season, and since then, they’ve finished second in the Premier League for three years straight. Last season, they also faced heartbreak in the semi-finals of both the Champions League and Carabao Cup, losing to Paris St-Germain and Newcastle, who went on to win those tournaments.
Now, as Arsenal kicks off their pre-season tour in Singapore and Hong Kong, it’s a good moment to think about what changes need to happen if they want to snag a trophy for the first time in five years.
Last season was pretty rough in terms of injuries. Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli were all sidelined for long stretches, which really threw a wrench in Arsenal's attacking game. To make matters worse, striker Gabriel Jesus was out for a big chunk of the season with a serious knee injury. With so many forwards missing, midfielder Mikel Merino had to step up and play as a makeshift center-forward. And you know what? He did pretty well, scoring seven goals in 28 Premier League matches and netting a crucial goal against Real Madrid in the Champions League. But let's be real—Arteta would prefer not to have to rely on that kind of situation again.
But hey, it wasn't all doom and gloom. Those injuries actually opened the door for some young talent from the academy, like Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, to make their mark on the first team.
On a brighter note, Martin Zubimendi has finally made his much-anticipated move to the Emirates. Plus, Arsenal has bolstered their squad with goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and midfielder Christian Norgaard. And there’s more on the horizon—Noni Madueke is close to joining from Chelsea, and they’re working to finalize deals for Valencia's Cristhian Mosquera and Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres.
Gabriel is clearly excited about the new signings. He said, “[The new signings] definitely excite me. We want to have the best players because if you want to compete for titles, you have to have the best players.†He’s feeling good about the squad and believes the club is heading in the right direction with these moves.
Oh, and speaking of staying power, Gabriel himself signed a new long-term deal last month, which keeps him with Arsenal until 2029. He was already under contract until 2027, but this extension really shows just how important he is to Arteta’s long-term vision for the team in north London.