Arsenal 2025/26: Failure is not an option for Mikel Arteta

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Arsenal will head into the 2025/26 season desperate to put at least one piece of major silverware in their trophy cabinet.

Mikel Arteta’s appointment as manager in December 2019 was touted to be the catalyst for a sustained period of success for the Gunners.

Success in the FA Cup final just a few months later had the fanbase buzzing with excitement, but the trophy landscape has been barren since then.

Arsenal have undoubtedly improved under Arteta – a point evidenced by three consecutive second placed finishes in the Premier League.

However, the failure to get the job done has left a sour taste for fans who have wagered on the Gunners to end their lengthy title drought.

Many of them will likely turn to jackpot games with big wins this summer in the hope of refreshing their bankroll ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Landing a bumper payout on one of the top-class games may feel like a more achievable target for sports bettors than Arsenal delivering a winning return.

Most fans have been patient with Arteta up to this point, but the mood could change if the Gunners fail to bag at least one major trophy this season.

The club cannot be accused of not supporting Arteta in the transfer market having recorded a net spend of £410.78 million from 2021/22 to 2024/25.

Only Chelsea (£702.16m), Manchester United (£590.25m) and Tottenham Hotspur (£416.46m) have spent more during the same period.

The Gunners’ outlay is more than double the net figures Liverpool and Manchester City have spent, further highlighting how well Arteta has been supported.

Like many other Premier League clubs, not all of Arsenal’s recent business has been successful, particularly among their most expensive purchases.

Midfielder Declan Rice was their most expensive acquisition at £105m, while forward Kai Havertz is next on the list at £62m.

While both players have produced impressive performances during their time with the club, neither has proved to be the difference maker when it comes to winning trophies.

However, it is impossible to ignore the fact that they have not been helped by Arsenal’s failure to plug a couple of glaring holes in their squad.

Rice would be far more effective with a top-class defensive midfielder alongside him, while Havertz would produce more if he was supporting a prolific striker.

With the club are expected to address those issues this summer, Rice and Havertz should be able to consistently produce their best form.

There will likely be other tweaks made to the squad before the transfer window closes, which should resolve a handful of other issues for Arteta.

Once the jigsaw is complete at the Emirates Stadium, the manager will have no excuses he can use to explain away another season without silverware.

For a club of Arsenal’s stature, not winning the Premier League title since 2003/04 is not good enough. In fairness to Arteta, he would not argue against this point.

The Spaniard is astute enough to know that the pressure on him to deliver success will be significantly cranked up next season.

While Arsenal fans deserve credit for keeping the faith with the club’s project, they will justifiably want to see some tangible results on the pitch.

If Arteta fails to deliver over the next 12 months, the club may have no other choice than to head down a different route.

As Tottenham Hotspur showed by sacking Ange Postecoglou, football can be a brutal business, even when you deliver a major trophy.

The fanbase will be desperate for Arteta to prove he has what it takes to guide the club to the promised land in 2025/26.

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