Arsenal won the Premier League thanks to a balanced team, instead of relying on an individual capable of deciding the match. Bruno Fernandes being voted Player of the Year by the PFA further highlights that difference.
Mikel Arteta's team has up to 5 players in the PFA Team of the Year, including Declan Rice, David Raya, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber, but no attacking star has been honored.
This is a point worth considering for Arsenal. They won the championship with a 7-point gap, even though they did not own the striker with the most outstanding performance in the league. The certainty, organizational ability and fighting spirit of the whole team played a big role in that success. Therefore, the question is whether Arsenal will win the championship even without an attacking star, or is it the structure that is not dependent on an individual that has helped them maintain their strength throughout the season?
Developments in the summer 2026 transfer market partly show Arsenal's answer. After the season ended, The Gunners' board of directors determined that it was necessary to increase the quality of the attack. Arsenal once tried to recruit Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior but failed. Currently, they are still negotiating with Atletico Madrid about Julian Alvarez, a striker valued at over 100 million pounds.
Arsenal's pursuit of Alvarez shows that they do not want to rely solely on the formula that brought the championship last season. They want to add a player capable of making a difference at important times. However, that also raises a question. Will the appearance of a superstar really help Arsenal become stronger, or will it change the balance that is the foundation of their success?
The modern Premier League seems to be emphasizing collective strength more than before. Except for Erling Haaland, the league does not have many strikers who possess superior influence compared to the rest. Cases like Florian Wirtz or Michael Olise also suggest a different perspective. Wirtz is considered one of the top talents when playing in Germany, while Olise is only really recognized at the superstar level after moving to Bayern Munich.
Jude Bellingham is also another example. If he had chosen Liverpool instead of Real Madrid, it is not certain that the English midfielder would have developed on the right path. The playing environment, tactical system and role in the team can greatly affect how a player develops their qualities.
Rice has every reason to be honored, but the more important thing lies in the message behind the voting results. Arsenal possesses many good players in each position and does not let the whole strength of the team depend on one star.
That may be an important characteristic of the current Premier League. An outstanding player still has the ability to change the game, but to maintain strength throughout the season, a team needs stability. Arsenal has proven this with the championship last season.
However, Arsenal's pursuit of Alvarez also reflects the ambition to improve the strength of the current team. The challenge for Arteta is not only to bring one more star into the squad, but also to ensure that player integrates into the system without losing the balance that has helped Arsenal succeed.
In the end, Arsenal's story raises a bigger question for top teams. In the Premier League, is a superstar really more important than a balanced team? Arsenal's success last season is leaning the answer towards team strength.
