In the last 3 seasons, Arsenal have proven they are capable of winning the Premier League.
The problem is they haven't done it since 2004. Mikel Arteta's side have already scored a hat-trick for second and two times above the 80-point mark, but have yet to win a major trophy in the last five years.
In fact, the "Gunners" have completely transformed under Arteta. However, they have not been able to turn impressive performances into specific titles. With the size of a team like Arsenal, only a title can satisfy them.
At the end of recent seasons, the Spanish captain has given enthusiastic speeches in front of fans at Emirates Stadium. Arteta has said the team will return stronger and more eagerly.
Entering his sixth full season in charge, Arteta is getting closer to building his ideal squad, although that will come with further pressures. Arsenal now have to keep their promise.
In early June this year, a part of Arsenal's fans were concerned that the club was acting too slowly in the summer transfer window. They have to witness rivals Liverpool and Manchester City creating a buzz from the start.
Since then, the new sporting director Andrea Berta has taken impressive action at some pace to complete some deals. Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Noni Madueke have all signed official contracts. Viktor Gyokeres and Cristhian Mosquera have also been close to Arsenal.
If all 6 players are taken down before the "Gunners" board the plane to Asia next week, this will be a record number of new players that Arsenal have in a pre-season tour.
Arteta's addition to the squad early in the summer will be a huge boost for their preparation. Most of the squad remains the same, but now they have many new quality faces.
After Arsenal were eliminated in the Champions League semi-finals last season, Arteta was straightforward about his future: "For me, we know what we need to do, play better and increase the chances of winning."
For most, this seems to be a signal that Arsenal will spend more in the summer transfer window to narrow the gap. Arsenal's 2024-2025 season has been plagued by injuries and has lost most of its key players for a long time.
Although The Gunners have tried to improve in the transfer market during Arteta's tenure, they still need a big boost to overcome this final barrier.
Similar transfers have also been in the works recently, with Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko signing from Manchester City in 2022. These players have given the "Gunners" a new, dynamic identity.
A year later, the club broke their England transfer record to sign Declan Rice for £105 million. This summer, Arsenal have also had a number of famous contracts with huge spending.
Arsenal will certainly object to any suggestion that Arteta is under pressure, given how far he has taken the team on the pitch. However, it would be naive to think that the pressure would be gone and that questions would not be raised if they continued to go through an empty season.
At that time, doubt would certainly surround Arteta. It is difficult to explain why such a talented group has gone through a long time without a title. And of course, it is not simply about luck.
This vibrant summer shows Arteta and Arsenal know that they are getting closer to glory. Time will tell whether they are successful in their latest effort.
