Is Arsenal playing in the Champions League that important?

This is the goal. This is the aim. While a few months back Arsenal players and coaching staff wouldn’t be drawn into the idea of a top four finish, now they can’t avoid it.

Mikel Arteta has done an excellent job piecing together an incredibly youthful side, one hit with key injuries and carrying its fair share of individuals one wouldn’t deem Champions League quality. Yet, with four games to go, that is this where team could find itself competing next season.

Any mention of being involved in a top four battle with Tottenham and Manchester United had been batted away by the manager. Now he’s revealing that half-time team talks centre around that very goal.

Starting off with Leeds on Sunday, Arsenal could face a situation where they head to Tottenham for the North London Derby knowing that victory could seal their place among Europe’s elite. Everything is all still to play for.

Is Arsenal playing in the Champions League that important? Actually, it’s everything that comes with it which matters most to this project

The prospect of hearing that famous music echo around the Emirates Stadium again for the first time in over five years is beyond exciting. Watching an all-time Champions League classic unfold between Manchester City and Real Madrid reminded everyone of just how special this competition can be.

Of course it is vital that Arsenal are in the Champions League next season. But, truthfully, the actual games themselves matter least of all.

It’s everything that comes with being in that competition that is most important.

For what it does to the appeal of the club alone is tremendous. Arsenal have areas to bolster in their squad but they can be totally transformed with the addition of a top quality striker. That is what is missing from this team above all else and the positive impact securing the right man will have can’t be understated. Boasting the allure of Champions League football can attract the best options out there.

Speaking of which, the financial benefits of being involved in the Champions League over the Europa League are vast, too. For being in the group stages alone Arsenal would earn £13m, with £2.3m awarded for every victory.

By contrast, if you successfully make it into the Champions League and win just two group stage matches you will have secured more prize money than if you won every single game available in the Europa League. All of this without mentioning the additional cash injection from TV money, too.

But there is more than that. If Arsenal were to finish in the top four it would give credence to the project’s ethos. This is the youngest team in the whole of the Premier League, one that includes many players having their first ever taste of a campaign in the higher reaches, and a squad on the whole that will continue to improve organically, even without further coaching. As impressive of an achievement as it may be, it can only possibly get better from here.

Project youth (or project Arteta to some) will be more on track than it already is. Arsenal are becoming relevant again. At last.

Being a Champions League club is actually more valuable to Arsenal than playing in the Champions League. That isn’t to belittle how indescribably wonderful it will be to have Wednesday night football back at the Emirates, which goes without saying, just for the progress that Arsenal are making and the gap they need to bridge, simply having the Champions League tag will speed up the process.

In a nutshell, it would be transformative.