How Arsenal’s midfield could look next season

Midfield has been the obvious next step for Arsenal since last summer, and it appears that the club will go big this year with Moises Caicedo, Declan Rice and Mason Mount being heavily targeted according to both Sam Dean and David Ornstein.

Signing all three appears to be very unlikely, with Ornstein telling FIVE Insider: “I don’t think they would go for both [Rice and Caicedo] given the costs involved. Let’s see because those clubs [West Ham and Brighton] have to be willing sellers and we don’t know what the Arsenal budget will be.”

With Champions League football secured, Arsenal will have a larger budget to work with, but some of that spending will be allocated to pre-agreed bonuses and salary increases within the squad, so not all of the £50m qualification sum will go on transfers.

Arsenal have shown that even without Champions League football they have a healthy budget to play with, and offered over £70m for Caicedo in January, showing there is a strong desire to land the Brighton midfielder.

Even with this bid, Rice has long been reported as Arsenal’s top target, and like Caicedo, has publicly spoken of his admiration for Arteta and the project.

How Arsenal’s midfield could look next season

Both players are incredible movers, who can cover ground sideways and forwards with ease, and they both do it with speed and power. That combination is extremely difficult to find, which is why the pair could easily fetch their clubs £100m each.

Both are powerful players, but they vary in height. Rice stands tall as a 6’1 leader, while Caicedo is considerably smaller at just 5′ 8. However, with his robust frame, he appears much larger on the pitch and can handle the physical battle with anyone.

Alongside the physical sides of their games, both are very secure in possession and are comfortable when pressed, again something that is difficult to find, and even more difficult to find in a package that also includes supreme running power.

With Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey, Arsenal have two players who are strong physically, and, when they’re at the top of their games, are a match for anyone, with Partey, in particular, having light feet that enable him to glide past players and comfortably control games.

But, both are on the wrong side of 30, and Arsenal have little to no options to rotate with them or no options that can add physical, aggressive defensive and offensive play in the manner that Man City have.

However, with it being unlikely both will arrive, Mason Mount has been mentioned as a target, with Dean reporting that preliminary talks have taken place.

Mount is in the last year of his contract at Chelsea and has rejected a new one, making it clear that he wants a new challenge this summer, but Arsenal face competition from Manchester United, Liverpool, Man City and Newcastle.

Despite having a poor season, Mount has shown he has huge quality and has been one of Chelsea’s star players in recent seasons, particularly in 2021/22 under Thomas Tuchel when he grabbed 11 goals and ten assists in the Premier League.

This ability in the attacking areas fits Arsenal’s need with Ornstein saying: “I think there is also desire for a more advanced central midfielder, if the money allows. That’s why they are among the clubs that like Mason Mount.”

With his work rate, intelligence, technique and creativity, Mount seems like the next step in the evolution of the left-eight role at Arsenal and would add a quicker, more mobile alternative to Xhaka, who has worked wonders there this season, despite his limitations.

If Arsenal were able to end the summer with one of Rice or Caicedo, as well as Mason Mount, it would significantly raise the technical and physical profile of the squad, and make them much more equipped for a title race.