The Gunners are still coming to terms with a dismal finish to last season but, with the right moves, they can hit the ground running in 2022-23…
From transfers to contracts, there is an awful lot of work to do at Arsenal this summer.
After last season's disappointing finish, Mikel Arteta will be desperate to ensure his squad is ready to hit the ground running when the Premier League resumes in August.
But to do that, there are plenty of things that need to be sorted to give the Gunners the best possible chance of getting their ambitious project back on track.
Below, GOAL takes a look at what needs to be done to make this a perfect summer for Arsenal…
Getty ImagesSigning Jesus
Arsenal went into the summer with one clear priority in the transfer market.
With Alexandre Lacazette leaving and with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having departed a few months earlier, the need for a new central striker was clear.
Even with Eddie Nketiah signing a new contract, bringing in a new frontman was always going to be crucial to Arsenal’s summer.
Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus was the man they identified as their priority target and lots of work has gone into bringing the four-time Premier League winner to north London.
Mikel Arteta has been desperate to get Jesus as he is the player he wants to make the focal point of his attack.
The £45 million ($55m) deal has now been done and the striker completed his medical on Tuesday before spending the afternoon meeting his new team-mates during a visit to Arsenal's training centre at London Colney.
An official announcement is forthcoming and when it does arrive, it will be the hugely important moment in Arsenal's summer.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWinning the race for Martinez and landing a winger
Jesus is not the only priority when it comes to transfers for Arsenal.
Although signing a central striker is crucial, they also want to add another wide player to their attacking options and have targeted Raphinha.
An offer was made to Leeds United for the winger, but it was rejected and Chelsea are now believed to be closing in on the 25-year-old.
Arteta wants to transform his attacking options and add far more goal threat to his squad and the addition of Raphinha, added to the arrival of Jesus, would certainly have done that.
But even if they lose out to Chelsea, which now looks likely, there is plenty of time to move on to other targets and bring someone in who can bolster Arsenal's attacking options.
The move for Raphinha shows the Gunners are prepared to invest heavily on a wide player and they will have several other options on their list.
If they find the right player, then Arteta's attack will have a fresh new look to it by the start of the season.
Strengthening in defence is also key to Arsenal's summer and they are pushing hard to sign Lisandro Martinez from Ajax.
Manchester United are also keen on the Argentina defender, who can play at centre-back, left-back or in defensive midfield.
Arsenal have already bid twice for Martinez and are hoping to get a deal done ahead of their Premier League rivals.
Winning the race for the 24-year-old would be a major boost to the Gunners.
Getty.Finding a buyer for Pepe
Technical director Edu has a lot of big jobs on his hands this summer, none more difficult than trying to find a club for Nicolas Pepe.
The Ivory Coast international arrived amid huge fanfare in 2019 when Arsenal spent a club record £72m ($88m) to sign him from Lille.
But despite some flashes of quality, inconsistency has plagued his time in north London and he is now very much on the periphery of things under Arteta.
Arsenal would like to move him on this summer and the player, who switched agents a couple of months ago, is also keen to try something new.
But his high wages and Arsenal’s hopes of recouping at least some of the huge fee they spent on him just three years ago, make any potential deal difficult to pull off.
It’s a major headache for the club, one that Edu has to try and cure.
GettySorting Saka's contract
Another vitally important part of Arsenal’s summer.
Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s jewel in the crown right now and he only has two years left on his contract.
Securing his long-term future is crucial and it has to be done as soon as possible.
Arsenal simply can’t afford to let the winger get down to the final year of his current deal. It would leave them in such a precarious position.
Saka has been player of the season two years in a row and deserves to be rewarded with a contract that reflects his importance to the side.
If he’s not, then every single top club across Europe will be knocking on his agent’s door – if they are not already.