Arsenal will be disappointed after coming agonizingly close to winning the Premier League this season but finishing second best to Manchester City despite their valiant efforts.
The Gunners will however take solace in all the positive signs they have shown throughout the campaign, slugging it out at the top with arguably the best team in Europe and pushing them until the final matchday.
Soccernet.football has ranked the best 5 players from Arsenal’s 2023/2024 campaign.
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5. Gabriel Magalhães
After initially seeming to fall out of favor with Arteta early in the season with the arrival of Jurrien Timber from Ajax, Gabriel went on to become a regular face in the Gunners’ back line after Timber suffered an ACL injury.
Throughout this period, he elevated his performance, forming one half of England’s best center-back pairing alongside William Saliba.
The Brazilian was also a significant threat from set-pieces, scoring four goals, including two against Crystal Palace. The turnaround was remarkable, given that he appeared to be out of favor at the start of the season.
4. Kai Havertz
Havertz made the switch from West to North London last summer in a deal worth €75 million. The German came under considerable criticism during his initial months as a Gunner.
However, the 24-year-old has silenced his detractors in recent months after comfortably reaching double figures in goals and providing several crucial assists.
Havertz, a natural attacking midfielder, mostly played out of position this season, operating as Arterta’s center forward, a role in which he managed to impress for most of the season.
Havertz notched 13 goals and created another 7 across 37 Premier League appearances for the Gunners this season.
3. Martin Odegaard
The Norwegian midfield maestro who was the heartbeat of the Gunners last season had a slow start to the just concluded campaign before suffering an injury in November.
However, the Gunners skipper turned things around in the second half of the season, orchestrating Arsenal’s play in the final third, with his exceptional passing ability, illuminating the Emirates in recent months.
Odegaard also scored crucial goals, contributing 17 goal involvements in 35 Premier League appearances to justify the faith Arteta placed in him when naming him club captain in 2022.
2. Declan Rice
When the Gunners splashed over £100m on Rice last summer, many questioned the investment. However, The England international proved to be well worth the hefty price tag.
His dramatic stoppage-time goal against Manchester United sent the Emirates into a frenzy back in September, and he excelled in north London since then.
Initially playing as Arteta’s deepest midfielder, his dominant performances made Gunners fans quickly forget the absent Thomas Partey. In the second half of the campaign, Rice also showcased his attacking abilities in a No. 8 role.
Rice contributed an impressive 7 goals and 8 assists across 37 Premier League appearances for the Gunners this campaign.
1. Bukayo Saka
Arsenal’s standout performer, Saka was at the center of everything positive about Arteta’s Gunners. His goals were especially crucial in the early part of the season, when Arsenal were still figuring out their best attacking setup.
During this period, Saka was consistently decisive, and he was equally influential in January and February, scoring eight goals in just seven Premier League games.
Arteta heavily utilized the 22-year-old forward who managed to stay available for nearly the entire campaign. While he might not always have received the recognition he deserved this season, there’s no doubt he was Arsenal’s best attacker.
Saka’s tally of 16 goals and 9 assists in 35 league appearances is the highest total goal contributions by any Arsenal player this season.
