It might be a sobering morning for Arsenal as they awake the day after Manchester City were crowned champions for the sixth time under Pep Guardiola. The reality remains that their challenge to become title winners is incredibly tough.

The Premier League will go into its 21st season since the last Arsenal victory when the Invincibles lifted the trophy in 2004. However, despite the disappointment of yesterday, there are reasons to be both optimistic and excited about what is to come.

In fact, confidence should be at an all-time high for Arsenal with many factors combining in 2024/25, which gives the Gunners the best shot at winning the biggest prize for a third season running. With that in mind, football.london breaks down the three reasons why Arsenal are in line to lift the Premier League next year.

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Mikel Arteta

The first is the biggest and the least surprising of the bunch. Mikel Arteta has taken this team to heights that few would have predicted, the frustration being that so far they have just one FA Cup and two Community Shields to show for it.

His Arsenal team certainly lacks the established world class figures like Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira and so on, yet the Spaniard extracted both more goals and more wins with this team, and break new records too.

Even the Invincibles' points tally of 90 would not have been enough to win the league this season. Arteta has created a group of hungry, committed players who are hellbent on trying to win. His words to the fans of, "do not be satisfied" hit hard, and gave belief to the fans.

He is the best manager Arsenal could have, bar perhaps only his adversary at Man City. Any club in the world would be looking to Arteta as the prime candidate to be their next coach were he available, and he remains the biggest weapon the club have in the hopes of winning a title.

Ever-improving, ever-growing

Look at Manchester City's squad and in addition to the brilliant Phil Foden and Erling Haaland, two younger stars, City have some of the best experienced players in the league. Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake and more and this young Arsenal side have so much growth still to take.

This is the superpower the Gunners have at their disposal, the ability to get better and better as the side matures and improves. Just two points, in fact, two goals was the difference it turned out between winning and losing the title.

Another year on, a fully fit Jurrien Timber in the squad and the gap looks more than assailable. The challenge is to avoid regression and to keep the momentum and belief despite the toll two failed challenges could have on the team.

Money to be spent

This summer the plan remains the same as it was last year: bring quality in and upgrade the group to provide a greater competitive edge to the side. There are arguably needs in all areas of the team, and the hope that Arsenal will compete more effectively across competitions will grow further with more investment.

A striker, winger, central midfielder, defender and goalkeeper are on the list of wanted profiles. Names have emerged in their plenty but there does not appear many standout options unlike there was with Declan Rice in 2023.

Benjamin Sesko seems to be the leading centre-forward candidate while in midfield Bruno Guimaraes has taken a slight lead. A winger and defender look less clear, though, and with a European Championship and Copa America it is billed to be an unpredictable but hopefully ambitious summer.