The dust may only just be settling on the current Premier League season, but Mikel Arteta will already have in his mind the changes Arsenal need to make over the summer to make it third time lucky and win the title next year.
The Gunners have come so close this year and have clearly improved from their first taste of a title race under Mikel Arteta, so Arsenal will be looking for the final pieces in the jigsaw.
But of course, it would be no surprise to see some familiar faces moved on as Arsenal look to fund the changes which see them improve again.
And one player who appears to have more than a huge question mark over his future is Thomas Partey, despite the Ghanaian starting the club’s final five league games of the campaign.
Arsenal see why Thomas Partey needs to be moved on this summer
Signing Partey was a real statement for £45 million from Arsenal at a time when they were looking to bridge that gap to the title chasers. And when he has been available, the 30-year-old has often been excellent.
However, relying Partey to stave off injuries has been extremely difficult, and it seems that Mikel Arteta may be ready for a change.
Arsenal could even be willing to sell Partey for just £10 million over the summer. And his mediocre performance against Everton on the final day of the campaign perhaps showed why.
Partey picked up a yellow card after struggling to keep up with Dwight McNeil as Everton launched one of several counter attacks. From the free-kick, Sean Dyche’s side took the lead.
Gunners have eye on potential upgrade
Arsenal did go on to win 2-1 against the Toffees, but had the visitors had a little more composure in the final third, you would imagine that David Raya would have been a lot busier and perhaps would have had to pick the ball out of the back of his net more than once.
Partey has to take some of the responsibility for that as he simply did not provide the backline with the support they needed.
Arsenal have their eye on Bruno Guimaraes, so they clearly see the middle of the park as one area they can improve in. They also have Declan Rice who can move around the various positions to help anyone who does come in.
Partey definitely played his role in elevating Arsenal into the force they now are, but perhaps the Gunners have now reached a point where they need even more.
The margins are that tight.