Arsenal has watched as its Premier League rivals have grappled with Champions League challenges, while the Gunners have been consistently involved in the mix. Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Chelsea are all in contention, though Chelsea’s inclusion is somewhat surprising given their hefty transfer spending.
Upon the dismissal of Graham Potter as Chelsea’s manager, Mikel Arteta remains at the helm for Arsenal. With the former Brighton boss out of the picture, the search for his replacement is underway, with ex-Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann being the current favorite.
If the talented young coach makes the move to West London, it could have implications for the league and Arsenal, especially if the German takes charge at Chelsea. If you want to compare prices for Arsenal tickets to watch the game live, you can check this site.
Let’s examine three things that could “definitely” happen.
Impact on the title race
Arsenal and Manchester City have each faced Chelsea once this season. Both teams’ trips to Stamford Bridge resulted in 1-0 victories, an ironic coincidence.
Gabriel Magalhães netted for the Gunners, while Riyad Mahrez scored for City. These results confirmed that the Blues were no longer title contenders and instead focused on a rebuilding project, at least until they sacked their head coach.
Chelsea will travel to both Arsenal and City before the season’s end. Man City will host potentially Nagelsmann’s Chelsea in a decisive match on April 29th, which could be crucial in the race for European spots and the league title.
Arteta becomes third youngest
If Nagelsmann arrives, there’s no disputing this fact. At 35, the German would be the league’s youngest head coach.
Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil, 39, and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, 41, would move to second and third, respectively. Arsenal’s reputation for fielding a young squad and hiring the league’s youngest manager has been challenged by Chelsea’s recent youth investment.
However, the Gunners wouldn’t be negatively affected by this. Having a once youthful team is natural, as it allows for greater learning and development opportunities.
Regarding transfers, a youthful appearance and approach are essential. Nagelsmann’s excellent track record with young players could make him and his staff a perfect fit for Chelsea’s promising talents, thanks to their experience with RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim.
Transfer rivalry intensifies
As mentioned earlier, Chelsea has been spending vast amounts to secure several of Arsenal’s transfer targets and even one of their players. Mykhailo Mudryk and João Félix were both on the Gunners’ radar, but they ultimately moved to West London, while Omari Hutchinson left Arsenal’s youth setup last summer to join Chelsea’s first team.
Nagelsmann has experience signing players for a rising team like RB Leipzig and a title-challenging club like Bayern. He can apply his knowledge from both situations to help shape Chelsea’s strategy.
For Arsenal to have any chance of outmaneuvering Chelsea this summer, Edu Gaspar must step up, especially if they aim to become a consistent title threat.