Arsenal edged their way past Reading at Wembley on Saturday evening, to book their place in the final of the FA Cup for the second season running.
Arsene Wenger’s men will take on Aston Villa for the trophy on May 30, knowing a win will all but buy the Frenchman some more time to launch a serious title challenge.
Any hopes of one this season were pretty much finished with by October, whilst another disappointing Champions League season has got supporters demanding better next term.
We can expect some new singings in the summer, with Borussia Dortmund centre back Mats Hummels a name that has been consistently mentioned.
Here we have identified five reasons as to why the Gunners should go after the German when the transfer window opens.
[ffc-gallery]
Click on Mats Hummels to reveal five reasons why Arsenal should sign him
[/ffc-gallery]
Per Mertesacker looks past it
Could it be one German centre back for another at the Emirates this summer?
Per Mertesacker was excellent last season, but this term it has been a different story.
He has looked a further yard off the pace than usual, and struggled to lead the side when Koscielny sat out the first half of the season – a time in which Arsenal lost too many points to sustain a title challenge.
The World Cup winner is coming towards the end of his career, and it would not be a surprise if Wenger started to phase him out of the side next season.
Paulista needs time to settle
Arsenal fans have liked what they have seen from their January signing so far, but never-the-less he will need time to settle into English football.
The Brazilian was excellent for Villarreal in La Liga, and has looked at home during his brief time in English football so far – so much so in fact many Arsenal fans predict he will be a first choice next season.
Wenger would be naive to think he has found the answer in Gabriel however, and another experienced and classy centre back the likes of Hummels would compliment him perfectly.
Koscielny’s fitness record is poor
The Frenchman has become a key player for Arsenal in recent years, and it is not a surprise their season has picked up following his return during the second half of this season.
But Koscielny has missed large chunks of the past two seasons with injury, meaning Arsenal simply cannot count on him when it matters.
The gamble to go into this season with only Mertesacker and Koscielny as the senior centre backs backfired on Wenger almost immediatley, and was forced to play youngsters and full backs in an unfamilar role as the Gunners saw their title challenge fault by October.
It would be foolish to make the same mistake again this summer.
Hummels offers proven quality, leadership, and experience
A criticism that has often been levelled at Arsenal is that they do not have enough big characters or leaders in the side.
During his career at Dortmund and with Germany, Hummels has been forced to show quality and leadership on numerous occasions, no more so than last summer when he helped the Germans to World Cup glory in Brazil.
This season at Dortmund has been a struggle, but Hummels has remained committed to turning things around, and has helped the club steer themselves clear of relegation worries.
With Jurgen Klopp announcing he will be leaving in the summer, Arsenal may never get a better to chance a proven leader, and top class defender.
He has plenty of European experience
Arsenal’s record in Europe over the past five years has been dreadful, with the Gunners exiting at the last 16 of the Champions League on each occasion.
Their exit to Monaco this season was especially embarrassing, and full of incredibly naive defending.
Hummels may well be the man who can help them turn their European fortunes around, given his experience in the competition with Dortmund.
He played a major part in their unexpected run to the final in 2013, where Bayern Munich pipped them to the trophy.
An Arsenal side with Hummels at centre back would have far more of a chance of getting past the last 16 phase than a side without.
