Arsenal fans are still drowning their sorrows in the Football Transfer Tavern, following their Champions League exit on Tuesday evening.
In typical fashion, the Gunners crashed out at the last 16 stage after a first leg horror show. And despite a much improved performance, it was once again a case of so near but yet so far, as Arsene Wenger’s side managed a 2-0 win in Monaco.
The 3-1 defeat from the first leg proved costly in the end, and for the fifth consecutive season the Gunners have failed to make the Champions League quarter finals.
Failure to launch a Premier League title challenge has been another source of frustration this season, and Wenger will be looking to avoid the wrath of supporters by finishing as runners up to Chelsea – they now just sit a point behind leaders Chelsea – and retaining the FA Cup, after a semi final draw with Championship Reading.
Next season supporters will demand a serious challenge for either the Premier League or Champions League however.
Here we have identified the dream starting XI next term to help them do that.
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Click on Arsene Wenger to reveal the dream starting XI for Arsenal next season
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Iker Casillas
Real Madrid continue to be linked with a move for Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, which would see club legend Iker Casillas drop down the pecking order.
Casillas has won all there is to win at club and international level, and the Gunners are in need of a world class goalkeeper.
The Spain captain has been linked previously, and may well fancy a new challenge should De Gea arrive at the Bernabeu this summer.
Mathieu Debuchy
The Frenchman started brightly for Arsenal following his summer switch from Newcastle United, but has endured an injury plagued season since.
He looked the ideal replacement for Bacary Sagna at full back early on, and also covered at centre back on occasions when Laurent Koscielny was injured.
Arsenal fans will be hoping he can stay fit next season, so they get to see the best of him on a consistent basis at last.
Gabriel Paulista
The Brazilian was only signed in the January just gone, and has only featured a few times for his new club. He has already impressed Arsenal fans with his reading of the game and his pace in the centre back position.
Paulista speaks little English at present, so the time between now and the end of the season will be seen as a settling in period.
Arsenal fans will hope to see him feature consistently next season, and prove himself as the long term successor to Per Mertesacker.
Laurent Koscielny
There are plenty of Arsenal fans who believe they would have mounted a title challenge, had Laurent Koscielny not missed three months of the season through injury.
The Gunners record with and without the Frenchman is startlingly different in terms of results, and it is no surprise their form has rapidly improved since his re-introduction into the team shortly after Christmas.
There are high hopes Koscielny will go on to form an excellent partnership with January signing Paulista next season.
Kieran Gibbs
Kieran Gibbs has been a model of consistency for a couple of years now at the Emirates, whilst Nacho Monreal has also done little wrong during the times in which he has been called upon.
Arsene Wenger is unlikely to see any reason to go on the hunt for a new left back in the summer, with Gibbs seemingly improving by the season – so much so in fact he has moved ahead of the likes of Leighton Baines and Luke Shaw in the England pecking order in recent internationals.
Morgan Schneiderlin
Arsenal’s need for a defensive midfielder has been apparent for more than two years, yet the right deal simply hasn’t come along for Arsene Wenger.
Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin is thought to be the top target for the summer, with the fact Arsenal are expected to beat bitter north London rivals Tottenham to the deal set to make it all the more sweet for supporters.
Schneiderlin is a France international, and has been outstanding on the south coast for the past two seasons now. he is the ideal man to sit and allow Arsenal’s attacking talents to go forward and flourish.
William Carvalho
The 22-year-old is considered to be one of Europe’s brightest young midfielders, and Arsenal have registered themselves as interested.
With Juventus star Paul Pogba said to be going for a massive £70million in the summer, Sporting Lisbon star Carvalho would represent the next best thing perhaps, and at £40million cheaper.
Wenger’s record of developing young players may well come in handy as the Gunners go head-to-head with domestic rivals Liverpool and Chelsea for his signature in the summer.
Santi Cazorla
The Spaniard looks set to challenge Alexis Sanchez for all the main prizes at Arsenal’s end of season awards, having shone in a central midfield position during the second half of the season.
Cazorla has been linked with a return to Spain, with reigning La Liga champions Atletico Madrid said to be interested.
His performances in the big games especially this season have been superb, and it is crucial Arsenal hang onto him in the summer.
Alexis Sanchez
Even the most passionate of Arsenal supporters would find it difficult to deny Alexis Sanchez has carried the Gunners for much of the season.
The Chilean has been an instant hit in the Premier League, with his goals establishing the Gunners firmly amongst the top four.
There is no doubt Arsenal lose something when Sanchez is not in the side through injury, and supporters expect him to go from strength to strength once he gets his first season in English football under his belt.
Julian Draxler
The German starlet has been on Arsenal’s radar for a couple of years now, and Schalke have accepted they won’t be able to hang onto him for much longer.
Draxler came close to sealing a switch to Arsenal in January 2014, and in the time that has passed since fellow German Mesut Ozil has continued to disappoint.
Ozil has been quietly linked with a return to Germany. If that proves to be the case this summer, Arsenal would do well to trade him in for 21-year-old Draxler, a player with an eye for goal and enormous potential in that attacking third.
Edinson Cavani
Arsenal were said to be amongst the clubs keen on signing Edinson Cavani in the summer of 2013, before PSG tempted him to Ligue 1 with a £50million offer.
Cavani has been linked with a move away consistently since, with reports claiming the Uruguayan is fed up of being deployed on the right hand side by Laurent Blanc.
Whilst Olivier Giroud has made a decent case to start next season as Arsenal’s first choice striker, Cavani would offer that pace in behind, and a proven track record of scoring goals consistently for every club he has played for.
