Up next in our 2024-25 Premier League season preview is the Arsenal midfield. Mikel Arteta builds his success from the back, but you could argue that his midfielders, Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard in particular, are the most important members of his squad. The Gunners are suffocating in the middle third, which shields the back four and gets the ball back to the attackers, largely due to that seemingly tireless duo.
Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Fabio Vieira, and Kai Havertz round out the midfielders listed on the club website. Does that grouping seem a player (or two) thin to anybody else? Edu and Mikel Arteta seem to think so. They’re aggressively pursuing Mikel Merino.
In case you missed it, here is our look at the Arsenal defenders and goalkeepers.
Declan Rice
Declan Rice can just about do it all. He seems to be everywhere on the pitch all at once and can fill a number of roles in the formation. That tactical flexibility and range enables Mikel Arteta to do so many different things to keep his side unpredictable and vary the looks Arsenal throw at opponents. His ability to disrupt opposing attacks before they reach midfield (and often before they make it out of the defensive third) takes significant pressure off the Arsenal defense and heaps it on the opposition. His on-ball abilities grew last season and should continue to do so this campaign.
Best-case season: takes a step forward in terms of progressive passing and goal involvements, which draws him even (or pushes him past) Rodri in the conversation for best in the Premier League / world.
Worst-case season: the vagaries related to fatigue are probably the biggest concern for Declan Rice. He looked a bit tired at the Euros and definitely wasn’t playing at the level he showed for Arsenal all season. He plays a lot of minutes, covers a ton of ground, and always puts himself about. Burnout is a risk.
Thomas Partey
Two seasons ago in the fall of 2022, Thomas Partey was among the best midfielders in the world on form and a big part of why Arsenal were so good before the World Cup. Then the injuries came (again) and he has struggled to stay fit. He really hasn’t managed a consistent run of fitness and form since. Down the stretch last season, he looked worryingly slower and off it. His performances this preseason haven’t assuaged those concerns.
There is a role for him to play this season for the Gunners, and it appears that Mikel Arteta is going to give him a chance to claim it, with probably a longer leash than many would like to see. I think he needs a bit of protecting and sheltering, which Declan Rice should be able to provide against most opponents. Partey is still an elite ball-progressor and passer, but physically, he’s not the same player and won’t provide as much defensively as in the past.
Best-case scenario: the reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated and could be chalked up to rust. He knocks off that rust, stays fit, and is an important secondary piece in the Arsenal midfield.
Worst-case scenario: the worst that could happen is Mikel Arteta continues to trust and play him even when his performances aren’t helping (or actively hurting) the team. It’s also entirely possible that he’s mostly irrelevant this season because he gets and stays hurt.
Jorginho
Jorginho might be one of the most underrated and underappreciated Arsenal players when considered in light of what he brings to the team, both on the pitch and off. The Gunners are so much smoother in possession and significantly better at keeping the ball when he’s on the pitch. His ability to pick a pass that unlocks a defense is rivaled only by Martin Ødegaard on the current roster. He’s a player Mikel Arteta can bring on both when Arsenal are chasing a goal and when they need a bit of composure on the ball to keep it away from an opponent to see out a match. And he’s a veteran leader that seems incredibly well-liked by his teammates.
His physical limitations are crystal clear at this point. He has to rely on his ability to read the game and time his interventions perfectly. If he gets it wrong, he’s not able to recover. He’ll need his teammates to cover for that shortcoming in his game.
Best-case season: at this point, he’s a situational player, so a big part of his success hinges on Mikel Arteta putting him in positions to excel. Helps Arsenal turn a loss or two into draws, and a draw or two into wins as a sub. Bumps up his goal involvements to 3-5.
Worst-case season: he hits the tipping point on the age curve where physically he just doesn’t have enough anymore. He’s made one or two costly gaffes on the ball last season, he makes an additional handful this year.
Martin Ødegaard
You could make a case that Martin Ødegaard is Arsenal’s most important player, an impressive title on a team that includes William Saliba, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka. Ødegaard is the straw that stirs the Arsenal attacking drink and he’s the first line of defense out of possession, often leading the press.
He’s looked really good this preseason, likely a result of Norway not qualifying for the Euros, allowing him proper time off.
Best-case season: Premier League Player of the Year. 25+ goal involvements. He’s the club captain, so lifts at least one team trophy.
Worst-case season: finishing, both his own and that of his teammates from his passing, slips. Like Declan Rice, he plays a lot of minutes and does a lot of running, so fatigue could play a role in a poor season.
Kai Havertz
Mikel Arteta signed Kai Havertz as a midfielder, but the German made his biggest impact leading the line for Arsenal. Havertz started the season as the preferred left #8 and did fine in the position, but the goal involvements lagged behind expectations. When Gabriel Jesus went down with injury and Havertz moved to the #9, he caught fire. He ended the season with 13 goals and 7 assists, in part thanks to a streak of 9 goals in 13 appearances to end the campaign. He doesn’t get enough credit for his work without the ball.
With Gabriel Jesus healthy, Arteta might deploy Havertz at left #8 more frequently this season, although he should get his fair share of time at #9. There will likely be matches where he plays both positions.
Best-case season: another campaign with at least 20 goal involvements, with goals coming both from leading the line and from playing in midfield.
Worst-case season: Havertz has run hot and cold in terms of finishing in his career, so a bad season definitely would see his scoring dry up. Struggles a bit with being asked to shift between two positions and doesn’t really impress in either spot.
Fabio Vieira
This is a make or break season for Fabio Vieira at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta raves about his quality and Vieira has shown it in spurts, but he hasn’t been able to stay fit long enough to make much of a lasting impression. He’s creative, an excellent ball-striker, and has more pace than you realize. Thus far, he’s had a bit of a problem with the size and strength of Premier League opponents, but he looks to have bulked up in the offseason. That he was healthy for his first full preseason since joining the club should help.
Best-case season: stays healthy, finds his form, and earns a spot in the rotation. Increase his goal contributions from 3 each of the past two season into the 5-10 range.
Worst-case season: can’t stay healthy, can’t carve out much playing time even as a regular substitute, which leads to an Arsenal exit next summer.
Tomorrow, we wrap up our player previews with a look at the attackers.
