Six Arsenal players may play bigger roles in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal setup next season as Gunners prepare for Champions League football.
Futballnews takes a look at the six Arsenal players that may likely break into the ‘big role players’ for the Gunners’ Champions League showdown next season.
Emile Smith Rowe
Smith Rowe, 22, leads the list of Arsenal out-of-favor players that may be called in for a bigger role next season. He was instrumental in the Gunners’ 2021/22 campaign, scoring 11 goals with two assists but has suffered a drastic career decline at Emirates this season.
He has not made a single start for the club this season with his spell at the London club mired with an injury before the 2022 World Cup.
Smith Rowe is known for his energetic play and great dribbling skills, with a good mastery of playmaking role as a mifielder.
Jakub Kiwior
Unlike Smith Rowe, Jakub Kiwior, 23, had seen some action with the Gunners this season but is among the fringe players with little presence in the Gunners lineup in the current campaign.
Kiwior joined Arsenal from Spezia in January but is always used as a backup defender for William Saliba. He began to start matches after William Saliba suffered a back injury.
There is a more promising outlook for Kiwior at Emirates. He may break into Mikel Arteta’s priority players next season.
He has made 6 appearances for the club this season.
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Takehiro Tomiyasu, 24, joined Arsenal from Bologna in 2021 but has struggled with spates of injury that has dented his career at Emirates.
However, he has recorded 45 Premier League appearances for the Gunners. Takehiro was key in Mikel Arteta’s title chase this season.
He is known for his strength and physicality on left or center-back roles. His injury in March and William Saliba’s twisted Arsenal Premier League title hopes.
Mohamed Elneny
Mohamed Elneny is one of Arsenal’s big-name players that was missed due to injury since January.
The 30-year-old was key to Mikel Arteta’s campaign last season, starting all the club’s remaining seven matches.
He was forced out of the squad throughout the season. Playing mainly as a defensive midfielder, Mikel Arteta will hope to count on the wealth of Elneny’s experience next season as he returns from Injury.
Fabio Vieira
Fabio Vieira, 22, will hope to play a big role in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal setup next season after struggling to break into the team’s lineup this season.
He arrived the club last summer from Porto but have struggled to rub shoulders with the likes of Thomas Partey, Jorginho, and Granit Xhaka in the midfield.
The Portuguese star will hope to up his game next summer with Arsenal fans yet to be convinced given his diminished role this season.
Kieran Tierney
Kieran Tierney, 25, is top on the list of out-of-favor Arsenal players and may likely see more action with the Gunners next season.
He was Mikel Arteta’s poster boy last season but has seen his relevance in the squad declined drastically this term.
Since joining the club in 2019 from Celtic, Tierney has made 90 appearances for the club scoring 3 goals. He has made 34 appearances for the club this term and will hope to play a bigger role next summer.
There are reports linking Tierney to a summer exit from the Gunners but it is more likely Mikel Arteta will keep him next season with 12 months remaining in his contract.
