The 2023–24 season was Arsenal Football Club's 32nd season in the Premier League, their 98th consecutive season in the top flight of English football, and 107th season in the top flight overall. In addition to the domestic league, Arsenal also participated in this season's editions of the FA Cup, EFL Cup, FA Community Shield and UEFA Champions League, returning to the premier European competition after a six-year absence.
This season covers the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024. The Gunners kicked off their campaign by winning the Community Shield for the 17th time in their history. Following eliminations from the FA Cup, EFL Cup and UEFA Champions League, they finished second in the Premier League and qualified for next season's Champions League.
Managed by Mikel Arteta in his fourth full season, Arsenal were the third-youngest team in the Premier League with an average starting age of 25 years and 158 days. Six first-team players – Jorginho, Reiss Nelson, Martin Ødegaard, William Saliba, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White – signed new contracts with the club during the campaign. This was the first season since 2015–16 without Swiss midfielder and former club vice-captain Granit Xhaka, who departed to German side Bayer Leverkusen.
Review Background
The 2022–23 campaign was a breakthrough season for Arsenal. Their primary goal at the start of the campaign was to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League. At the halfway stage of the league season, the Gunners recorded their best-ever start to a Premier League campaign with 16 wins, two draws, one loss and 50 points from the first 19 games. Arsenal led the league for a long time, but ultimately their challenge collapsed, as they collected just twelve points from their final nine matches (three wins, three draws and three losses). Arteta's side finished second in the Premier League, returning to Champions League football for the first time since the 2016–17 season.
Arsenal were the second-youngest team in the 2022–23 Premier League with an average starting age of 25 years and 52 days, eleven days older than relegated Southampton, and two years and 201 days younger than champions Manchester City. Four first-team players who were aged 24 or under on 1 July 2022 – Gabriel Magalhães, Gabriel Martinelli, Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka – signed new long-term contracts with the club during the campaign.
Pre-season It was reported on 3 July 2023 that some first-team players who were not in action for their respective countries since the end of the previous campaign were back to the London Colney training ground for pre-season training.
Arsenal confirmed on 6 July that English forward and academy graduate Reiss Nelson had signed a new long-term contract. On the next day the Gunners announced that French defender William Saliba had penned a new long-term contract, and would wear the number 2 shirt from the 2023–24 season.
Two days later, Arteta's side travelled to Germany for a mini training camp at Adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach. Three academy players – Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Reuell Walters – were with the first-team squad. The Gunners faced 2. Bundesliga side 1. FC Nürnberg at Max-Morlock-Stadion in Nuremberg on 13 July. Saliba recovered from a back injury that had ruled him out of Arsenal's final eleven matches of the previous campaign to return to the starting line-up. Saka scored a goal on 7 minutes; but the Gunners were unable to double the lead, and an own goal from Jorginho in the second half ensured that the hosts claimed a 1–1 draw. The game also saw new signing and Germany international Kai Havertz make his non-competitive debut for Arsenal as a substitute at the break. They returned to England on the next day.
On 16 July, manager Arteta named a 29-man squad for the trip to the United States where they would play three more friendlies. The 18-year-old forward Amario Cozier-Duberry was the only academy player to travel with the first team to the US.
Three days later, Arsenal faced Major League Soccer's All-Stars at Audi Field in Washington. Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard gave the Gunners a 2–0 lead at half-time. Jorginho scored a penalty after the restart. New signings Declan Rice and Jurriën Timber made their non-competitive debuts for the club on 65 minutes. Martinelli and Havertz added goals in the closing stages, making the score 5–0.
The Gunners took on Premier League side Manchester United at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on 22 July. Bruno Fernandes scored for United on 30 minutes with a long-range effort, although Arsenal goalkeeper Ramsdale could have done better. United's lead was doubled in the 37th minute through Jadon Sancho's finish. The friendly also featured a post-match penalty shootout. The Gunners lost that too after Fábio Vieira skied his effort over the crossbar.
On 26 July, Arsenal played their third and final game of the 10-day USA tour against La Liga side Barcelona at SoFi Stadium, the home of the National Football League's Los Angeles Rams which is also owned by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment. Barcelona took the lead on 7 minutes through Robert Lewandowski. Saka levelled for the Gunners in the 13th minute, but he then sent a penalty wide. Barcelona reclaimed the lead through a deflected Raphinha free-kick in the 34th minute. Arteta's side drew level again on 43 minutes through Havertz. Trossard put the Gunners ahead in the 55th minute, then added his second on 78 minutes. Ferran Torres pulled one back for Barcelona on 88 minutes. Just a minute later, Vieira scored from 25 yards, helping the Gunners win 5–3. Arteta's team flew back to London straight after the game.
On 28 July, Arsenal unveiled a bronze statue of former manager Arsène Wenger outside the North Bank Stand of Emirates Stadium. The statue, created by sculptor Jim Guy, is 3.5 metres (11 feet 6 inches) high, and depicts Wenger lifting the Premier League trophy. He joined five other Arsenal legends with statues outside the stadium: Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Herbert Chapman, Ken Friar and Thierry Henry.
The Gunners finished their pre-season campaign by beating Ligue 1 side Monaco 5–4 on penalties following a 1–1 draw at home to claim the 2023 Emirates Cup on 2 August. Youssouf Fofana scored for the visitors after the half-hour mark. Arsenal levelled in the 43rd minute through Eddie Nketiah. There were no further goals in the second half, and the game went to a penalty shootout. Gabriel Magalhães netted the winning spot-kick after Ramsdale saved Takumi Minamino's effort. In the post-match press conference, Arteta confirmed that Gabriel Jesus had "some discomfort" in his right knee for the past few weeks and had undergone surgery to the knee. He would be out for a few weeks.
First-team transfers (summer transfer window) The Premier League summer transfer window ran from 14 June to 1 September 2023. The Gunners confirmed on 16 June that they were to release thirteen players, one of whom, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, had made 132 appearances for Arsenal's first-team in all competitions.
Arsenal announced their first signing of the summer on 28 June with 24-year-old Germany international Kai Havertz joining the club on a long-term contract from Premier League side Chelsea, for a reported fee of £62 million plus £3 million in add-ons. He would wear the number 29 shirt, and would be the twelfth German to play for Arsenal's first team.
On 30 June, the Gunners confirmed that Spanish defender Pablo Marí, who had spent the entire previous season on loan with Serie A side Monza, joined the Italian team on a permanent transfer, for a previously agreed fee reported to be €7 million (£6 million).
It was announced on 6 July that Swiss midfielder and Arsenal's vice-captain Granit Xhaka, who had made 297 appearances in all competitions and won two FA Cups with the club, joined Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen on a permanent transfer for a reported fee of €25 million (£21.4 million).
On 14 July, the Gunners confirmed that they had signed 22-year-old Dutch defender Jurriën Timber from Eredivisie side Ajax. The transfer fee was reported to be worth an initial £34.3 million (€40 million), which could rise to £38.6 million (€45 million) with add-ons. He was assigned the number 12 shirt, and would be the eighth Dutch player to feature for Arsenal's first team. Timber has been an Arsenal fan since he was a child.
Arsenal announced on 15 July that 24-year-old English midfielder Declan Rice, who was born and raised in London, had joined the club from Premier League side West Ham United on a long-term contract, and would wear the number 41 shirt. It was reported that the transfer fee was an initial £100 million plus £5 million in add-ons, breaking Arsenal's transfer record fee paid for a player by £33 million, and making him the most expensive English player – the initial fee equalling the previous record held by Jack Grealish.
The departures of three first-team players were announced afterwards. On 3 August, the Gunners confirmed that American defender Auston Trusty had joined Premier League side Sheffield United on a permanent deal for a reported fee of £5 million. Six days later, the club announced that American goalkeeper Matt Turner had joined Premier League side Nottingham Forest on a permanent transfer for a fee reported to be £10 million. It was confirmed on 12 August that Brazilian forward Marquinhos had joined Ligue 1 side Nantes on a one-year loan.
Arsenal confirmed on 15 August that the club had signed 27-year-old Spanish goalkeeper David Raya on a season-long loan from Premier League side Brentford with the option to make the move permanent in summer 2024. The initial loan fee was reported to be £3 million, and activating the option would be for a further £27 million. He would take the number 22 shirt, and would be the fifteenth Spanish player to represent Arsenal's first team.
The Gunners continued their summer exodus after signing four players. On 18 August, the club announced the loan departure of Icelandic goalkeeper Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson to Championship side Cardiff City. Nine days later, Arsenal confirmed that Scottish defender Kieran Tierney had joined La Liga side Real Sociedad on loan for the 2023–24 season; the loan fee was reported to be around £1.2 million (€1.4 million). The departure of American striker and Arsenal academy graduate Folarin Balogun to Ligue 1 side Monaco was announced on 30 August. It was reported that the transfer fee was an initial €30 million (£25.8 million) plus €10 million (£8.6 million) in add-ons, and the terms of the deal included a 17.5% sell-on clause for Arsenal.
On English transfer deadline day, 1 September, four first-team players departed the club. Portuguese defender Nuno Tavares joined Premier League side Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan with the option to make the move permanent in summer 2024; the initial loan fee was reported to be £1 million, and activating the option would be for a further £12 million. English goalkeeper and academy graduate Arthur Okonkwo joined League Two side Wrexham on loan for the 2023–24 season. English defender Rob Holding, who had made 162 first-team appearances in all competitions and won two FA Cups with the club, joined Premier League side Crystal Palace on a permanent transfer, for a reported fee of £1 million with £2.5 million in add-ons. Belgian midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga joined Premier League side Luton Town on a one-year loan.
On 9 September, Arsenal confirmed that Ivory Coast forward Nicolas Pépé had departed the club following the termination of his contract.
After the summer transfer window closed, there were twenty-five players in the first-team squad: three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders, and six forwards. Six other first-team players were out on loan.
August