Arsenal need 25-goal man to be their Sol Campbell over 20 years on

Since Sir Alex Ferguson finally shuffled away – somehow triumphant at the last – into retirement, only three teams have achieved consecutive top-two finishes in the Premier League.

Contrary to grandiose coverage of Jurgen Klopp’s departure pretending that Liverpool went toe to toe with Manchester City throughout his tenure, the Reds only logged that feat once when finishing second and then as champions in 2019/20. They were too exhausted to go again.

Joining City and Liverpool in that rare success – and it really is a success considering the might of City – now are Arsenal, bidding to become the first team of this dominant City era to push them three times. It will require hitherto-unknown reserves of energy, incredible luck with injuries and mental strength beyond most humans.

And multiply all that by six if the runners-up are to become the champions.

Not since the great Arsenal side of 2001/02 has any side finished second more than once and then recovered to win the title. That Arsenal team had been trampled into the ground by Manchester United – finishing 18 and then 10 points behind – but somehow, the perennial bridesmaids found themselves at the altar, unbeaten away from home and winning the title in glorious fashion at Old Trafford.

But it wasn’t really a ‘somehow’; there were two moments that summer that were immeasurable boosts to everybody associated with Arsenal, both fans and players. These weren’t marginal gains but giant leaps forward. With all due respect to Riccardo Calafiori, this was not the final tweak to an already functioning defence but two punch-the-air-this-sh*t-got-real moments.

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The first came when reporters gathered at Highbury to greet the arrival of Richard Wright only to be presented with one of the best centre-halves in the world, brought in on the greatest Premier League free transfer of all time from Tottenham. This wasn’t just an upgrade, it was a coup. Expected to join one of the biggest clubs in the world, he had instead chosen the challenge of turning Arsenal into champions.

Then came the announcement from Patrick Vieira – despite interest from Barcelona and sustained pressure from Manchester United – that he would stay at Arsenal for at least one more season. Imagine Bukayo Saka spending the whole summer flirting with Manchester City only to turn around in early August and say ‘ah okay, I’ll stay’. Arsenal fans jaded by years of chasing United had reasons to believe again.

In the end, there was the brilliance of Robert Pires, the excellence of Thierry Henry and the relentless finishing of Freddie Ljungberg to add to the myriad reasons why Arsenal became champions, but those two summer boosts should not be underestimated.

Fast-forward to today and it feels like Arsenal might need another. When you have gone twice and failed twice, you need more than a tweak; you need a statement. And selfishly, this is not just about Arsenal but about all of us who crave a different champion.

The signing of Calafiori is a sensible one but frankly, f*** sensible. We are often told that defences win titles, but when you concede 29 goals in a season and still finish second, that theory is being seriously tested. Sometimes you need a shot in the arm that only a big-money, big-ticket, big-impact signing can make.

In 2001 that was Campbell but in 2024 it could be Victor Gyokeres, 2024’s top scorer who is as close to a complete striker as can be found outside of the current elite. He is a finisher, a provider and a physical force, blessed with surprisingly good feet for a biggish man. And he’s available for a fee somewhere below stupid expensive.

At some point on this City copycat journey being traversed by Mikel Arteta, he will buy a prolific striker. Just as Pep Guardiola did with Erling Haaland. The danger would be in waiting too long because the time is undoubtedly now, when Arsenal are on the verge of repeating the extraordinary feat they managed over 20 years ago.

We needed it then and we need it now.