Arsenal begin their pre-season seeking to prove that last season’s Premier League title was not a one-off, but the article argues that defending it will depend heavily on managing an already fatigued squad. Mikel Arteta must also balance domestic ambitions with another Champions League campaign, a challenge made harder by the difficulty English clubs have historically had in sustaining success on both fronts.

The club have spent £79m so far, with more than half used to make Piero Hincapié’s loan permanent, and have replaced Leandro Trossard with the younger winger Christos Tzolis. A move for Vinícius Júnior could greatly improve Arsenal’s open-play attacking threat, but his reported wages would exceed those of any current player by more than £100,000 a week and could disrupt the club’s pay structure. Key players, including Gabriel Magalhães, have accumulated heavy workloads, while injuries limited Kai Havertz, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka last season.