The end of the Premier League season is upon us, and for Arsenal, it has so far been a campaign that very few fans would have expected.
Challenging for the top-four felt like a fantasy after the Gunners lost their first three games of the season without scoring a single goal. Yet now, the race for fourth is well and truly on, with Tottenham set to challenge Arsenal for the coveted spot.
After such a whirlwind season that has elevated Arsenal to a level not many predicted the Gunners to reach for some time, who should be in contention for the club’s Player of the Season award when all is said and done come May?
Aaron Ramsdale
Whilst very few Arsenal fans expected the north London side to challenge for top-four this season, even fewer would have had faith that Aaron Ramsdale was going to develop into a gem of signing for the north London club.
A transfer that puzzled and frustrated supporters at the time, Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar’s gamble to sign the 23-year-old has paid off tenfold, with Ramsdale arguably the goalkeeper of the season in the Premier League, with his save away to Leicester City one of the best seen in Europe this campaign.
Gabriel Magalhaes
One factor that has helped in Arsenal’s incredible success this season is the tightening up of the defence, and Gabriel Magalhaes has been central to this, with the Brazilian defender forming a brilliant relationship with Ben White and fullback connection with Takehiro Tomiyasu, two players who are extremely unlucky not to make this list.
A monster in the air and the tackle, Gabriel could be a defensive rock for Arsenal for many seasons to come, and key displays this season against Wolves, Leicester and Southampton have seen the Gunners land nine huge points.
Martin Odegaard
Martin Odegaard returned to Arsenal on a permanent deal in the summer after a six-month loan spell from Real Madrid, and the Norwegian international has since been the creative heartbeat for the Gunners in a new three-man midfield alongside Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka.
His MOTM performance against Leicester was one of the most enchanting of the entire season from an Arsenal player, and individual moments of brilliance in too many matches to recount have made Odegaard a firm fan favourite in north London already.
Bukayo Saka
After the heartbreak and fallout of Euro 2020, how Bukayo Saka would react from that tournament with England was a mystery to us all. However, the Arsenal star has taken his game to a new level in what has so far been his most productive season.
Goals and assists are now becoming a more consistent part of Saka’s game, and breathtaking displays against the likes of Norwich City and Watford have once again highlighted what an incredible talent Arsenal have on their hands in the 20-year-old.
Emile Smith Rowe
When Emile Smith Rowe signed a new long-term contract and inherited the famous no. 10 shirt, expectations were high for the Arsenal youngster this season, though the now-England international has blown them away in an unexpected manner.
Billed as a playmaker through most of his career, Smith Rowe has this season taken the mantle as Arsenal’s main goalscorer, with the 21-year-old the Gunners’ leading marksman in all competitions this season in what has been a campaign to remember for the youngster.
Alexandre Lacazette
A striker with zero non-penalty goals in 2022 is hardly someone who should be considered for a Player of the Season award, yet Lacazette isn’t your typical attacker, and the 2017 £50m signing has evolved his game into what could be the benchmark for future Arsenal forwards.
With the most assists out of anyone in the squad, the Frenchman has been instrumental for Arsenal this season, and whilst some of his performances do frustrate supporters, there’s no denying that Lacazette’s impact this campaign has been bigger than most players in the squad.
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