Possible Arsenal XI For 2023/24 With Kai Havertz Joined By Two More Likely Summer Signings

How will Arsenal line up in the 2023/24 season? Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber all have the potential to improve Mikel Arteta's best Arsenal XI.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta recently admitted that new signings would be needed if his team were to challenge for the Premier League title in the 2023/24 season.

His first summer signing officially arrived this week when Kai Havertz joined from Chelsea in a deal worth £65 million.

England midfielder Declan Rice is likely to follow Havertz to the Emirates Stadium after Arsenal agreed to pay West Ham United £100m plus an extra £5m in possible add-ons.

The Gunners are also in advanced talks to buy Ajax defender Jurrien Timber for a fee in the region of £40m.

These three additions will not only significantly boost Arsenal's squad, they are all likely to feature in Arteta's strongest starting XI.

Arsenal's Best XI Featuring Havertz, Rice & Timber

Let us begin with the obvious. If fit, Declan Rice will start for Arsenal pretty much every week in the center of midfield in an anchor man role.

This position was filled by Thomas Partey last season. But Rice is significantly better, while Partey has been linked with a possible move away this summer.

Declan Rice will upgrade Arsenal in midfield as he is much better than Thomas Partey :: IMAGO/Cover Images/Daniel Chesterton

Granit Xhaka is also likely to leave, despite featuring in 37 of Arsenal's 38 Premier League matches last season.

Xhaka played on the left side of a three-man midfield unit and was given plenty of license to get forward and support attacks, resulting in him scoring seven EPL goals and assisting another seven.

Kai Havertz was regularly used as a central striker by Chelsea but he is equally comfortable in midfield and may be a direct replacement for Xhaka.

Speaking to The Athletic in 2021, Havertz said: "More or less, I'm a midfield player but I like to go into the box, and maybe that's why not every defensive player has me on their mind — I just run through the midfield and then I'm there."

Kai Havertz played mostly as a striker for Chelsea but could be back in midfield with the Gunners :: IMAGO/PA Images/John Walton

Gabriel Magalhaes formed a formidable partnership with William Saliba at the heart of Arsenal's defense last season. But Timber's arrival could see Gabriel demoted to third choice and therefore the bench.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is expected to continue as an inverted left-back, moving into midfield when the Gunners are in possession.

Netherlands international Timber has played at full-back as well as center-half, so should be comfortable if he occasionally needs to cover for Zinchenko.

Similarly, right-back Ben White is adept at playing centrally, meaning he, Saliba and Timber could operate as a back three should Zinchenko venture forward.

Jurrien Timber (pictured) could improve Arsenal's defense if he joins from Ajax :: IMAGO/PA Images/Andrew Milligan

In attack, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus contributed 41 goals between them last season. So Arteta has no reason to break up his front three.

Martin Odegaard will also be going nowhere after providing 15 goals and seven assists in 37 EPL starts last term.

The security of having Rice alongside Odegaard has the potential to allow Arsenal's captain to play with even more attacking freedom.

A tactical illustration showing how Arsenal could play in the 2023/24 season with Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber all added to the team / sharemytactics.com