Arsenal on Football Manager 2023: 10 tips for a new save

Arsenal are bona-fide Premier League title contenders on the real pitch and it's your job to match that on Football Manager 2023.

Mikel Arteta has done an excellent job and leaves you with a sensational young squad that has the potential to become the best in the division, but whether they'll actually reach that feat depends on your management.

If you're taking charge of the Gunners this year, here are ten places we think you should start.

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1. Address the expiring contracts

In the first team, only Mohamed Elneny and Reiss Nelson are in the final years of their contracts.

While neither are superstars, you need to make decisions on both pretty soon. Elneny is a useful squad player but Reiss Nelson isn't good enough for the first-team squad at this point.

Nelson does have some nice potential, so you could always renew him and loan him out, but whether you're ready for that commitment is up to you.

2. Get a head start on the 2024 contracts

2024 is where you need to look for the big expiring deals.

Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba and Bukayo Saka are all approaching the final two years of their contracts, and you cannot afford to let any of them even entertain the idea of leaving.

Throw money at all three of them as soon as possible.

3. Find more quality in midfield

Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka are great options but Arsenal drop off massively without either of them.

Defensive midfielders like Mateus Uribe and Guido Rodriguez are available for cheap, but there are plenty of more-creative options out there if that suits your style.

Once you've found someone, you can...

4. Loan out Albert Sambi Lokonga

22-year-old Albert Sambi Lokonga has some sensational potential but the reality is he's a level or two below where he needs to be if he wants regular minutes at Arsenal.

A top-flight loan is the perfect solution for the Belgian, whose contract runs until 2026. You're under no pressure at all here so can take your time in sculpting the perfect player.

With 15 determination and 15 work rate, you can be confident he'll improve with a year away.

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5. Loan out Marquinhos

Talented teenager Marquinhos is nowhere near first-team ready and a second-tier loan is easily the right move here.

The young Brazilian is a future senior star but, right now, he's a waste of a squad place.

He won't develop with sporadic minutes, he needs consistent football.

6. Bolster the coaching staff

Steve Round is a nice assistant manager but he's the strongest in an otherwise uninspiring coaching setup.

A lot of Mikel Arteta's charges still have plenty of growing to do at the top level but even then, they're not expected to turn into star coaches, so you might want to think about replacing them.

You can be ruthless here, don't be afraid to completely clear house.

7. Think up a top-heavy formation

Arsenal's future is at attacking midfield, where Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli all come with some utterly sensational potential.

Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira also bring superstar potential, and while getting five forwards behind your striker is impossible, you need to figure out a good way to use as many of them as possible with real regularity.

If you can develop that group of players, you'll have some of the best in the world at your disposal.

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8. Make a decision on Eddie Nketiah

Eddie Nketiah has just signed a new long-term contract and so it's up to you to decide what to do with him.

He's not starter quality just yet and there's a case to be made suggesting Nketiah isn't ready for any major involvement just yet, which isn't ideal for your backup striker.

If you want to keep him around, go ahead, but a loan might be the best move for now.

9. Keep an eye on Charlie Patino

Arsenal's top academy talent is midfielder Charlie Patino, who brings a potential of 140-170.

He's currently out on loan with Blackpool, where he's actually one of the top players. He should develop quite nicely there but you need to watch closely to make sure he does.

When he returns next summer, he probably needs another loan at the very least, but make sure there's a pathway for him in the future.

10. Have a look at the right-back position

Takehiro Tomiyasu is excellent and has the potential to get better, but he's never going to be a particularly attacking full-back and might be worth retraining centrally.

Outside of him, however, Arsenal's right-back options are slim. Cedric doesn't cut it and he's regressing anyway, so this could be an important area to bolster.

Brooke Norton-Cuffy's potential is between 130-160, so if you're lucky, you might find yourself blessed with a star in a year or two.

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