At Arsenal’s training facility, a prominent silhouette of the Premier League trophy adorns the wall, accompanied by the mantra: “Together We Make History.” This installation was a beacon of hope during Mikel Arteta’s early managerial days, awaiting illumination for the moment the Gunners would reclaim the title. That moment has finally arrived as Arteta has steered Arsenal out of obscurity and into triumph.
A Manchester City 1-1 draw with AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday secured Arsenal’s 14th championship, marking their first in 22 years. Players and staff gathered close to that hopeful silhouette to watch the match, with celebrations erupting as the final whistle blew, continuing into the early hours of Wednesday. Pictured celebrating outside Emirates Stadium at dawn were players like Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, while the club dog, Win, received a stuffed toy resembling a champagne bottle.
This victory stands as a significant milestone in Arsenal’s journey and is the result of a strategy conceived back in 2019. While many clubs chase success through various plans, few see their visions come to fruition, making those who realize their strategies legends in the game. Examples abound, from Jürgen Klopp ending Liverpool’s long title drought to José Mourinho delivering instant success at Chelsea in 2004.
Arteta is now among those few who have not only envisioned success but achieved it. He may not have been vocal about his methodology, but the results speak for themselves.
– After 8,060-day drought, Arsenal are deserved Premier League champions
– Arteta’s Arsenal finally win title after so many near-misses
– Arsenal unveil new home kit ahead of Champions League final
The “five-phase plan” that Arteta and then-technical director Edu Gaspar developed is largely known only through whispers until now. Each time questioned about it, Arteta would merely provide the briefest insights. Almost two weeks ago, before Arsenal’s 1-0 win against West Ham United, he deftly sidestepped inquiries about the specifics of the plan.
Now, for the first time, ESPN reveals how Arsenal transformed from a struggling team in 10th place into titleholders poised for their first UEFA Champions League title.
Edu, a pivotal figure in Arsenal’s history with two Premier League titles as a player between 2001 and 2005, including the legendary “Invincibles” season, returned to the club in July 2019 as its first technical director. At that point, Unai Emery was nearing the end of his second season as head coach, having taken over from Arsène Wenger. However, the squad’s disarray led to poor performances, resulting in Emery’s sacking later that year, followed by Arteta’s appointment.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN, Edu elaborated on the inception and evolution of Arsenal’s five-phase plan, which received the endorsement of owners Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, led by Stan and Josh Kroenke.
“I joined five months before Mikel, and I laid out a five-year plan that I presented to Josh and Mr. Kroenke—what I thought we should do in that timeframe,” Edu shared. “During that period, we had Unai as our coach, and to be honest, I wasn’t entirely convinced he was the right person to carry the project forward for five years.
“I suggested to him and Raul [Sanllehi], who was the head of football, ‘Let’s go on this journey together, implement our plan with Unai and see if we can achieve it.’ He agreed, and we moved forward.”
“However, during those five months, I noticed things I didn’t like about the direction we were heading under Unai. We advised Mr. Kroenke and Raul that a change was necessary. They agreed, and I then reached out to Mikel, checking to see if he was available while he was with Pep at Manchester City. Remarkably, we established an incredible rapport during our first hour-long phone call, discussing much more than just football.
“After that, he expressed his interest in joining us, and we arranged a meeting where I presented the squad plan and the five-year strategy. Mikel also shared his vision, and together we fashioned a cohesive plan moving forward.”
So, what do the five phases entail?
Phase 1: Squad Overhaul
“The initial phase focused on cleaning the squad and bringing in players who embodied the right mentality for our strategy,” Edu explained. “We recognized the need to establish the core of the team. It was essential to find balance and rebuild, which simply wasn’t feasible in a single transfer window or even over two.”
Significant transformations occurred behind the scenes, including a revamp of the scouting system and the establishment of a new football leadership team, which grew to include Edu, Arteta, Tim Lewis, James Ellis, Richard Garlick, and James King—all reporting directly to the Kroenkes, with Josh becoming increasingly involved.
Arteta led the team to win the FA Cup in his debut season, during which he was elevated from “head coach” to “manager,” reflecting the club’s belief in his capability as a relatively inexperienced leader.
One of the most decisive actions taken was a rigorous culling of the squad. Concerns regarding the culture and standards within the dressing room necessitated a bold overhaul to effectively tackle the issues.
Players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, stripped of the captaincy, along with Mesut Özil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Shkodran Mustafi, Sead Kolasinac, Willian, and Héctor Bellerín had their contracts terminated, often receiving significant payouts. The club’s record signing, Nicolas Pépé, was eventually released as well. Some within the club label this period as “brutal.”
“Imagine telling players they would need to be paid to leave when they had no market value,” Edu remarked. “Some of these players held contracts, were older than 27 or 28, garnered high salaries, and hardly played. Selling them was nearly impossible. However, these players were stalling our project’s progress. We had to persuade the owners that this would be a future investment—a difficult but necessary conversation. Luckily, the Kroenkes supported us fully during this upheaval.”
Phase 2: Rethinking Recruitment
In Phase 2, Arsenal accelerated its revamped transfer strategy, targeting players under 24 and seeking to secure them at more manageable fees.
Having experienced Arsenal’s previous transfer dealings firsthand, Arteta understood the systemic issues to be dealt with. The club had previously incorporated an in-house analytics team, StatDNA, but the usage of analytics underwent further refinement.
“We recognized the need to strengthen our squad significantly to compete effectively,” Edu noted. “Financially, we were in a position to bring top players in, so we had to be astute and vigilant in our recruitment efforts.”
“During our initial two years, we were realistic and planned not to aim for Champions League spots, acknowledging the substantial work needed to revamp the squad and realign the culture. Both Mikel and I emphasized the importance of taking the necessary time to build a solid foundation. We believed that by our third season together, we would compete robustly for the league title, with the Kroenkes’ continued support.
1:32
Hutchison: Arteta deserves all the credit for Arsenal’s title win
Don Hutchison credits Mikel Arteta and Arsenal’s recruitment for their Premier League title win.
During this period, patience was key as the club’s league finishes of eighth in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons tested the fanbase’s resolve. The pandemic and the turbulent fallout from the failed European Super League project added layers of complexity to the financial landscape for many clubs. Nevertheless, key signings like Ben White, Martin Ødegaard, and Aaron Ramsdale arrived in the summer of 2021. The rise of talents like Emile Smith Rowe and particularly Saka solidified the club’s academy’s contribution to the squad, fostering a renewed sense of unity amongst the players.
Despite the functional style of Arteta’s football and mixed outcomes, the birth of deeper connections among the squad was evident. Today, players such as Kai Havertz and club captain Ødegaard have taken vacations together, while teammates bonded through shared faith and time spent playing games like Parchís on team trips. These closenesses were pivotal as the club advanced to Phase 3 after narrowly missing out on a Champions League spot in the 2022-23 season.
Phase 3: Welcoming Winners
“In Phase 3, our aim was to introduce more quality players,” Edu explained. “We sought signings like Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to elevate us and inject winning mentality into the squad.” Both players arrived for a combined fee of around £75 million from Manchester City, where they amassed four league titles and additional trophies during their tenure.
Additionally, Jorginho joined from Chelsea for £12 million, a seasoned winner with substantial experience.
The progress was evident, with Arsenal competing for the Premier League title until the final months, ultimately falling short against the relentless Manchester City. The depth of the squad still posed challenges, as did the need for greater physicality on the field.
Arteta faced years of criticism concerning the club’s persistent lack of fight and leadership on the pitch. Historically, Arsenal has been compared unfavorably to the legendary midfield battles defined by players like Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane in the 1990s and 2000s.
Phase 4: The Rice Acquisition
This segues into Phase 4, best summarized by Edu in three words: “Acquiring Declan Rice.”
“It was that straightforward,” Edu reminisced about Arsenal’s record-breaking signing of Rice from West Ham United for £105 million.
“We identified the need for a top-notch English player, well-regarded across football, to enhance our credibility. As an English club, we believed it essential to feature the best English talents like Bukayo [Saka] in our squad.”
“The goal with Rice was to not only acquire talent for immediate impact but to ensure he would become an integral part of our plans moving forward—an investment in our future, creating a long-standing impact.” This aligned with the aspirations for the club as they aimed to compete for titles and expand their squad quality.
1:11
Arsenal’s Premier League title win in numbers
Dominant in defense and on set pieces, explore the key statistics behind Arsenal’s triumph.
With Rice, Havertz, Timber, and goalkeeper David Raya (initially on loan from Brentford) among the major signings, Arsenal’s ambitions were clear. Although some critiqued the price tag attached to Rice, Edu stood firm: “We were confident that no price would deter us from securing this player.”
Concurrently, Arteta maintained his pursuit of incremental improvements. He introduced Win, a chocolate Labrador trained as a therapy dog, to foster a sense of community within the squad. An olive tree was planted on the premises to symbolize the dedication to nurturing the club’s environment.
Arteta’s innovative methods continued to evolve. He even employed creative metaphors, such as using a washing machine in front of players to explain the complexities of playing Liverpool at Anfield, and once ignited a fire at the training ground for players to emotionally “throw” away any negativity as the pressures of the season mounted.
However, the 2023-24 season did not immediately deliver the expected results. Arsenal finished second to City and reached the Champions League quarterfinals, but the desire for silverware persisted. A year later, they were runners-up to Liverpool again, yet ownership remained steadfast in their support.
“I think sometimes Mr. Kroenke and Josh do not receive the recognition they deserve,” Edu observed. “Every time I presented a plan for a transfer window, explaining our motives for acquisitions and sales, they granted us unwavering support, never once saying ‘no.’
In November 2024, Edu departed Arsenal, giving way to former Atletico Madrid chief Andrea Berta. Berta’s initiation was marked by another significant summer splurge, as Arsenal invested over £250 million to acquire eight new players, including Viktor Gyökeres, Martín Zubimendi, Eze, Madueke, and Piero Hincapié (initially on loan).
Arteta’s relentless pursuit of success reached new heights, pushing his team to achieve unprecedented results. Despite some discontent regarding his intense approach, the collective endeavor led to a historic league title.
Moreover, as the club’s disciplinary record improved—with Arteta emphasizing the importance of discipline—Arsenal became the only team in the league not to receive a sending-off and refrained from conceding penalties throughout that season.
The Gunners became a force from set pieces, scoring a significant percentage of their goals from dead-ball situations. The tight margins were evident, with 11 games secure victories of 1-0 in all competitions, including their final three matches.
This month, Arteta organized team barbecues to alleviate tension and implemented unconventional training sessions that garnered mixed feedback. However, this season, despite skepticism about ‘bottle’ and experience against the formidable City under Guardiola, Arsenal secured the top spot.
Phase 5: Cultivating a Winning Mentality
Where Phase 4 seamlessly transitions into Phase 5: “Four and five involve winning,” Edu explained. “We needed to reach a point where trophies became part of our narrative. We were incredibly close during my tenure, finishing second in the league on two occasions, and while we experienced some loss in momentum toward the end of seasons, we were on the brink.”
“Phase 5 is about consistency in the Champions League, winning leagues, and bringing trophies home.”
“I still support the club heavily; my family is here, and we celebrate their success as if it were my own. I feel deeply connected to much of the work that was laid down. With all due respect to Andrea, I believe Mikel will be recognized as one of the world’s best coaches, if he isn’t already. We have Pep [Guardiola] and Luis Enrique leading the pack, but undoubtedly, Mikel belongs among the top three managers globally and will rise to the very top soon. I firmly believe that.”
Phase 6 may soon be on the horizon.