Former Arsenal captain William Gallas has warned that key players at the Emirates could begin to lose patience and leave, if the club continue to fall short in major competitions.
Despite showing promise under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal once again ended the 2024/25 season without silverware.
They finished second to Liverpool in the Premier League and were eliminated in the Champions League semi-finals by eventual winners PSG, despite a commanding quarter-final win over Real Madrid.
Gallas, who made over 100 appearances for the club, believes the lack of trophies may soon test the loyalty of top performers.
“How many more years will the players wait?” he asked in an interview with Prime Casino. “Two years ago, they were close. Last year, close again. This year, they got worse.”
He argued that the club can no longer hide behind injuries or squad depth issues.
“Excuses about players being injured don’t work anymore. That happens to every team. Arsenal need to build a bigger squad filled with quality if they want to compete on all fronts.”
Gallas also questioned whether Arteta has the managerial capacity to handle a top-tier squad.
He singled out concerns about the team’s reliance on Bukayo Saka and vulnerabilities across the backline and in attack.
With only one FA Cup and two Community Shields under Arteta’s tenure since 2019, the pressure is mounting for the Gunners to deliver in 2025/26.
The squad returns to action in late July with a pre-season tour of Singapore and Hong Kong.
