Almost half the Premier League will present new faces in the dugout when the 2026/27 season kicks off in a matter of weeks, but Arsenal need not worry about a bedding-in process.

Mikel Arteta is the English top flight's longest-serving manager, and the stability and progression that has been created within his project is clear to see. Three successive second-place finishes finally gave way to a trophy lift last season, the Gunners marching their way to their first Premier League title in two decades.

This the result of a long and united fight toward the top. The most exciting part is Arsenal are still hungry for more, with efforts to sign Vinicius Junior and Bruno Guimaraes evidence of that.

Arsenal may be targeting a few superstars right now, but this hasn't been how his dynasty has been propped up. Indeed, the Gunners have signed shrewdly, and this has been the title-winning formula for Arteta and co.

Arsenal's most clutch signings under Arteta

Arteta has overseen a number of first-class additions at Arsenal. So many big-money transfers fall by the wayside, but Declan Rice has been a sensation following his £105m move from West Ham United.

However, the club have operated in calmer waters too. Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Odegaard are among the best in their positions worldwide, and they both arrived for comparatively small figures, £27m and £30m respectively.

Mikel Merino deepens that list, while Cristhian Mosquera may be called upon quite frequently this season, with William Saliba sidelined through injury for a number of months. Mosquera is a imposing and talented defender, and he signed for just £13m.

He is recently departed, but Leandro Trossard also stands proud as one of the most astute signings in recent years for Arsenal. After missing out on Mykhaylo Mudryk to Chelsea, Brighton's prolific Belgian winger was signed for £27m, and his contribution over the past several years has been immense, any number of goals coming at the perfect time to fire the Londoners forward, salvaging priceless points.

Trossard is proof that sometimes it's worth going down the shrewder route, avoiding a splurge on a flashy name and instead signing someone who will return you bang for your buck, having built up a wealth of experience in the Premier League.

With Arteta dealing with something of an injury disaster right now, it looks like he could pull another trick out of the hat and sign a rock-solid Premier League man to counter that blow.

The next Trossard is keen to sign for Arsenal

While Arsenal have signed Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge this summer, they still need to add more attacking talent to their squad. Vinicius Junior may well solve that problem.

However, fixing the Saliba blow in defence is just as important, and according to Caught Offside, Arsenal have set their sights on Aston Villa centre-half Ezri Konsa, who has been priced at £60m by his outfit, with the player himself seemingly keen on the move.

Konsa, 28, is one of the Premier League's most experienced players, having chalked up 231 appearances in England's top flight. Even so, the Gunners have no intention of meeting Villa's £60m asking price, but that isn't to say they have exited the race.

One of the crispest defensive duellers in Europe, Konsa does not overcomplicate things, and in that, he could be the perfect Saliba stand-in. Last season in the Premier League, he won 73% of his ground battles and completed 95% of his passes. He started seven of England's eight fixtures at the World Cup.

Like Trossard way back when, Konsa might not be the wider Gunner fanbase's first choice to strengthen Arteta's defence this summer, but he could turn public opinion around. Hailed as a "Rolls-Royce" of a defender by none other than Prince William, Konsa has established himself as defensive royalty for an Unai Emery outfit who won the Europa League last season.

Sometimes, it's important to trust the process. Konsa is no spring chicken, but his unflinching and measured approach to defending could bear dividends for a title-chasing Arsenal team next year.

Trossard is proof that the shrewder route often pays off when a team is as well-oiled as Arteta's in north London. Arsenal may well dazzle the Premier League with flashy signings such as Vini Jr. and Guimaraes, but Konsa could hold a candle to them, albeit in different circumstances.

It's signings such as these that can be the difference in challenging for titles. Just ask Trossard.