There is almost any difference between the Arsenal team of a few years ago and the one that plays now.

The only players from the squads selected by former manager Unai Emery who are still with the team are Bukayo Saka, Kieran Tierney, and Gabriel Martinelli. Under Mikel Arteta’s direction and Edu Gaspar’s acquisitions, the chronic underachievers have become one of the finest teams in Europe.

A few years ago, this would have been an absurd notion, yet the North Londoners boast such a great bunch of players that four of them were chosen in this year’s Ballon d’Or shortlist.

Premier League mikel-arteta-arsenal

However, one of the veteran players whom Arteta let go recently is also on the list of contenders, and some fans probably still wish he was wearing the red and white of Arsenal.

The Ballon d’Or candidates from Arsenal

Although it may not be the Premier League championship, it is still quite remarkable that Arsenal has four first teams on the list of nominees for the Ballon d’Or this year.

The Arsenal Premier League Aaron Ramsey

Saka is the first name that shouldn’t come as a surprise because he had another incredible season last year, scoring 20 goals and dishing out 14 assists in only 47 appearances. He also had a major part in England’s journey to the European Championship final that summer.

Club captain Martin Odegaard, who improved both on the field and as a leader, is included on the list for the second year in a row. Odegaard finished the season with 11 goals and 11 assists.

Now, this year marks the first time in either player’s career that they have been nominated; but, we would be surprised if they weren’t regulars moving ahead.

First up is French sensation William Saliba, who never seems to stop improving. He was crucial in the Gunners’ amazing 18 clean sheet record from the previous season, which naturally meant they let up the fewest goals as well.

Ballon d’Or nominees for 2024

Declan Rice, a £105 million acquisition, is the final member of the Arsenal team to make the cut.

The price tag surrounding the former West Ham United captain going into the previous season put a great deal of pressure on him, but he played like a man who wasn’t under pressure. In fact, one of the best things that can be said about his campaign is that nobody brought up the price after the first few games, unless they were saying that the Hammers ought to have asked for more.

Declan, Rice, and Arsenal

All things considered, Arteta is lucky to have so many of his players nominated for the Ballon d’Or this year, and it demonstrates how far the team has gone. However, he may have had five nominations if he hadn’t traded a particular star last summer.

Xhaka Granit’s 23/24

Granit Xhaka had to be the former player in question, of course.

Arsenal transfer from Xhaka to Manchester City, Yaya Toure, and Eta

Even though he generated a good deal of controversy during his tenure at Arsenal, he finally departed the club last summer with the affection and support of the majority of the supporters as well as a standing ovation from the Emirates on the last day of play.

Although it was anticipated that the Swiss international would perform well at Bayer Leverkusen, after moving from North London to the Bundesliga team for about £21 million, no one quite expected him to play as well as he did.

Football writer Craig King called the 31-year-old “leader” after he made 50 appearances last season, scoring four goals and dishing out two assists as Xabi Alonso’s team finished the season unblemished and mounted a surprising championship assault.

Actually, the only match that Xhaka and the club lost during the previous season was the Europa League final, when Atalanta of Italy surprised everyone with a fantastic performance.

Xhaka’s 23/24

Looks

50

Objectives

4

Helps

2.

Goal Contributions Each Game

0.12

League Headlines

1.

Home Cups

1.

Losses

1.

Every stat through Transfermarkt

Unsurprisingly, the former Arsenal star’s incredible season has earned him a nomination for the Ballon d’Or with a few of his former teammates. In addition, Football Transfers reports that the player’s price has grown to about €44 million, or £37 million.

You would be hard-pressed to find an Arsenal supporter who isn’t thrilled for Xhaka today, even if many of them were unhappy to see him go last summer. If his departure allowed the team to spend a little bit more on Rice, then it was a move that was beneficial to all parties.