Football is back with the Premier League getting ready for another thrilling season.
And just has been the case over recent seasons, the question on every fan's mind is whether any club can stop the Manchester City juggernaut of Manchester City.
Arsenal have emerged as the team most likely to dethrone the serial champions of English football. The Gunners came within two points of Pep Guardiola's team in the Premier League race last term after winning a staggering 16 out of their last 18 matches.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he was proud of the effort his team put in throughout the 2023/24 campaign, even though they had to watch City snatch the league title for the second straight season.
He promised fans his team will keep pushing to end the club's 20-year wait for a league title.
"All this is happening because you started believing," he had said at the end of the season at the Emirates Stadium.
"You started to be patient and started to understand what we tried to do. All the credit has to go to the players and the staff. Don't be sad. We want much more than that and we’re going to get it."
And they have made some striking additions to a squad that has threatened to set the stage alight for some time. The Gunners signed Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna for a reported fee of £42m on what the Premier League club said was a "long-term contract".
Reports suggest Calafiori, 22, has arrived at the Emirates Stadium on a five-year deal after representing Italy at Euro 2024.
"We welcome Riccardo and his family to Arsenal," said Arteta. "He is a great signing and gives us huge strength to reinforce our defence.
"Riccardo is a big personality and character, with specific skills which will make us stronger as we push to win major trophies."
Calafiori becomes Arsenal's second major signing of the summer transfer window after David Raya's loan move from London rivals Brentford was made permanent.
So where does Calafiori find himself in the pecking order of top-earning players in the Arsenal squad? Below is the list of the highest-paid players at Arsenal for the 2024/25 season. Data collected from capology.com and spotrac.com.
Highest paid players at Arsenal for 2024/25
1. Kai Havertz - £280,000 per week
2. Gabriel Jesus - £265,000 per week
=3. Declan Rice - £240,000 per week
=3. Martin Odegaard - £240,000 per week
5. Thomas Partey - £200,000 per week
6. Bukayo Saka - £195,000 per week
7. William Saliba - £190,000 per week
8. Gabriel Martinelli - £180,000 per week
=9. Oleksandr Zinchenko - £150,000 per week
=9. Ben White - £150,000 per week
=11. Aaron Ramsdale - £120,000 per week
=11. Riccardo Calafiori - £120,000 per week
= 13. Kieran Tierney - £110,000 per week
=13. Jorginho - £110,000 per week
=15. Gabriel Magalhaes - £100,000 per week
=15. Takehiro Tomiyasu - £100,000 per week
=15. Eddie Nketiah - £100,000 per week
=15. Reiss Nelson - £100,000 per week
=19. Jurrien Timber - £90,000 per week
=19. Leandro Trossard - £90,000 per week
21. Jakub Kiwior - £58,000 per week
22. Fabio Vieria - £45,000 per week
23. Marcus Alencar - £30,000 per week
Note: David Raya's weekly salary not confirmed after move from Brentford made permanent.
