Arsene Wenger believes the time has come for Arsenal to dominate English football following their first Premier League title for 22 years.
The Gunners lifted the trophy last Sunday, with Mikel Arteta’s team becoming the first Arsenal side since Wenger’s ‘2003-04’ Invincibles to do so.
And they will head into next season with questions surrounding their rivals. Manchester City will be transitioning to a new era following Pep Guardiola’s departure, with Enzo Maresca expected to replace him.
It remains to be seen if Manchester United can continue to ascend under Michael Carrick, while Liverpool took a step backwards in Arne Slot’s second season in charge. Xabi Alonso will lead a Chelsea side that limped to a 10th-placed finish in 2025-26, with the Blues seemingly a long way from mounting a serious challenge.
The immediate focus for Arsenal is Saturday’s Champions League final with holders Paris Saint-Germain as they attempt to win European football’s biggest prize for the first time.
But Wenger is excited for what the future could hold for Arteta’s men on the domestic stage.
Gunners set up to dominate domestically
Arsenal won three Premier League titles under Wenger during his storied tenure, which stretched from 1996 to 2018.
And he is hopeful that more glory is on the horizon in the coming years for the North London club under Arteta.
“I feel the club deserves it, this season deserves it and the consistency of the team deserves it,” Wenger told UEFA when asked what a Champions League triumph would mean to Arsenal.
“When I arrived at Arsenal, the club had very little Champions League history. Then we had 20 consecutive years of qualification, and now the crown of that history would be to become champions.
“I think Arsenal have slowly built a history that now allows them to win it. I also feel the time has come for Arsenal to dominate the Premier League consistently. I’m very keen to see Arsenal play in the final and I’m convinced we will have a great game.”
Wenger: I would bet on Arsenal
Wenger’s 10-man Arsenal side lost the 2006 Champions League final 2-1 to Barcelona, with Samuel Eto’o equalising for the Blaugrana in the 76th minute before Juliano Belletti scored the winner four minutes later.
The Gunners have not lost in the Champions League this season, but are the underdogs against the defending champions, who came through a scintillating semi-final with Bayern Munich to seal a place in the Puskas Arena showpiece.
But Wenger, who enjoyed a storied tenure as Arsenal boss that stretched from 1996 to 2018, sees the clash differently.
“I want this trophy to go to Emirates Stadium because it’s missing there,” Wenger told UEFA. “We touched it before – we were 13 minutes away from winning it – so you want it to happen this time.
“I’ve always said that you work in a club to make sure it’s in a good position to continue to progress. Overall, I believe this is a stage where we can grab it. I still believe it’s 50/50 in the final, and if I had to bet, I would bet on Arsenal more than on Paris Saint-Germain.
“A final is a final. The most important thing is that your team is not inhibited or impressed by the occasion and continues to focus on what it does well. This Arsenal team’s main strength is their ability to keep a clean sheet, and in a final that is very important.
“Then you have to be efficient. Your moment will come in the game and you have to be ruthless. Paris Saint-Germain have huge attacking potential, but Arsenal also have individual quality and are very strong on set pieces, which can have a huge influence in a final. Once you are 1–0 up, everything starts to play to your strengths when you are strong defensively. Arsenal can always be dangerous.”
