Kai Havertz, Folarin Balogun & the seven Arsenal players with points to prove during pre-season

Arsenal's decision to invest so much money in Havertz has raised a few eyebrows, not least because three years on from his initial arrival in the Premier League, it's still unclear what his best position is. The German became a Champions League winner at Chelsea, and recorded 32 goals and 15 assists across 139 games for the club in all competitions, but never delivered the goods on a consistent basis.

Havertz was also among the Blues' worst performers during a disastrous 2022-23 campaign, and the club's willingness to sell him to a direct rival speaks volumes. Still, Arteta believes he can unlock the 24-year-old's full potential, and it will certainly be fascinating to see how he fits into Arsenal's lineup.

It seems most logical for him to be used as a direct replacement for Granit Xhaka on the left of the Gunners' midfield three, but Arteta will have the chance to try him in several different positions during pre-season. Havertz will need to hit the ground running, though, or else critics of his move across London will start sharpening their knives once again.

Balogun has been one of the most talked about footballers on the planet over the last few months, and for good reason. He started banging in the goals almost instantly after joining Reims on loan from Arsenal, which sparked a drawn-out international allegiance tug-of-war between the United States and England.

The 22-year-old ended up choosing the USMNT, and he now has another big decision to make on his future at club level. The likes of Juventus, Milan, Inter, Marseille and RB Leipzig have been linked with moves for Balogun, who has made it clear that he "definitely won't go on loan again".

Much could depend on how well the young forward plays during Arsenal's upcoming run of friendlies, which will be his final chance to convince Arteta that he deserves a place in his starting XI. If Balogun lights up the Gunners' pre-season, there will be no reason for him to leave or for the club to sell him - but he will need to outshine his main competitor for a No.9 berth, Gabriel Jesus.

Tomiyasu is a useful asset for Arsenal, as he proved once again last season. The two-footed Japan international can play on both sides of the defence, he's cool and calm on the ball under pressure, and he can break the lines effectively with his passing and dribbling ability.

But he missed the backend of last season through injury, and will surely now have a tough time getting back into the team in his preferred right-back spot. Ben White remains first choice there for now, but Timber will push hard to replace him, and Tomiyasu is destined to slide further down the pecking order.

Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney could still be usurped on the left, but it will be essential for Tomiyasu to prove his fitness in the next few weeks. If he lags behind after his injury lay-off, the 2023-24 campaign could prove to be a very long one for the versatile Japanese defender.

There's no way of sugar-coating it; the 2022-23 season was a complete disaster for Smith Rowe. He missed the start of the campaign after undergoing groin surgery, and didn't return to the pitch until January.

Smith Rowe was then reduced to a bench role, and finished the season without a single start to his name, leading to huge question marks over his future at the Emirates. But the 22-year-old may just have earned himself a lifeline with his superb performances for England at the U21 European Championships.

The Young Lions stormed to their first Euros triumph in 39 years in Georgia, and Smith Rowe played a key role during his six appearances while chipping in with two goals and an assist. He's currently taking a deserved break, but it will be crucial for him to transfer that form to Arsenal when he returns and show that he still has plenty to offer Arteta.

Nwaneri made history when he stepped off the bench for Arsenal in the latter stages of their 3-0 win away at Brentford on September 18, becoming the youngest player to ever feature in the Premier League at 15 years and 181 days old.

It was to be his only senior appearance of the season, but there is still plenty of buzz around the talented young midfielder. It has been reported that Chelsea and Manchester City have both been tracking his progress with Arsenal's U21s, but he ended speculation over his future by signing a scholarship contract earlier this month.

The challenge for Nwaneri now is to make sure he earns a professional contract when he turns 17 in March 2023, to follow in the footsteps of some of the club's previously lauded academy graduates such as Cesc Fabregas and Jack Wilshere.

Nwaneri played the second half of Arsenal's friendly draw against Watford, and will hope for more minutes when the team returns from the U.S. having been left out of the travelling squad, though he will have to make a huge impact in order to put himself into contention for a role in Arteta's set-up in 2023-24.

Holding has been a fine servant for Arsenal, featuring in over 160 games after his switch from Bolton back in 2016, but he's never been much more than a backup option. However, Arteta was forced to bring him into the heart of the defence in March after William Saliba was sidelined with a back issue - which ultimately ended his season.

As it turned out, it also spelled the end for Arsenal's title charge, as Holding failed to reach the same high level as his French team-mate while slotting in alongside Gabriel. Opposition teams quickly identified Holding as the Gunners' weak link, and they only won three of their final nine matches as Aaron Ramsdale was left exposed between the sticks.

Holding still has one year left on his contract, but he has been linked with a move to Turkish outfit Besiktas. The 27-year-old will have to raise his game in pre-season in order to secure an extended stay in north London, especially given the fact Timber's arrival will only increase competition for places.

It was something of a shock when Arsenal unveiled Vieira as their first major signing of the 2022 summer transfer window as they struck a £30m ($39m) deal with Porto. The Portuguese midfielder wasn't a household name, but caused quite the stir after his arrival at the Emirates by claiming he shares the "same qualities" as Lionel Messi.

Vieira did himself no favours with such a bold statement, but his first few months with the Gunners were encouraging. Most of his minutes came in cup competitions, though, as it quickly became clear that Arteta saw him as more of a squad player than a vital cog in his system.

As the season progressed, Vieira's contibution waned, and he opened himself up to criticism from supporters with a series of anonymous displays. Arsenal might now regret handing the playmaker a five-year deal, but there is still hope for him.

Vieira can force his way back into Arteta's thoughts if he has a strong pre-season, and will surely be desperate to silence his doubters. At the moment, the former Porto star looks like a major flop, but he has an opportunity to start changing that dynamic in the coming weeks.