Arsenal set up Mikel Arteta's top four collapse with bizarre Steven Gerrard Aston Villa deal

Arsenal’s decision to sell Calum Chambers was arguably the biggest factor in the Gunners’ failure to achieve a top-four finish. This is epitomised by the injuries Arsenal have had in the back end of the season.

Edu allowed Chambers to leave the club to join Aston Villa on a free transfer in the January transfer window, which seemed to make little sense. The Gunners were already short in numbers in defence and Arsenal did not receive a transfer fee for the Englishman meaning a deal had no benefit for Arsenal.

Due to Takehiro Tomiyasu’s injury problems, it has also meant Arsenal have had issues in the full-back positions. Arsenal’s lack of defensive quality to cover the defence has cost Mikel Arteta’s side a place in the Champions League, and having Chambers in the squad would have certainly boosted the Gunners’ chances.

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Despite the excellent acquisition of Tomiyasu from Bologna in a bargain £19.8m deal, Arteta’s side still requires another right-back in the squad. The sale of Calum Chambers means that Tomiyasu has been left with little competition for his spot.

Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes succumbed to injuries during the most crucial point in the season. Rob Holding’s red card against Tottenham meant that despite both White and Gabriel being unfit, they still had to start in Arsenal’s crunch top-four finish fixture against Newcastle, where inevitably the defence became unstuck.

Chambers would have been a crucial pawn for Arteta in the final stretch of games, especially when looking at the terrible form of Cedric Soares. The Portuguese international was tasked with replacing Tomiyasu on the right-hand side, and