Four signings, none up front
The English transfer window shut on Monday night. Arsenal came out of it with four additions: Illan Meslier as backup keeper on 9 July, winger Christos Tzolis on 23 July, midfielder Bruno Guimaraes on 8 August and centre-back Ezri Konsa on 21 August.
The numbers tell the story. Three of those four signings bolster defence and midfield, two areas that were already Arsenal’s strongest last season. Guimaraes looks an immediate starter. Konsa gives them a credible understudy to William Saliba, whose injury problems have come at a cost.
Up front, though, it’s been a mess. Tzolis is the only attacking arrival of the summer, against four departures in that department.
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At odds with the May message
On 31 May, after the Champions League final defeat to PSG, Mikel Arteta made his position clear. The Spaniard called for “ambition, speed and intelligence” in the summer to come. He had just seen, on the pitch, exactly what his side lacked when the big moments arrived: individuals who could break games open on their own.
Three months later, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, the two regulars on the left flank, have been sold. Gabriel Jesus has joined FC Barcelona in the closing hours of the market. Ethan Nwaneri has gone out on loan to Borussia Dortmund. Arsenal have trimmed their attacking options more than they’ve strengthened them.
Three targets, three dead ends
The Gunners were not short of ideas, but they aimed high and went long. Morgan Rogers was first on the list: the fee and the competition killed that one, with Chelsea coming out on top. Vinicius Junior was then sounded out, only to sign a new deal at Real Madrid. And finally Julian Alvarez, who never had any interest in London anyway, with Barca his only destination.
Three expensive pursuits, three brick walls, and a summer spent waiting. In the meantime, more realistic names such as Bradley Barcola and Malick Fofana moved on without Arsenal really getting involved.
Arteta goes into a pivotal season with fewer attacking answers than he had in May. The defensive base remains strong, and that was enough to chase the title. The step up in Europe, though, will be decided elsewhere.
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