The Hard Tackle looks at the transfer business for Arsenal this summer, but the question here is whether Mikel Arteta got what he wanted for a title challenge.
Arsenal entered into the summer transfer window with contrasting ideas on whether they needed another significant outlay or only signings that plugged small gaps in the squad. The answer was the latter, as the Gunners did not spend too much money, but that was mainly due to the lack of a marquee attacker coming in.
In truth, Manchester City and Liverpool did not commit too much money to new arrivals, as the trio, including Arsenal, did not need too much surgery to complete their respective squads. As for the Gunners, Mikel Arteta had the idea of strengthening the left-hand side of the pitch, and he has done so in stellar fashion.
There have been calls for a new striker in the build-up to the transfer window, and it took them until the last minutes of the summer to bring in Raheem Sterling on loan from Chelsea. The idea to bring the winger was more opportunistic than a concerted effort, with the 29-year-old not featuring in their original summer plan, as Edu Gaspar revealed in the aftermath of deadline day.
Either way, Arsenal have strengthened in the right areas and brought in players Arteta deemed essential for the upcoming season. Moreover, with a raft of critical departures, they also quashed the idea that the club are bad sellers, and now the manager has a trimmed squad of players he can trust to play a part.
Ins and outs
Arsenal had decided to offload players that were unwanted in Mikel Arteta’s plans going forwards this summer. Those who left the club on a permanent basis include academy stars Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah, with those sales directly benefiting the club in terms of making a pure profit from those departures.
There were those like Aaron Ramsdale, who wanted to play regularly, as Arsenal found a reasonable agreement with Southampton to let him leave on a permanent basis. The rest, including Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, and Fabio Vieira, may not feature going forward. However, the latter could still have a future with the North London club, considering the club only sent him out on a dry loan.
In truth, Arsenal would have liked to conduct more outgoing business had things worked in their favour. Kieran Tierney has stayed at the club despite not featuring in Arteta’s plans. At the same time, they did decide to keep Jakub Kiwior despite the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori. However, the decision on the Polish defender may have to do something with the fitness issues with Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Outs: Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Aaron Ramsdale
Free Transfers Out: Mohamed Elneny, Arthur Okonkwo, Cedric Soares
Loaned Out: Reiss Nelson, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares, Karl hein, Fabio Vieira
Arsenal did well in terms of their incoming businesses, with Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino appearing like essential signings in the context of strengthening the left side of the pitch. With Thomas Partey a constant fitness worry for Arteta, it was time to bring in a new midfielder who can play the left-eight role as well as in the No.6 position, with Merino fit for both those roles, which allows Mikel Arteta to play Rice more centrally.
Then, the Calafiori signing was more of a necessity as his profile does suit what Arteta wants on the left side of the defence. Moreover, the return of Jurrien Timber also feels like a new signing, and both he and the Italian could provide different options. Finally, the deadline-day business to bring in Raheem Sterling and Neto was vital in the context of adding an extra attacker and a Ramsdale replacement.
Ins: Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, David Raya, Neto, Raheem Sterling
Marquee Signing
Raheem Sterling
Right now, not many Arsenal fans will see Sterling as someone who starts in this current team. Still, the England international has the profile and personality to do so relatively quickly. Sterling was not a profile Arteta may have desired, but the general lack of options in the market may have pushed the club to bring in a late replacement for Reiss Nelson.
Sterling is a vastly experienced professional in the Premier League and could compete for a place on both wings. He also brings in a variety of options for Arteta to play with when selecting the front three, as the 29-year-old does improve this Arsenal attack and clearly is their marquee signing, especially given the minimal cost at which the club managed to bring him in.
Value for Money Signing
Mikel Merino
While Raheem Sterling could have featured in this role, the actual recipient is Mikel Merino, considering how many problems he solves for the cost Arsenal have incurred to bring. A champion at UEFA Euro 2024, Merino has been a consistent figure for Real Sociedad over the years.
His profile and the improvements he brings to this Arsenal midfield make him a shrewd acquisition, especially when the midfielder reportedly rejected overtures from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid to make a move to North London. Even if some may argue that Arsenal overpaid, this is a good investment for the next few years, to have a player of his calibre operating alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
Inevitable Departure
Aaron Ramsdale
There are some other contenders for this category, as Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah could have shouted. However, a player like Ramsdale on the bench did feel like a waste of talent, and Arsenal did well to get a decent fee in a market for goalkeepers that looked dead for large parts of the window.
Ramsdale needed to play regular football, and even if the move to Southampton, where he will likely face another relegation scrap, feels like a step backwards, he was desperate for a move. Regular football at St. Mary’s will bring him back in the picture for England, as Lee Carsley has already omitted him from his squad for the upcoming international break.
The Big Miss
Nico Williams
Again, there are plenty of contenders based on what the media has been reporting on Arsenal’s apparent targets. For instance, fans have been crying out for a top-draw striker, but Arteta has kept faith in Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, as Nico Williams seems like the one they probably missed out on despite the complications in getting a deal done.
With Arsenal needing a winger to upgrade the wide areas, Nico Williams was available on a decent release clause this summer. However, the winger was expected to join Barcelona, and as the window wore down, he was leaning towards staying at Athletic Club. However, the Gunners could have tested with an offer to the player and triggered his release clause, as who knows what would have happened in that case.
Verdict – 8/10
Arsenal did not need massive surgery on their squad and could be satisfied with how they conducted their overall business. In terms of sales, they have offloaded plenty of deadwood, something they have struggled with in the past while getting decent fees for some players with good values.
There are still questions on whether they should have signed a striker, but Arteta will not be too worried about not bringing in one. However, with Arsenal strengthening their squad with Mikel Merino, Neto, Riccardo Calafiori and finally Raheem Sterling, they seem equipped to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title.
Signing Sterling in the final minutes of the transfer window will undoubtedly boost their prospect, as they now have a trimmed squad with good players in all positions that Arteta can fully trust. Had they brought in a big striker, it would have been a window close to 10/10, but 8/10 seems like a reasonable shout for their business this summer.
