Arsenal, under the stewardship of Mikel Arteta, has established a reputation as one of the best teams in the Premier League over the last couple of years. The Gunners could easily have won back-to-back League titles in the past two seasons but for Pep Guardiola’s indomitable Manchester City.
After narrowly missing out on Premier League glory in the 2023/2024 season, Arsenal will have gone into the summer transfer window in search of the missing piece in their already massively impressive squad. With the window now shut and transfer business concluded, it remains to be seen whether Arteta was able to lay his hands on the final piece to the puzzle.
The Gunners, needing to add some depth to their squad, made five additions including three outstanding ones in Ricardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, and Raheem Sterling, who joined from London rivals Chelsea on deadline day. Neto was also brought in to provide depth in the goalkeeping department.
They also facilitated the departures of many of their long-standing squad members during the summer transfer window. The likes of Albert Sambi Lokonga, Reiss Nelson, Fabio Vieira, and Nuno Tavares all left the Emirates on loan while Aaron Ramsdale, Emile Smith-Rowe, and Eddie Nketiah sealed permanent moves away from the north London side.
Arsenal tickets will again be among the most demanded in England and in Europe, owing to their exciting play over the past two seasons.
In this article, we shall look at Arsenal’s summer business and analyze the sporting and financial merits of each deal completed before the window’s end.
Arrivals
David Raya impressed enough in his loan spell at the Emirates last season to convince the Gunners to trigger his £27 million buy option. Considering the Spaniard’s quality, age, and the amount other top teams have spent on goalkeepers in recent years, Arsenal will feel they have conducted good business on this one. Also, the addition of Neto, a Premier League proven goalkeeper on loan means Arteta has a reliable back-up for Raya should the need arise.
Arsenal signed Italian defender Ricardo Calafiori from Serie A side Bologna after an impressive 2023/2024 campaign. Calafiori’s acquisition cost the Gunners £34 million plus £8 million in add-ons, a great deal considering his age and versatility. The 22-year-old also provides a great attacking threat and his wage package means this deal is a great financial investment for the Gunners.
Another financially prudent deal completed by the North Londoners this summer was the signing of Euro 2024 winner Mikel Merino for £31 million. How Arsenal convinced Real Sociedad to part with one of their most important players for a fee way below his market value will remain a mystery. The Gunners faithful will be hoping the Spaniard can be the masterstroke needed to finally dislodge Manchester City from their perch.
Perhaps coming as a surprise to many, Arsenal signed former Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling on deadline day. However, with a player of his level and experience coming in, the Gunners’ attacking depth has been significantly strengthened. Sterling can play anywhere across the front line, providing good cover for Arteta’s side up front. Additionally, this is a dry loan which will see Arsenal cover part of Sterling’s salary. Looks like a decent deal both financially and sporting-wise.
Departures
One of Arsenal’s first departures, Albert Sambi Lokonga joined Spanish La Liga side Sevilla on loan, with an option to buy for a fee of £10 million included in the deal. The 24-year-old spent the last couple of years on loan at Crystal Palace and Luton Town respectively. Lokonga seems to be settling well in Seville, having made two starts in La Liga. If his loan spell is successful and Sevilla decides to trigger their option to buy, the Gunners will be happy to recoup some part of their investment in the Belgian.
Another player the Gunners were eager to ship out was Nuno Tavares, who joined Lazio on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy for around £7 million included in the deal. After a couple of failed loan stints at Marseille and Nottingham Forest, things are finally looking good for the 24-year-old in Italy as he notched two assists in his debut against Milan. A decent deal overall for a player who never fulfilled his potential at the club.
Arsenal also sent Reiss Nelson, Fabio Viera, and Karl Hein on loan moves to Fulham, Porto, and Real Valladolid respectively. Nelson’s move to Fulham allows the winger to get minutes as the arrival of Sterling will likely limit his already scarce playing time at the Emirates. Also, the Gunners can free themselves of his wages for a year which seems to be a win-win for all parties involved. Vieira’s move to Porto presents the Portuguese with the chance to shine again after finding game time hard to come by last season. With Odegaard as his competition at Arsenal, one can hardly blame Arteta for Viera’s lack of playing time.
Moving on to permanent departures, Smith Rowe’s £34 million fee to move from north to west London is significantly higher than his £18 million market value. A peach of a deal for the Gunners, because the Hale End product barely featured for the club last season. Arsenal also completed another great piece of business with Nketiah’s £30 million departure to Crystal Palace. The player wanted the move, the club got their asking price, and everybody was happy. And finally, we have Aaron Ramsdale’s move to Southampton for £25 million, which was finalized in the last week of the transfer window. Arteta’s decision to replace the English shot-stopper has paid off, the money’s just about right so yeah, the move makes sense.
Overall, Arsenal fans can be happy with their summer window. The additions are exciting and could potentially make a difference for the Gunners in the title race. As for outgoings, they have also managed to keep a hold of their key players while offloading some of the deadweights within the squad. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how much of an impact this window will have on Arsenal’s season.