It was always going to be a defining summer transfer window for Arsenal.
After a third successive campaign as Premier League runners-up, the Gunners had no choice but to get their business right — particularly with rivals Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea having significantly bolstered their squads.
Six players have arrived, including the much-needed No 9 Viktor Gyokeres, a new defensive midfielder in Martin Zubimendi and a quartet of new faces that will act as competition for places in the starting lineup.
And they are not done yet.
A window that has prevented them falling further behind the pack, yes, but one which still requires further work to be done to ensure Mikel Arteta’s men are right in the mix for a first league title since 2004.
Mail Sport’s ISAAN KHAN examines Arsenal’s window so far and what could happen over the next month.
Viktor Gyokeres is the biggest move of Arsenal’s summer so far, filling the much-needed role leading the line
Martin Zubimendi’s arrival is a real coup, having been courted by Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester City
1. What have Arsenal done so far?
New sporting director Andrea Berta has delivered impressively on incomings. His appointment in March after Edu’s shock departure was amid a state of flux at the club, yet he has hit the ground running.
Midfielder Christian Norgaard (£15million), defender Cristhian Mosquera (£13m), goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga (£5m) and forward Noni Madueke (£52m) have all been signed to help bolster the squad and challenge existing stars.
Norgaard adds depth to the middle of the park after the departures of Thomas Partey and Jorginho, while Mosquera is a handy option at the back in that he can play multiple positions and has room for growth at just 21 years old. Arrizabalaga is a cheap but strong back-up to No 1 David Raya.
Madueke is an intriguing signing for the frontline, which has split a fanbase that is anxious over past signings from Chelsea, while Zubimendi (£51m) represents a real coup for Arsenal having previously been courted by Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester City.
But it’s the capture of Gyokeres (£63.5m) that represents the biggest scalp. Arsenal have been crying out for a striker for years, the situation coming to a head in January after a series of injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.
The 27-year-old Sweden striker was courted by a number of clubs and provides the Gunners with something they have long lacked: a finisher. Havertz was their highest league goalscorer last season on nine goals, their lowest in 101 years.
That was a concern which Gyokeres – who scored 97 goals in two seasons at Sporting CP – should now fix.
Cristhian Mosquera (right) has arrived to challenge William Saliba and Gabriel in the centre of Arsenal’s defence
2. What do they still need to do?
Buy a left winger. If Arsenal can do this, it will be one heck of a window for Berta in his first transfer window in the post.
They do look fallible in the area of attacking creativity, even with the arrival of Madueke who can play different positions in the front line. Many times last season the ball often found itself around the box, without the penetration to break the lines.
But Arsenal’s No 1 priority right now is shifting unwanted players out of the door. Without doing this, no more pricey arrivals will happen.
Noni Madueke can play across the front line but Arsenal still need another left winger
3. Is there enough budget and PSR headroom left to fill their needs?
Arsenal have so far spent nearly £190m – but that doesn’t mean they are done.
Their PSR position is strong, driven by record revenues (£616m) and profits on player sales (£50m) for the year to May 31, 2024. It’s understood that they can make a loss of at least £85m and still be safe from breaching PSR rules.
However, one of the key focuses of the Kroenke family, Arsenal’s owners, is sustainability and spending within their means. That doesn’t mean they will not back the manager, but they are keen to bring in some money first – having recouped only around £10m this summer with the sales of Nuno Tavares and Marquinhos.
And it all leads to a serious push to sell players in this window to ensure they can keep filling out their needs.
4. Who are they targeting?
Despite the influx of signings, Arsenal’s window is not sealed shut just yet. They remain interested in Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze. who they see as an option both on the left wing and as a No 10 – the position he plays most for Palace in Oliver Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 system.
Arsenal have an open dialogue with Eze’s representatives, and the player has a £68m release clause with two years left on his contract. The clause is understood to expire two weeks before the window closes on September 1.
Mail Sport understands that a move for Eze will only be possible if significant player sales are made — and that any potential move would only happen later in the window.
Another target is Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, who the club do admire, though Eze is higher up in the pecking order.
Arsenal are in open dialogue with Eberechi Eze’s representatives
Another target is Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, who the club do admire, though Eze is higher up in the pecking order
5. And who is heading for the exit?
Reiss Nelson has showed glimpses of brightness on the pre-season tour of Asia. The same has happened in seasons gone by, where the forgotten man has turned up with a point to prove during a pre-season campaign.
But Arsenal are looking to get the academy graduate, and his approximate £100,000 a week wages, off the books. Fulham are in talks over a loan move for the winger, who has two years left on his contract and spent last season at Craven Cottage. A permanent move is the preferred route, to recoup immediate funds, but a loan would nevertheless be better for the club than Nelson staying.
Fulham are keen to take Reiss Nelson on loan again, after he spent last season at Craven Cottage
Oleksandr Zinchenko (second right) and Albert Sambi Lokonga (furthest right) are both up for sale this summer
Oleksandr Zinchenko is also up for sale, with Fulham again interested. The Ukrainian, who earns £150,000 a week at the Emirates, has fallen down the pecking order following the signing of Riccardo Calafiori and the emergence of teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly at left back.
Fabio Vieira has been in the shop window for some time. He went on loan to Porto last season and has since been usurped in the attacking midfield spot by Ethan Nwaneri, while highly rated 15-year-old Max Dowman is also arguably pushing Vieira down the squad depth chart too. Arsenal are particularly keen to find Vieira a move, with West Ham interested.
Albert Sambi Lokonga is also up for sale. With Leandro Trossard, Mail Sport reported in May that the club have been in talks with the winger over a new deal keeping him at Arsenal until 2029.
Yet the player is still stalling over the contract and Borussia Dortmund are interested in signing the Belgian, who has scored 28 goals in 124 games for Arsenal since joining from Brighton in January 2023.
