Arsenal: It feels like we’re missing something this transfer window…

Arsenal are starting to figure out their business this transfer window, but it feels like there’s still something that’s critically missing. Hm… what could it be?

So, if you buy into rumors, Arsenal are nearing what would be a pretty active and successful (albeit cheap) transfer window. They already got Gabriel Martinelli, they’re inching after Kieran Tierney, Dani Ceballos is on his way on a loan from Real Madrid and Everton Soares will bolster the attack on the wings.

Then there’s William Saliba who is about to be agreed on, but according to reports, he won’t join us until next summer, at which point we will pay. So we’re not just getting players for the here and now, we’re getting players for the future too.

With the youth wave of Emile Smith Rowe, Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock and Bukayo Saka ready  for more involvement in the first team, and Gabriel Martinelli now counted among them as well. The attack looks like it’s in a positive state, despite the lingering presence of Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

It all feels pretty good, right? Business is getting done, we’re getting some exciting young players to help fill in the Unai Emery era.

But something doesn’t quite feel right. Like something is missing… I can’t quite put my finger on it. No wait, yes I can—

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What the hell are we going to do about this defense?

Not a single player has come close to a move to the Emirates. I got all up in my feelings about how perfect Joachim Andersen was, only for him to fall to Lyon for £20m, which is a price that is so within our price range that I weep every time I type it.

Armando Izzo hung out in the rumor mill for a bit. That was fun.

The only guy who we are still linked to, and it’s not a very strong link, is Pape Abou Cisse, the young Senegalese centerback on the books at Olympiakos. A £10m move could be in store for him, but until the chatter picks up a bit, then there’s really nothing to see here.

I like the idea of trusting Rob Holding and Calum Chambers, but there is going to be plenty of minutes to go around, and the very idea that we’re taking Shkodran Mustafi into another season rather than replacing him is… scary.

There’s still time. I hope that’s a good thing.