Arsenal’s 4 Big Transfer Deadline-Day Signings

We are approaching the final day of the transfer window and we are still waiting to do the necessary business.

Two months ago we had hoped that the summer transfer window would bring about much change, with the team in need of an overhaul. Unfortunately, here we are with two days remaining and essentially the same team who performed so poorly for Arsenal last season.

We haven’t quite hit the panic button yet (that will come at 11pm on the 5th October if we don’t sign anyone else no doubt). On the odd occasion, however, we have shown that we are capable of getting a big deal over the line late on in the transfer window, so here’s a reminder not to give up on this one just yet.

Mesut Ozil – 2013 (£42m)

It’s of course appropriate to start with this transfer, as who could forget the scenes of hysteria from the fans when the deal was announced very late on transfer deadline day back in 2013?

He was the first big name signing of the Emirates era and to many fans this transfer meant that Arsenal were back and were ready to challenge for the top honours in football again, not just on these shores.

At the time, Mesut Ozil was one of the top names in European football and a bonafide world class talent. Of course, seven years later, it’s safe to say that things haven’t worked out quite as well as we thought they would back then, but if you didn’t punch the air or kiss the TV screen when the deal was announced then you didn’t celebrate properly I’m afraid.

Andrey Arshavin – 2009 (£15m)

One of our record transfer signing before Ozil, in fact this deal was so late in the transfer window there was even a dispute at the time that the paper work hadn’t been submitted before the deadline.

The signing of Arshavin brought about genuine buzz among fans. He had been one of the stars of Euro 2008 and came to the Premier League with a fearsome reputation. Something our attack  needed at the time. He was skillful, had great pace and the occasional moment of genius.

However, Arshavin was often accused of being too lazy to play for Arsenal as he had a tendency to drift in and out of games, and his four years at the club didn’t bring any silverware. Still, those four goals at Anfield and the winner against Barcelona in the Champions League will ensure that we always remember Arshavin’s spell at the club fondly.

Mikel Arteta – 2011 (£10.8m)

Mikel Arteta was one of five transfers on deadline day back in 2011 after Arsene Wenger went on a bit of a splurge after that 8-2 hammering at Old Trafford.

Arteta wasn’t that world class signing we perhaps craved at the time, but he immediately brought leadership to a fractured dressing room (sound familiar?) and a vast amount of Premier League experience.

During his five year playing career at the club Mikel served us well, and it’s here that he fell in with the Arsenal values and our way of life. It’s fair to say that if the Spaniard would not have joined us back then we would not have seen him back at the club managing Arsenal to a glorious Champions League and Premier League double in 2023 (I had a premonition that this may or may not be true).

Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang – 2018 (£58m)

The signing of Aubameyang was wrapped up early on transfer deadline in January 2018, although the formalities were done a little beforehand.

Perhaps our greatest deadline day signing of all time, I certainly can’t think of one better and this transfer had me celebrating more than the Ozil one.

Before joining Arsenal he had one of the most feared scoring rates in Europe, and with 72 goals in 113 games since moving to north London, it’s fair to say that he has kept that rate up.

Many will call the Aubameyang contract signing last month the best bit of business we will do for the entire window, and when you consider how vital he is to the club, then there can be no argument. Of course, we still have two days to change that. Over to you, Edu.