Arsenal is dragging its knuckles through the transfer market

Here we sit with Arsenal kicking off its Premier League campaign on Friday and, at the time of writing, only three players have been added to the squad in the transfer window. This is after Mikel Arteta’s stern words that the club’s overhaul has to be ‘ruthless’ after failing to secure European football.

So why has Arsenal had a quiet transfer window thus far?

Nuno Tavares, Albert Lokonga, and Ben White are the only new acquisitions so far and with the new season just around the corner, there is hardly anything going on – from the outside anyway – in terms of getting players in.

This is partially due to the current COVID-19 environment and with clubs having limited resources and funds to pursue their targets. For Arsenal, the biggest issue is not necessarily getting players in, but players out, which is made even tougher due to the state of the market.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

Arsenal are dragging their knuckles through the transfer market with Mikel Arteta and Edu yet to see signings and sales in anywhere near enough volume

Several players including Hector Bellerin, Mohamed Elneny, Joe Willock, Sead Kolasinac, Alex Runnarson, Reiss Nelson, Lucas Torreira and Willian are just a few linked with moves away, yet none have materialized aside from Willock’s imminent sale.

Now let’s talk about the players who the club is ‘reportedly’ interested in.

Firstly, the Gunners were linked with James Maddison – a case said to be softening – although the £60-£70m price tag is reportedly a stumbling block at this stage – but he is the exact player Arsenal need. As has been the case since the last day of last season, Martin Odegaard has been consistently linked with a permanent return to the club.

However, Arsenal still lie in wait for what the player decides to do regarding staying at Real Madrid or seeking a move away for first-team football. Arsenal is willing to wait for an answer, however, that is precious time wasted when someone like Maddison is keen on a move to the capital; a move that would require parting with some serious capital.

Creativity has arguably been Arsenal’s biggest issue over the last two seasons. Having barely fired a shot before Christmas last season, Emile Smith Rowe and Odegaard both helped elevate that somewhat, but something is still missing and with the Norwegian not at the club anymore, the Gunners’ creative stocks are worryingly low.

Then there were the midfield interests. Fleeting reports suggested interest in Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and fans were frothing at the prospect considering the small price tag, but that interest went away as quickly as it arrived.

Granit Xhaka looked as good as gone just weeks ago with Roma essentially having the deal done, yet that fell through. Fans were excited at the prospect of having an upgrade to partner Thomas Partey in the heart of midfield, but now it looks like fans will have to endure another few seasons of the Swiss international – it is not the worst outcome by any means.

With both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struggling to find his best form and Alexandre Lacazette inexplicably allowed to enter the final year of his deal, Arsenal’s attacking options are suddenly fraught with danger.

The reports linking Tammy Abraham of Chelsea with a move to the Emirates is quintessentially Arsenal. The latest is that Roma has essentially wrapped up a deal for the striker with Chelsea not wanting the player to stay in England, only needing the player’s blessing to sanction the move. His mind is said to be fixed on the Premier League.

Another forward the club was linked with was Inter’s Lautaro Martinez, with the Italian giants wanting around £70m for the striker, a fee that Tottenham has already submitted. Surely if Spurs can sum up that money, Arsenal can too. Either way, he’s going nowhere.

However, as has become the norm, the Gunners have been rather quiet in the transfer window, with the Ben White deal an outlier.

With Covid still wreaking havoc across the globe, is that one of the main reasons why Arsenal has sat on its hands? Or does the club feel like its hands are tied until players are moved on? Transfer plans were made ahead of the season, and in the months before that, but it appears mismanagement and misguidance has lead Arsenal to this point.

Desperately needing a goalkeeper, how can the club allow themselves to get within two days of the season starting before finding out that Sheffield United’s valuation of Aaron Ramsdale was the same valuation known in the weeks before? How did it take this long to realise the move didn’t fall within the club’s budget?

Either way, the recruiting process needs a vicious shove into overdrive or we can look forward to another season destined to be just as frustrating as the last. The next two and a half weeks are….well, you know.