Arsenal break 4-year transfer window streak following deadline day inactivity

How should Arsenal fans feel about this summer transfer window? On one hand, Christos Tzolis looks like an excellent addition, while both Ezri Konsa and Bruno Guimarães are Premier League proven and will significantly improve the starting XI right away.

However, supporters are still concerned about the attack. Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus have all been sold, with Ethan Nwaneri departing on loan, while Tzolis is the only new recruit in the forward line. Perhaps neither were ever realistic, but when the carrots of Vinícius Júnior and Julián Álvarez have been dangled in front of you, and Arsenal end up with neither, nor anyone else, that is going to sting.

Personally, I believe there is no need to panic, nor call for Andrea Berta's head. A certain other club, one who perennially finish 17th, have underlined that winning the transfer window is not the be all and end all. Nevertheless, if you are one of the many Gooners losing their minds, take some solace in the fact that Arsenal did not fall into the same transfer market trap as always.

Amazingly, this is the first season since 2021/22 that Arsenal have not signed a player from Chelsea, so far anyway. This falls into the category of facts that sound made up, but are actually true.

Arsenal signings from Chelsea (2019-present)

Of the seven players signed from Chelsea to have played for Mikel Arteta, it is slim pickings in terms of those to have been a success. If you take it back even further and include Petr Čech, Yossi Benayoun, Lassana Diarra and William Gallas, you wonder why the Gunners keep even considering buying from the Blues' bins.

Jorginho was a solid signing, a key figure in the side that accumulated 89 points in 2023/24, while the best of the bench is undeniably Kai Havertz. By netting against Manchester City in the Community Shield and Coventry on the Premier League's opening day, the German has now found the target in four successive starts. This goes back to last season when he was on target against Burnley and Paris Saint-Germain the Champions League Final in Budapest.

Havertz now has 38 goals to his name in an Arsenal shirt, and is quite clearly Mikel Arteta's first-choice centre-forward ahead of Viktor Gyökeres, who is yet to play a single minute in the Premier League so far this season. Keeping Havertz fit and sharp will be key to Arsenal's success this season.

The same can also certainly be said of Martin Ødegaard, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka. In the absence of a new elite-level attacking difference maker, getting the best out of the ones Arteta already has will be vital.

Looking at Chelsea's transfer business, considering they sold 12 senior players and loaned out a further ten more, it is somewhat miraculous none of them ended up posing with a red shirt at Sobha Realty Training Centre. So, who felt the most inevitable? Well, infamous former Arsenal transfer target Mykhailo Mudryk joined Tottenham on transfer deadline day, on loan with an option to buy for £75 million... no, that is not a typo.

Spurs have paid some astronomical fees for bang-average players this summer, but if they pay £75 million for Mudryk, who remember has not played a competitive game for 643 days following a drugs ban, then perhaps Vinai Venkatesham really is trying to destroy Tottenham from the inside.

Away from Mudryk, the other player who felt like a typical Arsenal signing was Nicolas Jackson. He's hard working and disciplined, while also an erratic finisher, but, and this has seemingly been crucial in previous windows, unwanted by Chelsea. Luckily, unlike Aston Villa, the Gunners have not paid up to £65 million for the Senegalese forward, something we now feels comfortable saying outload, after he did not score on debut at Villa Park on Monday night.

While we're being facetious, we can't wait to see why Chelsea reject joins Arsenal in January!

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow