Should Arsenal fans be worried about the slow start to the summer transfer window?

Revenue hit new heights, they kept their powder dry for 12 months and then, to top it all off, a new Sporting Director rolled into town – everything had pointed towards this being quite the blockbuster summer at Arsenal.

But not much is happening. To date, it seems a cut-price move for Kepa Arrizabalaga is in the works (hardly gets the pulse racing) and ‘talks’ continue over a deal for either Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko; I suspect world wars have been settled faster.

The Gunners did sign Martin Zubimendi quick in fairness, though the thousands of ‘confirmation’ tweets every day do not hide the fact that he is our only done deal and that prompts a natural query: should fans be worried about the slow start to this transfer window?

Is there any reason for Arsenal fans to worry about the 'slow' summer transfer window?

My guess would be “yes, maybe a bit”. There is no real need for head loss (yet) as pre-season is still one month away and the new Premier League season two months off, while some claim that Andrea Berta likes to get all his ducks in a row before striking deals and it is THAT effort which has led to our seemingly muted approach.

However, the club have a lot to do before August and so their meagre progress – even with time on their side – is still of some concern. Those fears are compounded by the swift action of our rivals, as Liverpool have already spent close to £200m on a title-winning squad and Manchester City invested more than £100m by 10th June. - albeit with the Club World Cup on their horizon.

You cannot even hope for a great ‘masterplan’ behind the scenes as the deals Arsenal have 'wrapped up' (i.e. Kepa and Zubimendi) were played out in public, suggesting that other moves are not being kept secret but, rather, that there has simply been no progress on those fronts.      

Fans are becoming antsy but let me offer some words of comfort: no one at the club could possibly be under illusions about the magnitude of this window, not after years of near misses and a growing sense that this team must win something ‘now’.

Furthermore, it has been reported that Berta was appointed in March – and not later – specifically so he could help Arsenal navigate the summer transfer market; maybe his multitasking negotiating style will bear fruit over the next few months and allow us to pivot quickly should our priority deals fail to materialise.

For now, we can only sit idly by the phone and hope for that dopamine rush to kickstart the Gunners spending spree. It is going to be a long summer, but a big forward acquisition* could do just the trick to make it all worthwhile.

*Noni Madueke does not count.

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