After three years of falling just short in the Premier League, it appears Arsenal can no longer wait. Their pre-season formally kicks off this Saturday as they depart for Singapore, with Mikel Arteta`s squad expected to welcome up to six new additions, and potentially more. This summer truly signifies Arsenal`s unwavering commitment to success.
Before pre-season even began, three players had already joined: Kepa Arrizabalaga, last season`s Premier League number one with Bournemouth, now serving as backup to David Raya; and Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard, who together represent a significant overhaul of the defensive midfield positions previously held by Jorginho and Thomas Partey.
Two further deals are merely awaiting official announcements: Cristhian Mosquera, a defender arriving for $18.6 million to bolster defensive options, and Noni Madueke, a $70 million acquisition from Chelsea. Madueke is anticipated to miss the pre-season tour following his involvement in the Club World Cup. Perhaps the most eagerly awaited signing, Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting, was agreed in principle last week. While a final agreement has not yet been reached at the time of writing, Arsenal is set to pay an initial $73.6 million, with ongoing negotiations focused on the exact terms and achievability of $11.6 million in add-ons.
With these six signings secured, Arsenal`s immediate priority shifts to balancing the books through player sales. Fabio Vieira, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Reiss Nelson are all available for transfer. According to sources, Fulham is interested in Nelson on loan, but both Arsenal and the player prefer a permanent departure. Leandro Trossard has also attracted interest from clubs in Turkey. While players like Jakub Kiwior and Gabriel Martinelli are not actively being pushed for sale, the Gunners would consider substantial offers for them.
Successful sales could open the door for one more high-impact addition in the final third at the Emirates Stadium. Reports indicate that both Arsenal and Saudi Arabian side Neom SC are targeting Rodrygo, while discussions have taken place between the Gunners and representatives of Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze. Concurrently, the club has been progressing with crucial contract renegotiations for Gabriel, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Ethan Nwaneri.
The culmination of this remarkably active period for a team clearly capable of challenging for the Premier League title at full strength is a squad where, even without that seventh senior signing, Mikel Arteta will have at least two trusted options for each position. Last season, Arsenal`s squad depth was exposed when key attackers like Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz faced extended periods on the sidelines. While losing three vital attackers would be detrimental to any Premier League title contender, this season, the North London club is making every effort to deepen its squad, allowing Arteta to manage player workload proactively before it becomes too heavy for stars like Saka.
Berta`s Impact
The architect of this squad overhaul is the new sporting director, Andrea Berta. While it`s an oversimplification to credit a club`s transfer market success or failure to a single individual, Arsenal`s recruitment achievements over the last five years were built on an impressive blend of data-led scouting, Edu`s decisive approach to streamlining his squad, and Mikel Arteta`s charisma. This, combined with a supportive management team that shared the vision, proved to be an extremely effective mechanism, which only faltered in the summer of 2024 when finances were tighter and Edu`s focus shifted following the departure of chief executive Vinai Venkatesham.
His replacement, Berta, formerly of Atletico Madrid, appears to have made a strong start. Upon his appointment, much was made of the Italian`s insatiable appetite for information, a trait that has certainly proven true. Berta has maintained a tight inner circle during his first transfer window at the Emirates Stadium, and while a club of Arsenal`s size cannot keep its dealings entirely private, they have done well to keep the market guessing. Before their decisive move for Gyokeres, few external voices had a clear sense of whether Arsenal would zero in on the Swede or Benjamin Sesko.
When they did make a move, they did so decisively. The deal for Gyokeres might not be fully finalized at the time of writing, but what remains are negotiations around the fringes of an agreement that Arsenal quickly established for not much more than the much-debated $79 million “gentleman`s agreement” that Sporting insisted did not exist.
Arsenal`s proactive approach is also reflected in the acquisition of Norgaard. Sources indicate that Tottenham were considering a move that would have reunited the Dane with his former Brentford boss, Thomas Frank, but ultimately the Gunners moved so quickly in late June that they effectively locked out any potential suitors. Scenes of Norgaard`s jubilation on his way to finalizing his move speak to the positive aura that has swiftly developed at this club under Arteta.
When Arsenal has targeted a player, they haven`t hesitated in securing them. Occasionally, such speed can prompt questions. Given they knew that personal terms could be swiftly finalized with Madueke – who sources say was focused only on the Gunners once their interest emerged – might there have been an opportunity to exert more pressure on Chelsea for a better price, especially with the Blues having so many forwards they need to offload?
Perhaps, but according to sources, Arsenal believes they acquired Madueke for a good price. As detailed previously, the 23-year-old England international made significant strides last season in terms of ball progression and shot creation, progress which did not escape the attention of Arsenal`s recruitment department. While skeptical supporters might view $70 million being spent on a backup for Saka, those close to the club see Madueke as a player who will receive ample minutes both as a left-footed option from the left wing – offering a valuable counterbalance to Martinelli in that regard – and in his more natural right-sided position.
Other arrivals clearly serve as depth pieces. Mosquera fills a depth chart void on the right side of defense and, at the very least, could ensure that William Saliba isn`t forced to start next season`s equivalent of a fourth-round EFL Cup away match against Preston. Valencia had hoped to convince the 21-year-old to stay at Mestalla for another year, offering an improved salary at a club where he would be a guaranteed weekly starter. He could not be persuaded and only wanted Arsenal, a scenario that allowed them to secure Mosquera`s services for significantly less than the $23 million mark that Valencia had initially set.
Sources familiar with Mosquera from his time in La Liga speak highly of a player with great potential and, as one insider puts it, an `outstanding athletic profile.`
He is `a million percent` focused both on and off the field, with significant room to develop into a high-quality center-back. Given Arsenal`s impressive record for defensive recruitment over the last four years, it is fair to have high hopes.
Title Aspirations
Whether Arsenal`s business will be enough to win the title may at least partly be decided by two of their key signings. As arguably the best player on the market in his position, Zubimendi`s acquisition seems astute, especially considering that his alternative, Norgaard, will not require time to adjust to the pace of the Premier League.
Gyokeres, meanwhile, remains tantalizingly unknowable. His output in Portugal`s top flight is remarkably impressive, not just the pure scoring output of 68 goals in 66 games, but also his 226 penalty box touches, which were over 50% greater than anyone else in the division. Still, eight of those goals came from four meetings with Boavista, a club rated as significantly inferior to Wrexham and Charlton Athletic by Elo rankings. Last season, his one goal in four league matches against Porto and Benfica came from the penalty spot, as did a further 16 in the league alone.
Some of these statistics might trigger alarm bells, reminiscent of past Portuguese league transfers like Darwin Nunez and Mario Jardel. However, for every flop from Portugal, there is a success story like Luis Diaz, a forward who might not maintain such flashy output but still proves himself to be a very valuable attacker for a top team. Then there is the small sample size from the Champions League, where he terrorized Manchester City and showed no deference to Saliba and Gabriel.
Gyokeres is a forward who plays without fear and evidently does not lack for self-belief, telling France Football earlier this summer that he ranks among the best strikers in the world. Brighton`s decision to dispense with him as a 22-year-old evidently still bothers him, and he has heard every skepticism about goals in the Primeira Liga not translating.
“What I managed to do at Sporting, I`m convinced I can do anywhere,” he stated. “You haven`t seen the best of Gyokeres yet.”
If Arsenal does manage to unlock his full potential, would it be enough to propel them to the Premier League title? It is hard to say. After all, they are not the only contender to have approached the transfer window with ambition this summer. They can at least breathe a sigh of relief that Liverpool appears to be laser-focused on Hugo Ekitike instead of Alexander Isak, but adding a French youngster who modeled himself on Thierry Henry to Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah has the potential to be a smash hit for the reigning champions.
Whatever Liverpool, Manchester City, and their rivals on the continent achieve, Arsenal can at least approach this season knowing they have not rested on their laurels. A side that might have been Champions League finalists but for better finishing, and which refused to be blown off course by a raft of injuries, has refused to stick with the chips they already have. They are betting big. Time will soon tell if it is a winning hand.
