After the defeat in the Champions League final last season, Mikel Arteta once asked Arsenal to act "very ambitiously, very quickly and very smartly" in the transfer market. However, when preparing to face Manchester City in the English Super Cup match, Arsenal's plan is still not really clear.
The Gunners" spent about 150 million pounds for 3 new signings, including Piero Hincapie, Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes. In which, Guimaraes spent 75 million pounds, although Arsenal once refused to spend 38 million pounds to recruit this midfielder from Lyon in 2022. Besides the completed deals, Arsenal is still constantly looking for new options.
Vinicius Junior was once a target mentioned, but the possibility of spending about £150 million for the player who only has one year left on his contract and earns £400,000 per week makes this deal unlikely. Julian Alvarez is also no longer a practical option, while Arsenal has just shown interest in Jarell Quansah and Ezri Konsa to strengthen the defense after William Saliba's injury.
What makes it difficult for The Gunners is that they need to sell players before continuing to spend heavily. Arsenal has only earned about 30 million pounds from Leandro Trossard, Christian Norgaard and Jakub Kiwior, but there are still many cases that have not been resolved.
Myles Lewis-Skelly is a typical example. The 19-year-old player is said to have been offered for sale to Chelsea and Manchester United, although last season he played an important role in the Arsenal squad and started in the Champions League final. When asked about Lewis-Skelly's position this season, Arteta did not give a specific answer but emphasized that everything depends on the squad situation, training ability and playing position.
Gabriel Martinelli could also be sold if he receives a suitable offer, while Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri and Fabio Vieira are all facing questions about their future. In particular, Arsenal needs to find a solution for Nwaneri after an unsuccessful loan period in Marseille. Arteta admits that this player should only stay if he is guaranteed regular playing opportunities.
In that context, Andrea Berta is under pressure to both strengthen the force and sell players who are no longer in the long-term plan. This is not an easy problem to solve when Arsenal must comply with the financial regulations of the Premier League and UEFA.
Arteta also made some significant changes behind the scenes. Dr. Zafar Iqbal, head of medical, and Tom Allen, head of sports science and performance, both left the club. Arteta affirmed that these changes are aimed at helping Arsenal improve in the medium and long term.
The future of the Spanish captain himself is also noteworthy as his current contract is only valid until the end of the season. However, Arteta affirmed that everyone at Arsenal feels comfortable and the contract term is not a problem.
With record commercial revenue, success on the pitch and strong financial potential, Arsenal has enough conditions to continue investing. However, this summer shows that buying the right players, selling the right people and meeting financial regulations is becoming a complex problem. As September 1st approaches, the pressure on Arteta and Berta is increasing.
