The world of football is constantly in motion, with clubs perpetually seeking to strengthen their squads and achieve their ambitions. Arsenal Football Club, one of England’s most storied football institutions, has certainly been no exception to this trend. In the past 2 to 3 years, the club has witnessed an agressive spell of transfer activity, with new, highly remunerated faces arriving and a few familiar ones bidding farewell. In this article, we’ll take a comprehensive look at all of the recent signings & departures during the summer transfer window 2023/2024 at Arsenal, examining the impact they’ve had or could have going forward on the team.
What this article is about:
- New Additions: Arsenal’s Transfer Influx
- Outgoing Stars: Arsenal’s Farewell Parade
- Transfer Balance
- Impact on the Team
- Looking Forward & further Transfers possible?
- Conclusion
New Additions: Arsenal’s Transfer Influx
- Jurrien Timber: One of the latest additions to the team that have created the most excitement so far is for sure the performances in pre-seasons & the community shield by Jurrien Timber. Honestly, I was not sure whether he would fit the team & was really needed when I first heard about the rumours that Arsenal wanted to sign the versatile defender. Both, our right-sided central defense and the right fullback positions had been covered very well already before his announcement with Tomiyasu, White, Saliba & Holding. However, Timber has made a very good impression in the games he has played for Arsenal & was surprisingly used as a left-back mostly. He seems to have fit into the team very well already, there is a good understanding with the players around him & he has the self-confidence to carry the ball from the back to the playmakers. I am very pleased with Timber so far. My only fear is that we outcast one of my favourite players of all at Arsenal in Tierney and I would love to see both thrive together!
- Kai Havertz: This is probably the most controversial signing we have maded this transfer window. Another Chelsea player swithing the colours from blue to red, a hefty pricetag, the concern about his work-ethic/body language, and the big discussion about his most favourable position make it incredibly difficult to find out how good this transfer is. He has shown glimpses of his talent but so far Havertz has not yet won me over – please make this change this season!🙏
- Declan Rice: Rice, rice, baby! Hold your horses and please please please manage your expectations on our new alledged football messiah. Is he a great football player? Has he leadership skills? Is he a great runner & ball recoverer? Does he play with the best shirt number? YES, undoubtedly! But he is also human, needs to cope with the pressure, take some time to slot into the center of a complex game system , and get to know his teammates well
- David Raya: The latest addition to the team seems to be the goalkeeper from Brentford as reported very recently for reasons explained further down in the article.
Outgoing Stars: Arsenal’s Farewell Parade
- Granit Xhaka: After years of service, Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka bid adieu to Arsenal, moving on to Leverkusen after it originally had seemed that he would end up at AS Roma. Xhaka’s departure marks the end of an era, as he had been a key figure in the team’s midfield for several seasons and enjoyed a great last campaign. His leadership and passing abilities combined with his «horse lung» infatigable running will be dearly missed.
- Pablo Mari: After Monza had loaned Pablo Mari last season & a good spell interrupted by the horrific knife incident, the club that had once Paolo Berlusconi as their honorary chairman triggered the buy option for the defender. The competition has just been too big for Mari but we will keep him in good memory.
- Austin Trusty: Another defender that fell victim to the buying spree of Arsenal the last fews seasons. 3 years ago, Trusty could have expected to play regularly in the Arsenal squad. With the arrival of players such as Saliba, White, Kiwior, Tomiyasu, Timber, etc. there would have been very limited game time for Trusty this season. He did secure himself a good transfer to newly promoted Sheffield United and will highly probably get some substantial game time in the highes English league and be able to show what he has got. If it works out, maybe bigger clubs will take a chance on him. In case his new club does not survice the season in the top flight, it will surely not be his fault except he makes a few howlers & he has gained valuable experience anyway.
- Matt Turner: As mentioned before, we brought another goalkeeper in. This seems weird at first since we have the three national goalkeepers of England, the United States & Estonia in our ranks. Matt Turner has left the club though to play for Nottinham Forest & we needed a replacement.
- Ainsley Maitland-Niles: Ainsley’s contract had run out recently but I still considered him our player until now. He joined the French outfit Olympique Lyon which seems to be a good place for him.
Transfer Balance
So far, it has been an expensive summer again for Arsenal – again. According to Transfermarkt.de, we are currently at around 34 million euros for sold players versus 232 million euros for incoming players. Hence, we have a net spent of minus 198 euros this summer. There are still some rumours of some outgoing players going on at Arsenal. Nicolas Pepe, Cedric Soares, Arthur Okonkwo, Rob Holding, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Marquinhos, Reiss Nelson, Folarin Balogun, and/or Eddie Nketiah could still leave the club & flush some money into the till.
Impact on the Team
The new arrivals have injected fresh energy into Arsenal’s squad, with manager Mikel Arteta seeking to mold a team that can compete at the highest level. The defensive additions of Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice have improved the team’s overall quality and versatility, allowing them to adopt different tactical approaches. Players like Havertz will bring creativity but will need to slot in & find their role in the tactics of the coach.
In contrast, the departures of players like Xhaka signify a changing of the guard. While these players had been integral to Arsenal’s recent history, their exits offer opportunities for emerging talents to step up and make their mark on the team.
Looking Forward & further Transfers possible?
As the new season approaches, Arsenal’s transfer activity has set the stage for intriguing battles on the field. The blend of experienced campaigners and youthful exuberance bodes well for the club’s prospects. Fans eagerly await the unfolding of this new chapter in Arsenal’s history, hoping that the newly acquired talents can help the club reclaim its position among England and Europe’s elite.
There might even be 1 or 2 extra additions to the team. Names in midfield/rightwing such as Ansu Fati on loan, Serge Gnabry, Oscar Gloukh, Mohammed Kudus still spook around the Emirates. In attack, there are some illoustrous names such as Mbappe, Lukaku, Federico Chiesa or Ivan Toney are still more or less realistic options.
Conclusion
Arsenal Football Club’s recent transfer activity reflects the constant evolution and transformation that define the footballing world. The owners have shown that they mean serious business & have pumped another sizeable junk of their fortune into the club. As the new season beckons, Arsenal supporters are filled with a mix of anticipation and curiosity, eager to see how the fresh acquisitions blend with the existing squad to see first hand whether Arsenal can take it one step further this season & achieve the ultimate goal.