Ayman Ahmer
Have Arsenal turned over a new leaf? Have they become more financially astute? How significant was this January transfer window? For years Arsenal have failed to use the transfer window effectively to bolster their squad. The Gunners have always been short of one or two key signings to improve balance and overall depth. On several occasions, fans have expressed frustration at the board’s inability to strengthen in certain areas. In hindsight, the 2015-2016 season was a real opportunity in which Arsenal could have won the title if they had recruited appropriately. Ayman Ahmer discusses.
In the summer of 2015, Arsenal’s most notable signing was Petr Cech from Chelsea – an underwhelming transfer to say the least. More recently, Arsenal’s inability to sign a backup defensive midfielder and a striker in January 2022, hindered chances of a fourth-placed finish. Granted, there are several factors that need to be considered in making signings. Clubs should not rush into signings for the sake of it, succumbing to external pressure. However, there needs to be recognition of how the transfer window offers a certain opportunity to maximise potential if used effectively. Unlike previous seasons, Arsenal have seized this opportunity.
Arsenal have proven that they will not be held to ransom by any club for a specific player
Prior to the January transfer window, several outlets linked Shakhtar’s Mykhailo Mudryk to Arsenal. The Mudryk camp clearly highlighted their intentions to join Arsenal in the window, seemingly posting cryptic messages every week. The Shakhtar board’s position was clear throughout the window. Arsenal’s failure to sign Mudryk came to the disappointment of many fans. There were doubts of whether this would be another failed transfer window. However, in this moment the Arsenal board deserves significant credit. While they valued Mudryk highly and saw him as a valuable asset for the future, they could not afford any form of profligacy at such a crucial time.
Adding experience and leadership to a young squad will add another dimension to this Arsenal side.
Arsenal have proven that they will not be held to ransom by any club for a specific player, evolving from a time where they would have over-payed, as they did with Nicolas Pepe. Instead, Arsenal opted for Premier League experience. The signing of Leandro Trossard for an initial £20 million is undisputedly a sensible signing from the Gunners. The winger has scored 7 goals this season matching the likes Gabriel Martinelli amongst Arsenal’s forwards. His best performance came this season, netting a hat-trick at Anfield, adding himself to a short list of players that have been able to achieve this. What Arsenal would want is for Trossard to have a similar impact to how Luis Diaz embedded himself into Liverpool’s framework in January last year. His cameo against Manchester United showed signs of promise and more of what is to come.
Defensive midfield was another area Arsenal looked to strengthen, especially after the news that Mohammed Elneny would need surgery. Brighton’s highly rated Moises Caicedo seemed to be the Gunner’s main target adding competition for Thomas Partey. Once again this was never going to be an easy deal considering the price that Brighton were looking for. Similar to Mudryk, this deal failed primarily because of the extortionate fee. After three failed bids, Arsenal diverted attention to Chelsea’s Jorginho agreeing a deal for an initial £10 million. While this signing has been criticised by many Arsenal fans, there are many positives to look forward to. In Jorginho, the Gunners find a player who has won the Champions League and European Championship in the same year. Adding experience and leadership to a young squad will add another dimension to this Arsenal side.
Indeed, the argument that Arsenal should not be signing ‘Chelsea rejects’ is plausible; however, this is not similar to previous cases. Arsenal fans seem to be scarred from the signings of David Luiz and Willian from Chelsea. However, this deal is not similar in the slightest. Jorginho, a player highly admired by Arteta, possesses a certain skillset that can be very valuable to Arsenal’s title race. Jorginho’s ability to dictate the state of play in the final 30 minutes of a game, offers Arsenal something different when holding out for a win. Ultimately time will tell how he fits in, but the perception that he is another weak signing is harsh.
Mikel Arteta was also keen on bringing in extra-defensive cover on the left-hand side. Arsenal’s signing Jakub Kiwior is another example canny recruitment from the board. Kiwior’s versatility fits the mould of players that Arsenal have recently sought to recruit. His addition certainly improves overall squad depth. Arsenal may have not landed their first choices in this transfer window but that arguably holds them in good stead for the rest of the season. History has told us that when Arsenal do not sign their initial targets, such as Dusan Vlahovic or Lisandro Martinez, their plan B seemingly works better.
Ayman Ahmer
Featured image used courtesy of Nelson Ndongala via Unsplash . No changes were made to this image. Image use license here.
In article image 1 courtesy of @arsenal via Instagram.com. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 2 courtesy of @arsenal via Instagram.com. No changes were made to this image.
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