Mail Sport reveals how many players Arsenal want to sign this transfer window
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By ISAAN KHAN and SIMON JONES
Published: 07:00 EDT, 25 June 2025 | Updated: 07:06 EDT, 25 June 2025
When Andrea Berta replaced Edu as Arsenal’s sporting director on March 30, three tasks sat at the top of his in-tray: land a world-class striker, secure the long-term futures of key stars, and shift fringe players for serious money.
Some of those jobs are well in motion but nearly three months on — and with the transfer window open since June 1 — the fears of Arsenal supporters have only become heightened in recent weeks. While Liverpool and Manchester City have wasted no time splashing the cash, the north London club have yet to unveil a single signing.
Liverpool, weeks after lifting the Premier League title, have splurged over £200million on Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Giorgi Mamardashvili to recalibrate what already is a formidable squad.
Pep Guardiola’s Man City are not messing around, either. A lacklustre campaign finishing third has prompted the club to spend in excess of £100m on Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait Nouri and Rayan Cherki, adding to the signings of Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez and Abdukodir Khusanov in January.
Two months of the window remain and the Gunners are not panicking. The signing of midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, which has been in place since January, is to be made official in the coming weeks and the deal for goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea is set to be sealed this week. On Wednesday, Arsenal also made a surprise move for Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard as Thomas Partey, who is out of contract on July 1, nears the exit.
It’s the lack of transfer action in the forward line which has left some fans worried, though, having felt the pain of a third successive season as runners-up — and five years without a trophy.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has not made any splashes in the transfer market yet - but that should not panic fans
The Gunners typically do their business later in the transfer window and still get deals done
Fans are concerned about their delayed move for a striker. There are internal concerns over whether Viktor Gyokeres would be able to transfer his scoring record to the Premier League
A new striker has been begged for by Gooners for a year now, and it is an area Mikel Arteta has admitted needs strengthening. Though Steve Kell, who has sat on the Arsenal Supporters Club committee for over 20 years, is not concerned by the lack of activity.
He told Mail Sport: ‘I’m not panicking at all because the financial year and tax year for Arsenal starts from the 1st of next month.
‘It would be silly to start doing transfers on last year’s financial year rather than waiting for this year’s budget when all the financial fair play rules and everything else that goes with it sets in.
‘I think it’s Arsenal being astute enough to maximise their potential spending by spending at the right time. The delay isn’t an issue if it’s for those reasons.’
He added: ‘Of course the longer they leave it, the more nervous the fans will be. But it also adds more muscle to Arsenal the longer they leave it as it’s a game of poker against the other clubs.’
The Arsenal Supporters' Trust also told Mail Sport that they believe it’s too early to get worried and cited the financial year, too.
Behind the scenes, Berta is busy at work. He arrived with new ideas and proposals which have required time for the club to assess and implement.
At least five signings are to be made in a summer which insiders say will ‘definitely be a packed one’ in terms of incomings. A new defender is part of that list.
Benjamin Sesko is the priority striker target but the RB Leipzig man could cost more than £75m
Arsenal are aiming to make at least five signings over the summer and Mikel Arteta wants a striker before their flight to Asia on July 19
They will announce the signing of midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad soon
Arsenal made a surprise move for Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard on Wednesday
Thomas Partey, who Arteta had wanted to keep, nears the exit door with an expiring contract
Mail Sport understands that Mikel Arteta wants a striker in before their pre-season tour of Singapore and Hong Kong, which they out fly out for on July 19.
The position is front and centre of the club’s priority list. It’s understood that it’s the fee for a frontman which will, to a degree, dictate their budget for other positions. Once the price for this position is secured, the other chips will start to fall into place, with left wing options to also be reassessed with the favoured Nico Williams on his way to Barcelona.
Both Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig and Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres have been strongly linked, but it’s understood that Sesko is the priority.
Sources close to the club suggest that Sporting Lisbon’s keenness to offload Gyokeres has become clearer by the day and arguably weakened their hand. Internally there were already reservations over the 27-year-old because Portugal’s Primeira Liga is a totally different proposition to the Premier League, even though he scored 39 league goals last season.
Berta is said to have other striker options, too, which he is in negotiations over. If a deal for Sesko or Gyokeres was not to materialise, the prospect of a surprise name entering the frame is a possibility.
The method aims to allow him and Arsenal the scope to not be forced to pay over the odds. It contrasts with his predecessor Edu, who would zero in on a single target.
Sources say that RB Leipzig are driving a hard bargain because they know all too well how desperate the Gunners are for a striker and the limited availability of world-class frontmen in football today.
They are proactive in tying down current stars and have handed Myles Lewis-Skelly a new deal
Defender Gabriel Magalhaes has also put pen to paper on a new contract running until 2029
Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to be announced as a signing from Chelsea as soon as this week
It is for this reason, and Arsenal’s desire to not spend way over their budget for a striker, that there is a delay.
On the overall strategy, deals will accelerate next month which is in line with previous summer windows. In 2021, Arsenal signed Ben White on July 30 and Aaron Ramsdale on August 20.
In 2022, Gabriel Jesus arrived on July 4 and Oleksandr Zinchenko followed in the same month.
In 2023, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber signed on July 15 and 14 respectively. And then last year, the Gunners brought in Riccardo Calafiori on July 29 and Mikel Merino on August 27.
However, it’s the club’s panic signing of Raheem Sterling on loan from Chelsea on the August 30 deadline day which still haunts fans and leaves them hoping business is not left too late again.
On a brighter note, Berta and Arsenal are being proactive in securing the futures of key players.
The 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly, who became a first-team regular last season, signed a long-term contract last week, and Gabriel Magalhaes has also committed his future to the club. Arsenal also want to tie down Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, who both have two years left, and Ethan Nwaneri. Leandro Trossard has been in talks over a new deal to 2029, as previously reported by Mail Sport.
In terms of the outgoings, a number of fringe players have been earmarked for the exit. They include Reiss Nelson and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who both earn over £100,000 a week, Jakub Kiwior, Fábio Vieira and Albert Sambi Lokonga.
Until the marquee names are through the door, the pressure remains on Arsenal. But with deliberate targets, patience, and key contract renewals in place, Berta and Co appear set for a decisive summer.
Mikel ArtetaArsenal