'Arsenal are so slow at completing transfers!' It's something you might have heard or seen doing the rounds on social media or in the world of the club's media and content creation from supporters.
At football.londonwe covered this myth and disproved it by looking back at the last three summer windows to discover that in two of the three, the club had completed their priority moves before the season had begun, or in most cases, before pre-season even started. However, the summer of 2025, the fourth in this run, is proving to be even more proactive than ever before.
The club have effectively wrapped up three transfers before the end of June with discussions over others underway too. Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard are all set to join the north London side ahead of the new season, filling three key areas that needed addressing this summer.
Andrea Berta, the club's new sporting director, has been leading negotiations with the advice and support of manager Mikel Arteta and with the blessing of co-chairman Josh Kroenke and managing director Richard Garlick. Getting in three deals so soon has certainly helped improve his initial reputation.
Berta remains in talks with other targets while some are more so in the background, with the club primed to pounce should an opportunity emerge. On the striker front, football.london understands that the club are in talks over a potential move for both of Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko.
While it is expected only one will arrive, Berta is keen not to leave the club flailing should a deal for their priority, believed to be Sesko, fail to materialise and instead pivot to Gyokeres, who is also highly appreciated. This has been the case for many weeks, and fans are getting somewhat fatigued despite July not even being here and pre-season still more than three weeks away.
Many might ask why deals for Zubimendi, Kepa and Norgaard can be done but the likes of Sesko, Gyokeres and perhaps Rodrygo and other high-profile wide targets cannot. In reality, the answer is quite simple.
Zubimendi did indeed take months of work, but as a long-term target, work began well ahead of the season. In the case of Gyokeres and Sesko, while some preliminary unofficial talks may have taken place, both players were keen to finish the season before deciding on their future, especially as both were reportedly given gentleman's agreements of a summer exit should the requisite price tag be met.
It is that price tag, though, that is the major challenge for Arsenal. Deals in the £5million to £15million range in the case of Kepa and Norgaard are far simpler to negotiate and in the case of the goalkeeper, it was a release clause in the deal, making it even simpler.
These mega money moves are more challenging and Arsenal are a side who want to work comfortably within UEFA Financial Fair Play restrictions and do not want to overpay for a player. Sesko is only 22, while Gyokeres' sample size of elite goalscoring is almost exclusive to the Portuguese League and therefore there are sizeable risks with both moves.
Looking at the deal Liverpool secured for Florian Wirtz: while it did take many weeks to complete, the player has far more guarantees and a greater sample of work at an already young age for club and country to justify the £100million-plus move. Liverpool have more financial freedom following the tiny expenditure in 2024 and less needs across the board compared to Arsenal.
The Gunners have signed three players, but could easily be targeting as many as four more with two forward roles, a defender and maybe even another midfielder should a market opportunity emerge.
Speaking of which, like in the case of Rodrygo, some potential targets only emerge later in the window. Many have drawn parallels between the Brazilian and Arsenal’s 2013 transfer of Mesut Ozil. Beyond both playing for Real Madrid, the situation was fluid throughout the window and in June and July an exit of Ozil did not seem a reality; come deadline day, suddenly such a move was possible.
When a player of such a calibre is believed to have a chance of being available, Arsenal are of a level where they may not wish to rush into a lesser alternative and miss out on the big prize. With Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard they are also already well covered should the season start without having signed a left winger immediately, and are able therefore to wait.
The good news is it is obvious how active Arsenal are this summer, having added three and being in talks for multiple other targets. Come the start of pre-season, then the Premier League and deadline day will give the clarity needed to better assess how the club have operated in their first window with Berta.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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