With Monday marking the start of September and the end of the window. With a total of eight incomings and 13 outgoings, this is the busiest window for the Gunners in a very long time, reinforcing the idea of it needing reviewing.
First off, what a statement from the board. For years, fans have blamed them for our near misses; stuck in second place, lacking depth, and missing the final push. This window feels like a direct response. The biggest problem has always been up top: no true number nine. Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have their moments, but the inconsistency has been glaring. The answer? Viktor Gyökeres. A Swedish striker with a staggering 79 goal contributions in just 58 games – a truly remarkable record, a goal scorers record. But it didn’t stop there. In came Noni Madueke, the electric English winger who can stretch defences on either flank and already looked lively against Liverpool. Finally my favourite signing of the window, the South Londoner who’s been the heartbeat of Crystal Palace in recent years and most importantly, a lifelong Gooner. You can’t teach that kind of passion. He won’t just play for the badge, he bleeds it, loves it. That’s something money can’t buy.
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Now onto the midfield. Two major signings here, and both feel like smart, targeted upgrades rather than just replacements. Zubimendi comes in as the natural successor to Thomas Partey, Zubimendi being composed, intelligent, and technically sharp. His vision and ability to keep things ticking make him the balance our midfield has been crying out for Alongside him, Nørgaard steps in where Jorginho left off, but with far more bite. Since arriving in the Premier League, no player has made more interceptions (201), which tells you everything about the defensive steel he brings. Together, these two add experience, leadership, and quality at the base of midfield, freeing up the likes of Ødegaard and Rice to surge forward and create. It’s the kind of balance that turns a good midfield into a title-winning one.
Turning to the defence, Arsenal saw plenty of turnover this window, with Kiwior, Zinchenko, Tierney, and Tomiyasu all heading out. Depth and quality were needed to handle the long campaign ahead, and the board delivered. First, the goalkeeper spot: Raya is top tier, but every top side needs cover. Enter Kepa from Chelsea for just £5 million, a bargain for a keeper with bags of top-flight experience. Then, reinforcing the centre-back slots behind Saliba and Gabriel was key. In came Hincapié, the 23-year-old left-footer joining on loan from Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten squad-a defender who also brings quality in his performance as a regular with Ecuador. Alongside him is 20-year-old Christian Mosquera from Valencia, tipped in Spain as one of the brightest defensive prospects. Both signings guarantee freshness, stability, and quality at the heart of our defence all season long.
Overall, I would deem this a extremely successful window. We strengthened the side massively, adding experience, quality and options. With the fixture list being the longest its ever been, it is important to have a squad of 24 players who would be good enough to play week in week out. These are the two teams I would have as set line ups.
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