Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had three top targets in mind for the club in a variety of different positions during the summer window, but new sporting director Andrea Berta didn't sign any of them.
It was a solid first ever window at the Emirates for Berta, who's only grown his reputation as an adept deal-maker since replacing Edu Gaspar in late March.
Arsenal BERTA
Arsenal spent over £250 million on an array of key signings under Berta's debut watch, including the centrepiece addition of prolific striker Viktor Gyokeres after two seasons free scoring in Portugal.
The north Londoners also sensationally hijacked Tottenham's deal for England international playmaker Eberechi Eze right after Kai Havertz's knee injury, showing how determined Berta was to back Arteta in the market.
"We have to add players who add value to things that can define football matches and with those two, they have the ability at the end to make the final action in many ways," said Arteta about Eze and Gyokeres.
"To finish with the ball in the back of the net, which is the outcome that we want in every action that we have in our attacking phase. And those two, they're going to add these individual actions, magic moments, and that's what we need to win games."
Arsenal's confirmed summer signings Price tag
Kepa Arrizabalaga £5m
Martin Zubimendi £60m
Christian Norgaard £15m
Noni Madueke £52m
Cristhian Mosquera £13m
Viktor Gyokeres £55m
Eberechi Eze £67.5m
Piero Hincapie Loan
However, the pair didn't always agree on everything.
There were credible reports that Berta and Arteta were in disagreement over signing Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko, with the latter a long-time target for Arsenal before he was forced to join Man United instead — rejecting Newcastle in the process.
Arsenal made a proposal for Sesko in the summer of 2024 and tried again in January (Ben Jacobs), only for Berta to come in and sway the hierarchy into swooping for Gyokeres instead (The Athletic).
Gyokeres-Arsenal-Premier-League
Gyokeres
An initial £55 million for a striker who bagged 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting CP, not to mention a forward who also has some experience in English football, could be seen as a great move by comparison to Sesko's far more limited return.
By swapping Sesko for Gyokeres, Arsenal chose to pursue an immediate upgrade rather than one for the future.
Arteta wanted Mbeumo, Garcia and Huijsen at Arsenal in the summer
According to The Athletic and journalist James McNicholas, Sesko wasn't Arteta's only personal target.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrates after the match
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrates after the match
Indeed, McNicholas reports that Arteta personally wanted Bryan Mbeumo, Dean Huijsen and Joan Garcia — who all moved to different clubs this summer for a combined total fee of around £137 million.
Mbeumo has impressed since joining Man United from Brentford after a long-winded transfer saga, whilst Berta was apparently hesitant to pay Garcia's £21.5m release clause to sign him from Espanyol — instead opting for the much cheaper Kepa — with the former eventually signing for Barcelona.
joan garcia
Real Madrid triggered Huijsen's £50 million release clause and ended all hope of Arsenal keeping him in the Premier League, with Mbeumo's move to United setting them back an initial £65 million.
There is little denying this trio of stars would've also reinforced Arsenal's ranks to great effect, but Arteta doesn't appear to have any ill feeling towards Berta, who worked very hard to sign Piero Hincapie on loan at the end of the window as a direct replacement for Jakub Kiwior.