In an attempt to end the club’s 22-year wait for a Premier League title, the Arsenal hierarchy have spent a small fortune on new additions to help strengthen the squad.
The Gunners’ net spend over the last five years is around the £675m mark, which highlights the backing Mikel Arteta has received from the board in recent seasons.
However, after three consecutive second-place finishes, the pressure is certainly mounting on the Spaniard to deliver title glory at the Emirates come the end of the campaign.
Mikel-Arteta
His side have now failed to win any of their last two league matches, with late goals away from home resulting in two draws and four dropped points in the process.
The performances of two players in the last few weeks have led to questions being asked about their long-term future in North London, with the duo struggling to provide the goods in the final third.
The stats behind Martinelli & Madueke’s Arsenal struggles
Winger Gabriel Martinelli was benched for the clash against Brentford, but was recalled to the starting eleven for the 2-2 draw against Wolves on Wednesday night.
The Brazilian failed to take advantage of the chance handed his way by Arteta, with his stats showcasing the struggles endured in the draw against Rob Edwards’ side.
Martinelli-Arsenal-warmup
He featured for the entirety of the contest, but only managed to complete one of his four attempted dribbles, whilst finding a teammate with just one of his six crosses.
The aforementioned figures highlight his lack of quality within the final third, but he wasn’t alone in that aspect, with Noni Madueke also struggling on the opposite flank.
Noni Madueke - stats against Wolves
Statistics
Minutes played
Touches
Pass accuracy
Crosses completed
Chances created
Duels lost
Long balls completed
Possession lost
The Englishman featured for just 65 minutes before being replaced after failing to complete any chances for any of his teammates, along with no key passes completed.
He also achieved a 33% cross success rate in the West Midlands, with the two wingers evidently failing to provide the goods for centre-forward Viktor Gyokeres.
The star who could send Martinelli & Madueke packing at Arsenal
Away from the duo’s recent poor displays, Martinelli and Madueke are two players who have massively failed to deliver throughout the 2025/26 league campaign.
madueke
The pair have only netted three combined goals in England’s top-flight this season, further highlighting the lack of impact they have had within the final third.
Arteta has subsequently shuffled his pack in various matches to try and avenge the situation, but his efforts have been in vain, with the struggle evident for all to see.
As a result, the manager could well be asking the hierarchy for added funds to strengthen his attacking unit, regardless of whether the club claims title glory or not.
However, the club have already got multiple deals lined up for the near future, including the double additions of Ecuadorian 16-year-old stars Edwin and Holger Quintero.
The deal to sign the former of the duo, who’s a wide option, could allow the club to have a top-level talent for many years to come if he can match the hype he’s arriving with.
Given his tender age, he won’t be able to join the Gunners until the summer of 2027, but he could well play a key part in the club’s attempts for success for many years to come.
Whilst he’s yet to make his senior debut for Independiente del Valle, he’s already caught the eye - even playing for his nation’s U19 squad at the age of 14.
Edwin Quintero has become known for his speed and agility with the ball at his feet, leading to talent scout Jacek Kulig previously labelling him as a “huge talent”.
Whilst there are few stats available to demonstrate his quality, numerous analysts have spoken highly of the teenager, which demonstrates the quality of the soon-to-be Gunner.
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U23 scout Antonio Mango has highlighted that, on the one hand, he "likes to play with short pass-and-move principles," while Ben Mattinson has dubbed him an "explosive" dribbler who uses flair to fool defenders.
Both of the aforementioned qualities are exactly what Arteta’s side are lacking in the final third, with Madueke and Martinelli two players who could be at risk in the years ahead.
Gabriel Martinelli and Andrey Santos-1
The pair will certainly have time to resurrect their career in North London, but the pending arrival of the Quintero twins will likely put pressure on them to impress before 2027.
However, the signs for the future are certainly all positive, with the Ecuadorian duo having the potential to catapult the club to consistent success in the future.
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