Assessing Arsenal’s summer signings
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Bruno Guimaraes of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates Gabriel, Viktor Gyokeres and Christos Tzolis of Arsenal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
When Arsenal lost the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in May, Mikel Arteta was understandably disconsolate. His men might have ended a 22-year wait for a Premier League crown, but it would be at least another year until they could be called kings of Europe.
The manager made it clear what was required to take the team to greater heights this season.
"We will have to start making some very important decisions if we want to reach another level.
“We are going to have to show that ambition because we are more than capable of doing it, but it is going to demand us to be very ambitious, very fast and very smart."
The Gunners set about strengthening their squad. Piero Hincapie was officially signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £34.5 million after a year-long loan deal, and Illan Meslier, who has not yet made the move to North London for free after spending six seasons on the books at Leeds United.
Their three big summer signings addressed each zone of the field. Defender Ezri Konsa came from Aston Villa for £51 million, midfielder Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United for £75 million, and forward Christos Tzolis switched allegiances from Club Brugge for a fee of £34 million.
A month and a half into the new campaign, it has mostly been so far, so good. The champions won the Community Shield, their first fixtures in the Champions League and Carabao Cup and four of their five Premier League matches. So, how significantly have their summer signings contributed?
Ezri Konsa
The addition of Konsa could have been seen as a surprise for the side in the summer. In an offseason set up to take the team’s ceiling to the next level, what worth was there in buying more defenders?
Indeed, Cristhian Mosquera had already proven himself to be a capable backup option as a right sided central defender in place of William Saliba and right back as a deputy for Jurrien Timber.
But Timber, who had been managing a groin issue for the last five months, and Ben White, whose fitness record post-knee surgery has been ropey, leave a significant enough hole at right back. Throw in the back problems for Saliba, and a more senior option was advisable if funds could be allocated.
Konsa was unveiled to the fans at the Emirates Stadium on the opening day against Coventry City, and it only took ten more days for the defender to prove his value to the team in the immediate term.
Mosquera pulled up with a muscular problem against Aston Villa, so Konsa made his debut against his old club at Villa Park. A full debut followed the next matchday against Chelsea, and his marking assignment against Joao Pedro presented the opportunity to demonstrate his maturity in the backline.
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LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 6: João Pedro of Chelsea (left) and Ezri Konsa of Arsenal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Emirates Stadium on September 6, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 6: João Pedro of Chelsea (left) and Ezri Konsa of Arsenal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Emirates Stadium on September 6, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Clean sheets followed at Sunderland, despite the penalty conceded for a tussle with Daniel Ballard, and Napoli, and few would have anything to complain about were it not for the Brighton beatdown.
Konsa is not quite the effortless defensive bastion that Saliba is, and time will tell how well he fits into the team at right back. But it is clear that this was a sensible signing for the Gunners to make.
Bruno Guimarães
Guimarães was a player familiar to fans of Arsenal as a transfer target, having been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium before he signed for Newcastle United in January 2022.
Four and a half years later, the Brazilian was bought for £75 million, a £35 million markup on the price paid by the Toon. Given the hefty sums stumped up for other Premier League proven midfielders, this deal had the potential to be one of the best pieces of business this summer.
And Arsenal fans are already being treated to signs of the talent that can evolve a strong midfield unit. Declan Rice is traditionally clean but unspectacular in his passing, and he has often sat in reserve to allow Myles Lewis-Skelly to stand out with his bullish ball carrying on the half turn.
What Guimarães gives is the possibility of more progressive midfield trios that do not completely sacrifice the stability built by the team. At Newcastle United, the bullish physicality of Joelinton and a deeper role for Sandro Tonali handed him the keys to run the game and get into the final third with more frequency. A similar sort of dynamic is possible with the available setup for the Gunners.
Guimarães’ Premier League cameo against Aston Villa displayed flashes of his punchy passing, which would also help crank up the pressure against Napoli and platform Martin Odegaard to stay closer to the box as he grabbed the only goal of the game. And he has already endeared himself to fans with a feisty response to Sunderland supporters through a cracking strike on the way to a 2-0 victory.
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NAPLES, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 09: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with Bruno Guimaraes during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between SSC Napoli and Arsenal FC at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on September 09, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
NAPLES, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 09: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with Bruno Guimaraes during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between SSC Napoli and Arsenal FC at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on September 09, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Like Konsa, he came out of the Brighton game with a blot on his start to life with the champions.
However, the transfer continues to look like a worthwhile deal, and the options in the engine room for Arteta appear to be the place where Arsenal supporters should be the most excited for this season.
Christos Tzolis
For many fans, the strength of the summer recruitment hinged on the reinforcements in the attack.
Viktor Gyokeres could not grapple the starting spot upfront away from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka has not hit the heights he reached between 2022 and 2024 on the right wing, while neither Leandro Trossard nor Gabriel Martinelli was a top-tier left wing option. Now the latter pair have parted ways with the club with Gabriel Jesus, quality and quantity seemed in demand in that department.
However, the board backed Arteta with a single signing for the frontline in the form of Tzolis.
He hit the ground running with direct goal contributions against Girona, Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund, and two assists followed in the 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City.
CARDIFF, WALES - AUGUST 16: Christos Tzolis and Kai Havertz of Arsenal celebrate their team’s third goal scored by Martin Odegaard (not pictured) during the 2026 FA Community Shield match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Principality Stadium on August 16, 2026 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
CARDIFF, WALES - AUGUST 16: Christos Tzolis and Kai Havertz of Arsenal celebrate their team’s third goal scored by Martin Odegaard (not pictured) during the 2026 FA Community Shield match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Principality Stadium on August 16, 2026 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
The momentum rolled on into the clash with Coventry City, creating two shots and having two of his own in the first ten minutes of the match at the Emirates Stadium. His delivery would engineer the opening for Saka to double the lead over the Sky Blues, and fans were loving their newest attacker.
Since that sharp Premier League debut, he has only grabbed one assist, replicating the service for Odegaard in the Community Shield against Chelsea, and has registered no efforts in four games.
In truth, Tzolis has done well to make the impact produced at this stage of this season. He is adapting back to life in England after a short stint at Norwich City on a flank that often lacked the chemistry of relationships that underpins the tendency to go through the right side of the pitch in the final third.
His duel with Matty Cash most clearly confirmed that this is also not a player who lives for 1 v 1s, he is not the flashiest passer, nor is he an explosive threat like Martinelli. But what Tzolis has displayed is a capacity for quick, clever decision making that means his humble fee should be value for money.