Arsenal bank on continuity after star signings slip away on deadline day

Arsenal closed the transfer window without landing any of the marquee attacking targets they pursued for months, while allowing Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri to depart with no replacements arriving. With Gabriel Martinelli expected to finalise a move to Saudi side Al-Hilal before Sunday's deadline, questions are being asked about the depth available to the Premier League champions despite Arteta still having at least two options in every position.

• Arsenal let Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri leave without signing replacements on deadline day.
• Gabriel Martinelli is poised to join Al-Hilal for a fee that could rise to £60 million.
• The summer pursuit of stars like Vinícius Júnior and Julián Alvarez left no room to strengthen the attack.
• Eberechi Eze and Christos Tzolis now carry the burden on the left wing.
• The club's net spend has dropped to £78 million, far below Manchester City's £162 million.

What slipped through Arsenal's fingers on deadline day

The final day cut an unusual figure for the reigning champions. While Manchester City equalled the British record to sign Enzo Fernández from Chelsea for £125 million, Arsenal waved goodbye to two players without activating a single arrival. Arteta had told the Premier League days earlier that he wanted bigger matchday squads, a request that now carries added weight.

The club passed on the chance to sign Malick Fofana because of Arteta's doubts over whether the Belgian winger would raise the level of the squad. The player eventually joined Sunderland after a late battle with Crystal Palace. The episode leaves the team with fewer offensive resources than the coaching staff had deemed necessary to fight on four fronts.

Dream targets and the spotlight on Andrea Berta

A large chunk of the summer was spent chasing elite names such as Vinícius Júnior and Julián Alvarez. The failure of those deals, combined with the earlier loss of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea, has put sporting director Andrea Berta in the firing line. His arrival from Atlético Madrid in March 2025 was hailed as a coup, and his first summer in London produced a net spend above £250 million.

This time, the club moved quickly to replace Leandro Trossard with Christos Tzolis, secured Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle and added Ezri Konsa to cover William Saliba's long-term absence. Yet the lack of a top-class attacking addition in the final stretch stands in contrast to City's ambition, with the Manchester club spending more than £300 million to rebuild its midfield.

Wage relief and a net spend below £100 million

Offloading Gabriel Jesus, one of the highest earners in the dressing room, eases the wage bill. If Martinelli completes his switch to Al-Hilal, it would become the club's record sale and reduce Arsenal's summer net spend to £78 million, below even Brentford's outlay. Iliman Ndiaye, who joined City from Everton for £65 million, was another name on the Gunners' shortlist who was ultimately overlooked.

Kroenke Sports Entertainment's financial commitment is beyond question: Arsenal have the second-highest net spend over the past five seasons at more than £680 million. On deadline day, it was confirmed that KSE will expand its sporting empire with the purchase of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels for a reported $4 billion. With an estimated fortune of $26 billion, the money to strengthen the attack was there.

The forward line rests on Saka and unreliable wingers

Arsenal struggled to break teams down in the second half of last season and became heavily reliant on set-pieces. A rejuvenated Martin Ødegaard has started the new campaign brightly, but the burden on Bukayo Saka remains a concern after two injury-hit years.

Kenan Yildiz, the Juventus winger, matched the profile the club wanted, but the Italian side never considered selling. Julián Alvarez made it clear his priority was Barcelona. Martinelli has not recaptured the form of the 2022-23 season, when he scored 15 league goals, but his pace off the bench unsettled tired defences. That weapon now has no obvious successor.

Eze and Tzolis emerge as the main beneficiaries

Christos Tzolis showed early ability to create and score, although he endured a difficult first half against Aston Villa. Eberechi Eze, the hero of last season's five-goal display against Tottenham, has still not secured a starting place in the biggest matches. His substitute appearance at Villa Park, where he played a key role in Saka's winner, strengthens his case.

After a summer of change at their rivals, Arteta is banking on continuity to stay ahead of the pack.

Eze could end up as the biggest beneficiary of Arsenal's quiet deadline day, alongside Max Dowman, the 16-year-old midfielder who has yet to appear this season and now sees a clearer pathway to first-team minutes.

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