š§µ Four Things Weāve Learned From Arsenalās Summer Transfer Window (So Far), a thread:
Normally, these threads are done sometime in August or September to recap and analyze an entire summer transfer window. But it has been a busy week in the world of Arsenal. In the last few days, the Gunners have officially announced the acquisition of Kai Havertz from Germanyā¦
ā¦ and reportedly agreed fees with West Ham for Declan Rice and Ajax for JurriĆ«n Timber. They are also reportedly set to announce a contract extension for William Saliba and retain young starlet Ethan Nwaneri. In short, Arsenal are getting the business done.
This was always going to be a key summer in which weād find out a lot about the direction of Arsenal and the Mikel Arteta project. This week in particular has revealed a lot. So what have we learned?
1) Arsenalās previous cost-cutting moves have paid off.
According to reports, Arsenal will spent the following on their three new acquisitions, including add-ons:
Havertz: Ā£65 million
Rice: Ā£105 million
Timber: Ā£40 million
That brings Arsenalās spending for the summer toā¦
According to reports, Arsenal will spent the following on their three new acquisitions, including add-ons:
Havertz: Ā£65 million
Rice: Ā£105 million
Timber: Ā£40 million
That brings Arsenalās spending for the summer toā¦
ā¦ just over Ā£200 million including add-ons. But how? How are Arsenal, stereotypically frugal, penny-pinching Arsenal, able to spend this kind of money?
As explained in the tweet below by football finance expert Kieran Maguire, Arsenalās wage bill is currently far lower than it was five years ago and between Ā£150-170 million per year cheaper than those of Liverpool, United, and City. This smaller wage budget has given Arsenalā¦
ā¦ the flexibility to go out and spend the way that they have. Although originally derided, the clubās decision to terminate the contracts of players like Mesut Ćzil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and bring down their wage bill over several seasons, along with qualificationā¦
ā¦ for the Champions League next season, have paid dividends and allowed Arsenal to invest in talent they can compete with.
For more on this, check out the terrific @LatteFirm feature below in which @fkhanage interviews Maguire about Arsenal and more:
youtu.be
For more on this, check out the terrific @LatteFirm feature below in which @fkhanage interviews Maguire about Arsenal and more:
youtu.be
2) Arteta and the recruitment team continue to target young AND experienced players.
During Artetaās tenure, Arsenal have consistently acquired players aged 24 or younger with a high level of experience under the belts. Aaron Ramsdale, Martin Ćdegaard, and Ben White all fitā¦
During Artetaās tenure, Arsenal have consistently acquired players aged 24 or younger with a high level of experience under the belts. Aaron Ramsdale, Martin Ćdegaard, and Ben White all fitā¦
ā¦ this bill. This summer, Arsenal look set to sign three more players of that ilk in Rice, Havertz, and Timber. At 24 years old, Rice just captained West Ham to a Europa Conference League championship and will leave with 245 senior appearances to his name. Also 24, Havertzā¦
ā¦ scored the winning goal for Chelsea in the 2021 Champions League final and made 150 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen before leaving in 2020. Having just turned 22, Timber looks set to leave Ajax with 121 senior appearances to his name, including 15 in the CL. The uniqueā¦
ā¦ upside in this strategy is that Arsenal are recruiting players that both have experience that will serve them and the team well as the Gunners look to compete at the highest levels of the game while also being pre-prime and therefore capable of becoming even better over theā¦
ā¦ next several years. It also allows Arsenal to continue assembling a team of players that should all hit their prime around the same time. Such players are a rarity, but Arsenal have continuously shown that they, as Arteta said in a recent interview with MARCA, āare alwaysā¦
ā¦ interested in young players with experience.ā And with the acquisitions of Rice, Havertz, and Timber, they are kicking that longstanding interest up a notch.
For more on this, check out this great video by @gunnerblog:
youtu.be
For more on this, check out this great video by @gunnerblog:
youtu.be
3) Arsenal are convinced they can challenge for silverware in coming years.
The 2022/23 Premier League season concluded with the Gunners unfortunately blowing their lead at the top of the table to Manchester City. On the back of this, pundits and rival fans alike claimed thatā¦
The 2022/23 Premier League season concluded with the Gunners unfortunately blowing their lead at the top of the table to Manchester City. On the back of this, pundits and rival fans alike claimed thatā¦
ā¦ Arsenal had missed a singular opportunity to win silverware. However, Arsenalās actions this summer indicate that they believe their second-place finish in the PL is something to build on, a launching point for future success. To that end, they have begun the transfer windowā¦
ā¦ by rapidly recruiting some of the the best young talents on the market. In Rice they are signing one of the next great English midfielders. Havertz was deemed a future Ballon dāOr winner as he came through the ranks at Leverkusen and Arsenalās acquisition of him indicatesā¦
ā¦ that they think that talent is still there. Timber is one of the most technically gifted young defenders around right now, a player who has caught the eye of many top clubs. Arsenal are splashing the cash to add these immensely talented footballers to a roster that alreadyā¦
ā¦ includes Bukayo Saka, Martin Ćdegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba, and several others. This is a team that is priming itself to challenge for top honors, make no mistake.
4) Arsenal have genuine pull.
To acquire these new signings, Arsenal have had to contend with competing interest from some of the biggest clubs in the sport. In the case of Timber, it came in the form of interest from Bayern. For Havertz, other suitors were Bayern and Realā¦
To acquire these new signings, Arsenal have had to contend with competing interest from some of the biggest clubs in the sport. In the case of Timber, it came in the form of interest from Bayern. For Havertz, other suitors were Bayern and Realā¦
ā¦ Madrid. And for Rice, Arsenal had to outdo Bayern once more as well as Manchester City. And yet, all three players not only wanted to join Arsenal, but reportedly were convinced by the project and viewed Arsenal as their priority destination over the rest. Not only haveā¦
ā¦ prospective signings shown that Arsenal are the club to be at, but current Gunners are also emphasizing that point. Saka and Martinelli have signed contract extensions. Saliba and Nelson are set to follow them, despite the former being loaned out his first three years atā¦
ā¦ Arsenal and the latter not guaranteed much in the way of playing time. Young starlet Ethan Nwaneri has also committed his future to the club despite Chelsea and City circling. Arsenal have made themselves an immensely attractive club, and it is starting to pay dividends. Notā¦
ā¦ only are they having an easier time convincing players to join, but once players are at the club they are being enticed to stay when once upon a time theyād end up sold to rivals just as they hit their prime.
That is what Arsenalās productive start to the summer transfer window has taught us so far. They are now in a great position financially, are still targeting young but experienced players, are deadly serious about challenging, and have genuine pull. It is beyond exciting.
Thanks for making it down here, especially in the (hopefully short-lived) era of 600-tweet limits. If you enjoyed this thread likes, retweets, and follows are highly appreciated. You can also check out @ThisWeekArsenal, the weekly Arsenal podcast I co-host. #coyg
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