With nearly £100 million spent on five new arrivals during the summer transfer window, Arsenal was one of the busiest Premier League teams.
Due to the off-field efforts of technical director Edu, the Gunners have had a fantastic start to the current season, winning six of their first seven games in all competitions. Following the news of match postponements following Queen Elizabeth II’s demise, Arsenal is currently in first place in the Premier League and is expected to stay there for the duration of September.
Despite a busy summer transfer window, Mikel Arteta was unable to fulfill his goal to add one or two additional acquisitions before Deadline Day. After Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny sustained injuries, the Gunners had three offers for Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz rejected, and it is believed that finding a new winger will continue to be a top priority in the transfer market.
Mykhaylo Mudryk and Alex Grimaldo, both of Shakhtar Donetsk, have been mentioned in connection with a move to the Emirates Stadium in January; the former has admitted he ‘couldn’t say no’ if the Gunners made a move to sign him. If Arsenal wants to rekindle their interest in the Brazilian midfielder, Douglas Luiz is still an option.
The Gunners released many marginal players over the summer, but new additions may result in the departure of some present players. Due to the club’s transfer targets, Kieran Tierney is at risk of perhaps leaving, as the Scottish defender’s injury history makes him an unreliable choice for Mikel Arteta in a busy fixture calendar.
Incoming
Mudryk Mykhaylo
The Gunners made Mudryk a target over the summer, but no deal for the gifted Ukrainian winger ever materialized.
Mudryk explained to CBS Sports: “Every individual, in my opinion, has Premier League fantasies. It’s difficult to say [who his ideal transfer would be], but Arsenal is a really good team with a very good coach, and I enjoy watching them play.”
When questioned about moving to the Emirates, he responded: “I am powerless to reject Arsenal from my end. But I didn’t make the decision to transfer alone.”
To improve his attacking options and provide competition for Bukayo Saka on the right, Arteta is eager to bolster his team with another winger. When the Gunners defeated FC Zurich, Marquinhos made his full debut and did well, but Mudryk would be a valuable addition to the team and probably have a large impact in the second half of the season.
Grimaldo, Alex
In the summer, there were rumors that Grimaldo would be moving to the Emirates Stadium, however Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City was chosen by Arsenal as his replacement.
Zinchenko is currently regarded as the Gunners’ main left-back, but his versatility and technical prowess may allow him to transition into a central midfield position later in the year, particularly if Arteta’s midfield options continue to be limited by injuries. The left-back from Benfica is a target for Juventus as they try to replace Alex Sandro, according to Tuttomercatoweb, who also claims that the north Londoners are still keen in signing him.
The Spanish player has a ton of Champions League experience, and at 26 years old, he still has time to improve as a player. Tierney has missed 29 games in the last two years whereas Grimaldo has only missed five, making Grimaldo a much more dependable option in defense as the Gunners aim to contend in all competitions during a demanding season.
Leaving
Tierney, Kieran
Since he relocated to the capital from Celtic in 2019, Tierney has become a fan favorite.
The Scottish defender, who has endured injury problems throughout his time at Arsenal, is currently viewed as Zinchenko’s backup at left-back. With the Gunners leading the Premier League and competing in four tournaments this season, Arteta cannot afford to be without players for an extended period of time.
Should Arsenal decide to let Tierney go, there would be no shortage of interested parties, and with plenty of time left on his present contract, the club could still command a substantial transfer fee.
Robert Nelson
Nelson had a promising preseason with the Gunners before being stricken with yet another injury problem before the start of the 2022–23 season.
With Arsenal trying to sign a new winger and Marquinhos already flourishing when given a chance in the first team, it might be time for the 22-year-old to finally finalize a permanent move away from the Emirates Stadium. Nelson’s contract expires in the summer of 2019, therefore the club’s final opportunity to get paid for his services will be during the January transfer window.
