Arsenal have picked up a significant amount of momentum in the summer transfer window, with Friday bringing positive news all round for Gunners fans.
First came an announcement from Porto , which said Fabio Vieira would be moving to Arsenal in a deal worth £38million. Vieira – a good omen of a name in that particular area of north London – is a 22-year-old attacking midfielder who contributed 14 assists and six goals in the Portuguese top flight last season. He will become the club’s second summer signing, after Brazilian forward Marquinhos .
Arsenal may have got some business done, but they are not stopping there. According to the Guardian , Vieira’s arrival will not affect their plans regarding Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans. The Gunners are reportedly continuing to work on a deal for the 25-year-old, who has one year left on his Leicester contract.
It seems therefore that, rather than playing the long game during the transfer window, Arsenal are intent on getting a move on. That will please Mikel Arteta, who has previously been frustrated by the club’s indecision when it comes to transfers, according to the Daily Mail . Any incomings at the Emirates Stadium reportedly have to be signed off by the American owners – a step in the procedure which slows things down and potentially allows rivals the opportunity to steal a march.
Indecision and hesitancy is something Arsenal can ill afford this summer, given the size of their rebuild on their hands. When the 2021/22 season was concluded Arteta had 18 outfield players to work with in his squad. That number has since been reduced to 17, with Alexandre Lacazette leaving for Lyon, although Eddie Nketiah and Mohamed Elneny have agreed deals to stay put.
In this context it is easy to see why Arteta might be frustrated – given he has asked the club to give him 22 outfield players for the upcoming season. "I think both competitions [the Champions League and Europa League] require a much larger squad because the amount of games you play is much bigger in both, so I don’t think [which you qualify for] makes a lot of difference or changes a lot,” he said when discussing transfer plans back in April.
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"If you can financially afford it and we don’t have to do the turnaround in the squad that we’ve had to do, if you ask me what I want it’s 22 outfield players and three goalkeepers. You have to come a long way in the aspects that you see on the pitch, it’s a lot of things that have to be put in place, and that takes time."
Arsenal do still have plenty of time – the window has only been open for eight days after all. But as welcome as the signings of Marquinhos and Vieira are, the success of their off-season business will ultimately be judged in other areas.
The departure of Lacazette and of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January has left the club desperately short of depth and quality up front. Gabriel Jesus appears to be a perfect fit, given his age, contractual situation and relationship with Arteta from his time at City, but landing him won’t be easy. They have already had an opening bid of £30m rejected .
Chelsea, Tottenham and Real Madrid have all reportedly joined the race for Jesus and all three of those competitors can offer the Brazilian striker Champions League football. Time is therefore of the essence for Arsenal, who cannot afford to rest on their laurels if they are to assemble a squad which fulfils Arteta’s publicly-stated remit.
