- Arsenal spent the summer searching for a transformative forward but couldn’t land one.
- Skipping a striker now leaves the door open to act in January or wait until next summer.
- That decision will prompt awkward questions, even if the club’s leadership feels satisfied with the window overall.
- Arteta, Berta and co-chair Josh Kroenke will face scrutiny over how, despite Arsenal’s recent success and appeal, they couldn’t complete a deal for a top target.
- Even so, Arsenal’s squad remains among Europe’s elite. In the win over Aston Villa, their bench featured nine full internationals, including World Cup winners Merino and Zubimendi.
- Gabriel Jesus has joined Barcelona for £12.8m. Though not central to the team due to selection and fitness issues, he still made 27 appearances across competitions, scoring six times.
- With Martinelli and Trossard departing, Eberechi Eze should get more minutes on the left wing—the position where he thrived at Crystal Palace.
- Eze handled some of Arsenal’s biggest games last season from the left and impressed there again in Monday’s victory over Villa.
- Last season, injuries sidelined Kai Havertz for long stretches, and Mikel Merino—also an option up front—missed time as well, but both have started this campaign fully fit.
- Those injuries forced Gyokeres to lead the line for long spells in his first year without much support; even so, doubts remain about how well he fits.
- It’s also notable that Gyokeres hasn’t played a minute in the first two Premier League matches.
- Arsenal still look like early favourites and have the quality to defend their title, but if goals become scarce, criticism over the lack of a new forward will be hard to escape.
September4September 4, 2026