Transfer Window Review

It was an… unexpected window. I didn’t expect a lot to happen but there was plenty of movement both in and out of Arsenal. There were some positives, there were some negatives – let’s take a look at each one.

INCOMINGS:

Nuno Tavares:

Once Kieran Tierney got injured last year, it was obvious that Arsenal needed a back-up LB… quite desperately in fact. Enter Nuno Tavares: the 21-year-old was signed on a long-term deal from Benfica. Showing lots of promise already, a price tag of around £8m was a bargain.

Signing Grade: B

Albert Sambi Lokonga:

One of the main reasons he was brought in was to prove a long term replacement for Granit Xhaka, who was expected to leave, but we’ll get back onto that later. He was signed from Anderlecht for around £17m and rated highly by Vincent Kompany and Thierry Henry, Sambi’s expected role was a back-up box-to-box/deep lying CM. He is currently sitting in full contention for a starting role after showing terrific promise (as well as current talent). Definitely one to watch.

Signing Grade: B+

Ben White:

This is the signing with the massive asterisk next to it. There are plenty of questions to be asked about this one. Why not keep Saliba? Why pay £50m? Can he actually solve the defensive problems? To put it simply, Ben White has a hell of a lot to prove. In my opinion, we should’ve kept Saliba and saved ourselves £50m, however, I am more than happy for him to prove me wrong.

Signing Grade: C+

Martin Odegaard:

It was on. Then it was off. Then it was on again. Then it was off again. Then Odegaard confirmed it was off on Instagram. Then it was possibly on again; you get the idea. Personally, I was a bit confused about it – if we had just given Emile Smith-Rowe a long term contract and the number 10 shirt, why were we going after another CAM? What happens now with Pepe and Saka if one of them has to play out wide? Regardless of that though, only £30m spent (as opposed to the quoted £50m earlier on) is a good price and is an exciting signing for the future.

Signing Grade: B+

Aaron Ramsdale:

In all honesty, I was 100% against this signing. It wasn’t the fact that he had been previously relegated (twice) it was the fact that we were going to pay 1.5x what we sold Emi Martinez for. However, reduced to £24m, as well as the backing of many previous Arsenal and England goalkeepers, it could turn out alright. Looked quite solid in his debut, so quite frankly, it could go either way.

Signing Grade: C

Takehiro Tomiyasu:

Deadline day signing: who doesn’t love one of them? The 22-year-old signing can play as either a CB or a RB. Standing at 6’2, he can offer plenty of aerial relief for Ben White as either an inverted/defensive RB, or as a right sided CB in a 3-back formation. He showed great potential in the Serie A for Bologna and fills the RB slot that we needed.

Signing Grade: B

Overall Grade: B

OUTGOINGS:

Konstantinos Mavropanos: loan (Stuttgart)

Matteo Guendouzi: loan-to-buy (Marseille), buy option around £12m

William Saliba: loan (Marseille)

Joe Willock: permanent (Newcastle), £25m

Lucas Torreira: loan-to-buy (Fiorentina), buy option £13m

Willian: mutual consent

Reiss Nelson: loan (Feyenoord)

Alex Runarsson: loan-to-buy (OH Leuven), buy option unknown

Hector Bellerin: loan-to-buy (Real Betis), buy option around (17m)

Overall Grade: C+

BIGGEST EXCITEMENT:

Signings of Albert Sambi Lokonga/Martin Odegaard

Two very promising players that could have a prolific future at Arsenal.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT:

Failure to sign Emi Buendia/sell Granit Xhaka

Getting beat to a player by Aston Villa was quite painful. Also, how did Xhaka not end up in Roma?

How would you rate this transfer window?