Arsenal have begun this summer’s transfer window with a mixture of smart pragmatism and cautious budgeting.
The signings so far – Christian Norgaard (which is actually still subject to completion), Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga – signal a strategy focused on stability and structural reinforcement.
But as Liverpool race ahead with their blockbuster business, Arsenal may be in danger of being left behind before the season even begins.
Norgaard’s arrival from Brentford, for a fee reported to be around £11 million, is a textbook piece of shrewd business. With Jorginho moving on and Thomas Partey’s future increasingly uncertain, Arsenal needed a steady hand in midfield. Norgaard offers precisely that.
In 2024/25, he featured in 34 Premier League games, contributing five goals and four assists, while ranking in the top quartile for interceptions, recoveries and duels won – at roughly 1.56 interceptions and 6.14 recoveries per game.
His style mirrors Partey’s to a degree: disciplined, defensively astute and reliable. At 31, with leadership evident from his Brentford captaincy, he represents a safe solution without breaking the bank.
In essence, Norgaard is an insurance policy – and a solid one. But at this stage of the game, when competing against deeply reinforced rivals, solidity alone will not suffice. Arsenal need that extra edge.
While Norgaard brings experienced ballast, a confirmed signing of Zubimendi – at a rumoured £55 million – would elevate this midfield from functional to formidable.
Zubimendi is a metronomic presence: calm, composed and adept at recycling possession while disrupting opposing build-up play. That, in turn, frees Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard to engage more explosively in the final third without worrying about cover.
If Arsenal’s deal for Zubimendi goes through, they will have built a midfield axis that blends grit, industry, creativity and control. On paper, that’s a midfield make-up capable of anchoring the team on all fronts.
The arrival of Kepa as back-up to David Raya was a quiet but measured move. Arsenal targeted experience without extravagance.
Kepa, once among the best globally, has since been marred by inconsistency but demonstrated resilience in a solid loan spell at Bournemouth, where he maintained one of the best save percentages in the 2024-25 Premier League season.
Signing him for just £5 million makes sense: low-cost and low-risk.
Despite these pragmatic additions, however, Arsenal’s transfer business so far lacks the lofty ambition needed to truly challenge for the Premier League title. The most glaring deficiencies lie in two key areas: striker and left wing.
Arsenal ended last season relying on Kai Havertz at the point of their attack. And although he was their top scorer, nine league goals from 23 appearances is not the return of a top-level, ruthless goal-getter.
A clinical, prolific No.9 remains their biggest need. Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are both reportedly under consideration. Either would fit the bill.
Sesko, still just 20 but already a Bundesliga star, scored 13 Bundesliga goals in 33 games last season with RB Leipzig. His size and movement would be ideal for Arsenal’s dynamic front line.
Gyokeres, with 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporing CP, offers expert finishing with dynamic speed and off-ball intelligence.
Both are sensibly priced considering their calibre and potential and they fit Arsenal’s model – but neither has arrived yet. And without one, the squad risks carrying last season’s ceiling forward rather than breaking through it.
Arsenal’s width also demands reinforcement. Bukayo Saka remains top-tier, but heavy workload concerns persist; Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard offer depth, but not the world-class impact of a primary left winger.
Rodrygo of Real Madrid has been linked, as has Crystal Palace’ Eberechi Eze – each bringing different but complementary skill sets.
The Brazilian offers elite technique and experience; Eze provides creativity and Premier League pedigree. Both would introduce unpredictability and alleviate pressure on Saka, yet neither is signed.
Again, good intentions but tangible progress is needed.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have launched a transfer offensive of breath-taking scale and ambition. Under new manager Arne Slot, they have already spent nearly £200 million on transformative talent.
Liverpool’s biggest, most jaw-dropping move was securing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a potential £116.5 million – making him the most expensive British signing ever.
Wirtz, a precocious talent with 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 games last season, brings creativity, incisive passing and attacking intelligence – an ideal foil for Mohamed Salah and co.
Wirtz isn’t merely a luxury; he’s a statement. Liverpool are not content to rest on last season’s success – they want to evolve.
And they didn’t stop in midfield. They have signed Jeremie Frimpong (£29.5 million) to potentially succeed Trent Alexander-Arnold and Milos Kerkez (£45 million) to replace, or at least challenge, Andrew Robertson.
Frimpong brings pace, work-rate and off-ball intelligence from the right; Kerkez offers verticality and defensive assurance from the left.
Further reinforcements are in play for the champions, too: Marc Guehi in defence and perhaps a natural striker, with the Reds reportedly eyeing Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike.
Their business is both broad and targeted – they’re building a squad with a blend of youth, potential and immediate class.
Last season, Liverpool’s squad depth allowed them to sustain form amidst injuries and fixture congestion. Arsenal, by contrast, wilted under injuries and during periods of fixture pile-up.
Their respective transfer activity so far reinforces that divergence – Liverpool set new standards; Arsenal reinforce existing ones.
It’s not that Arsenal’s additions are unwarranted – they are logical and measured. But retained status and solidity don’t win titles: ambition does.
At this stage, Arsenal must close the transactional gap.
Without the striker and winger they desperately need, Arsenal will enter the next season structurally fortified but strategically hamstrung.
Liverpool have redefined what title-ready looks like: elite midfield creativity, wing-back energy and bench depth. Arsenal have improved stability, but they need an explosive spark to match.
Arsenal have approached the summer with discipline and balance, strengthening midfield and goalkeeper wisely. But in a window defined by ambition and price tags in quadruple digits, prudence may not be enough.
Liverpool have doubled down on success with statement signings that hint at more to come.
Arsenal can no longer wait. To close the gap, they must address their longstanding areas of weakness quickly and comprehensively or else they’ll fall further behind Liverpool before a ball is even kicked.
Solid, sensible but incomplete: that is Arsenal’s current summer summary. The millions not spent will be counted in titles not won.
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