Arsenal breaks transfer spending record: who joined the team.

02.09.2025 1415

02.09.2025 1415

Arsenal breaks transfer spending record: who joined the team

According to The Sun: At the end of last season, Mikel Arteta promised that Arsenal would be active in the transfer market this summer.

The team delivered, spending over £250 million - a record amount for the club - on a practically new starting lineup.

Eberechi Eze - one of the new stars of Arsenal Getty

Reuters

When defender Piero Hincapi arrives permanently for £45 million, the total spending will be nearly £300 million.

Thus, Arteta has the most complete squad in his time at Emirates, aiming to win the Premier League title for the first time since 2004.

The question is: will it be enough?

SunSport correspondent Jordan Davis examines the successes and failures of the transfer window, as well as possible changes in January...

WAS THE WINDOW SUCCESSFUL?

One can confidently say yes.

Arteta's goal is to build a squad with two top players in each position, so that the team can compete in four tournaments during a grueling season, especially after injuries that thwarted last year's title race.

This is already yielding results this season, even with injuries to players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, Kai Havertz, and William Saliba.

Newly acquired Kepa Arrizabalaga will provide strong competition for No. 1 David Raya.

Hincapi and Cristhian Mosquera provide depth, potential, and quality in the center of defense, supporting key players Saliba and Gabriel.

Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard enhance the midfield, allowing Arteta significantly more options in tough times.

And up front, they now have a genuine number 9 in Viktor Gyökeres, while Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke add unpredictability on the flanks that has been lacking in the past.

The team's total spending has greatly exceeded that of competitors in the Premier League, but when examining each deal in detail, it is evident they hold significant value.

Experienced players Kepa and Norgaard cost £20 million, while the previous deal for Zubimendi at £51 million looks favorable. The sums of £63.5 million for Gyökeres and £68 million for Eze also support this view.

The £42 million for Madueke raised questions, but he is already proving his worth, becoming one of the best players in the match against Liverpool.

Arteta and sporting director Andrea Bertin have defined their targets and successfully achieved them – something Arsenal has struggled to do in past years.

WHO IS THE BEST SIGNING?

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Determining who is the best signing is not easy - it's a question that can only be answered with time.

Gyökeres stands out as he has scored two goals in three Premier League matches. He has become what fans have long awaited. While he still needs to adapt, he is capable of bringing good results to the club.

However, Zubimendi should also be noted. There is a reason Liverpool pursued him so aggressively, but Arteta convinced him to choose North London.

His play in central midfield will allow players like Ødegaard and Declan Rice to be more attacking, and his skills on the pitch could become a catalyst to help Arsenal achieve success this season.

WHICH POSITIONS REMAIN UNFILLED?

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The answer is no. The only negative in this window is not the influx of new players but the outflux of old ones.

Only Leeds and Everton generated less from player sales this summer. Arsenal managed to earn just over £11 million from sales.

This is not new for Arsenal, as the club has historically found it difficult to sell players at a profit compared to clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea.

Jorginho, Thomas Partey, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney left the club for free at the start of the summer - financial losses that Arteta accepted to free up spaces in the squad.

They received £2.6 million for Brazilian winger Marquinhos, who moved to Cruzeiro, and £4.3 million for Nuno Tavares, who signed with Lazio. Meanwhile, Albert Sambi Lokonga was sold to Hamburg for a price significantly exceeding what was paid in 2021.

Although Arsenal attempted to sell a number of players on the last day of the transfer window, they managed to complete only loan deals.

There is a possibility of returning about £40 million for Jakub Kiwior and Fabio Vieira, if the Portuguese and Hamburg decide to buy them at the end of their loan agreements this season.

Reiss Nelson, as well as Oleksandr Zinchenko also signed one-year agreements, but it is quite likely that they will return next summer, as the contract expiry will lead to a drop in their value.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN JANUARY?

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Everything will depend on the situation. If Saka, Ødegaard, Havertz, and Saliba recover quickly and the majority of the squad remains fit, then there will be no need for definitive transfers in January.

However, if injuries continue, Arteta may once again decide to strengthen, especially if it complicates the team's title chase.

Among the questions: will Gabriel Jesus, who is recovering from ligament surgery, be considered? The Brazilian striker is now third in line after Gyökeres and Havertz, and his sale in the winter window could help the club replenish its financial reserves ahead of next summer.