Arsenal have made two of the best signings in the Premier League this summer, bringing Riccardo Calafiori on board from Bologna and then masterfully plucking the secretly world-class midfielder Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad.
However, coming into the summer 2024 transfer window, the biggest area of need for Arsenal was signing a star attacker, and the Gunners have yet to bring in an out-and-out goal-scoring No. 9 or winger depth behind Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
It seems like Arsenal may not be making an attacking splash at all in the final days of the window, unless a really obvious market opportunity emerges for the Premier League title contenders.
That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, via afcstuff, “In terms of opportunities, I would keep the door open. I don’t think it’s going to be something very big. I see rumours like Nico Williams — I don’t think Arsenal will do something like that. I think if they decide to do something, it’s going to be something for a back-up. Still nothing imminent, still nothing closer, but Arsenal are considering opportunities on the market, so I would keep the door open for a last-minute chance.”
Fab is offering a pretty sobering transfer update for any Arsenal fan dreaming of a big splash to help the attack outpace Manchester City, whose goal-scoring boost from Erling Haaland has proven to be a key difference in the title race these past two seasons.
Victor Osimhen is still on the table and could be signed at significantly less than the initial 100 million euro-plus asking price quoted by Napoli, but the Gunners have been moving very quietly for the Nigerian No. 9.
Of course, Mikel Arteta, Edu, and the Arsenal decision-makers love taking transfer deals piece-by-piece and moving quietly, signing players often by surprise so that they aren’t beaten to the punch.
Perhaps Arsenal are doing that with Osimhen and/or another superstar in European football, Athletic Club winger Nico Williams, though the latter’s future seems tied to Bilbao after rejecting a transfer to Barcelona (leaving the Blaugrana to go for national teammate Dani Olmo).
