Arsenal and the summer transfer window, they don’t go well together do they? Yep, another transfer window has past us by and with Arsene Wenger signing a new two-year deal before the start of the season, fans (some of them at least) were expecting a new lease of life at the club under the Frenchman. Even the club themselves claimed that it was a new beginning.
With this in mind, the Emirates faithful (some of them) believed it to be true. Boy, were they wrong. To be fair, the Gunners started off well in the transfer market, they signed Sead Kolasinac, who was part of the Bundesliga Team of the Year last season, from Schalke on a free. They also managed to sign prolific French striker Alexandre Lacazette for a whopping £52million. Things were going so well and many expected a few newer heads to arrive at the Emirates. However, it turned out to be the opposite once again.
It started off with the departure of Wojciech Szczesny to Juventus for about £14million. Then Gabriel departed for a reported £10million. To be fair, it was good business done by Arsenal for two players who were surplus to requirements. However, no one else was coming in. So, by now Wenger had recouped £24million and, in theory, now splashed out £28million for Lacazette.
During this time, we were being linked with every Tom, Dick and Harry (as is the norm every transfer window at Arsenal) but no one was coming in. By the end of it all we saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain depart for Liverpool for around £40million and just managed to keep a disinterested Alexis Sanchez, having rejected a £60million offer from Manchester City.
So, looking back at this summer’s transfer window, it was no better than the past 10. Wenger and the club made profit (a solid £12million plus the wages of the players that departed), and then have the nerve to bid £92million on Monaco’s Thomas Lemar on Deadline Day only for the player not to be interested. What a joke. Why the hell would he join Arsenal in the state they’re in?
The future doesn’t look bright at the Emirates (at least for the next two seasons) and frankly its becoming a bit tiresome seeing the same thing happen year in, year out. Shambles.