Arsenal had one job this summer - they failed miserably

1 Sept 2026 17:09 BST | 4 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

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Arsenal are the clear favourites to win the Premier League again this season, and deservedly so, but this should not obscure the fact that this summer has been a huge missed opportunity for Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta.

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The Gunners went into this transfer window with one objective: sign a world-class left-winger who can elevate Arteta's team to the next level and help them win the Champions League. Yet, instead of bolstering that department, Arsenal have left themselves short of attacking options.

Leandro Trossard has been sold to Besiktas and Gabriel Martinelli is on his way to Al-Hilal, leaving the Gunners with just Christos Tzolis as a specialist left-winger. The new signing impressed in his first two competitive games but was hooked at half-time against Aston Villa on Monday.

Current ETV

Christos Tzolis

F, M, AM (L)

Arsenal

Christos Tzolis

F, M, AM (L)

Arsenal

ETV Range

€21.5M - €26.3M

Tzolis is a hugely exciting player, but he still has to prove that he can consistently be a difference-maker at the Premier League level, something he failed to do during his spell at Norwich, albeit he was very young then.

Eberechi Eze can play on the left wing as well, but he has been at his best for Arsenal when used centrally. The fact that they have sold Martinelli without having a replacement lined up is nothing short of flabbergasting.

Arteta gambled and lost everything

You can't fault Arsenal's ambition chasing deals for Vinicius Jr and Julian Alvarez, who we reported could have been used on the left by Arteta. In hindsight, though, going all-in on two hard-to-get targets looks foolish.

We know that Arteta can be very stubborn in the market. Once he sets his sights on a player, he keeps pursuing until he gets him - and he is usually successful. This summer will therefore have been a chastening experience for the Spaniard.

© IMAGO - Arsenal failed to convince Vinicius Jr to join

For Arsenal to end up completely empty-handed after all the hubbub over Vini and Alvarez is embarrassing. Is adding no one at all really better than investing in, say, Bradley Barcola or Iliman Ndiaye, even if you don't believe that they are truly world-class?

Both can be underwhelming with their end product, but it is undeniable that they would have been useful for Arsenal in their chase for more silverware. This also applies to Malick Fofana. He is even more raw, but he would also have been significantly cheaper.

But Arsenal even baulked at paying €40m for the 20-year-old, which could have looked a steal in a few years! If the Martinelli sale and Ethan Nwaneri loan to Dortmund go through, the Gunners will be just an injury or two away from a threadbare frontline.

It is baffling that they are willing to end the window with Tzolis as their only signing for the left wing. Instead of wasting time trying to court Alvarez, they should have been holding talks with every half-decent winger under the sun.

If Arsenal underachieve because of a thin attack this season, they will have no one to blame but themselves.