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£30m defender among two big winners and two big losers from Arsenal’s summer transfer window

Lee Connor

Sun 1 September 2024 20:15, UK

The transfer window has been and gone for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta once again and it was yet another one to pass without a number nine signed.

Arsenal did have an active window and went right up to the deadline to bring in Raheem Sterling from Chelsea.

Sterling joined fellow summer signings Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel﷽ Merino in signin🥃g for the Gunners and all three are expected to play a big role.

Of course, like with any t🌃ransfer window, there are winners and losers to emerge f🐼rom it.

New signings can often mean someone else is bumped down the pecking order, while sometimes exits can also mean a change of dynamic at ღth🔥e club.

Here, ꧟then, we’ve looked at two winners and two losers from Arsenal’s s𒐪ummer transfer window.

Winner One – Raheem Sterling

There’s nowhere else to start, really.

Raheem Sterling has gone from being ousted by Chelsea and being told he’s not part of 💙the plan under Enzo Maresca to now being part of a team pushing for the title.

Some are divid♑ed over the signing of Sterling but there is so much upside to the deal for Arsenal.

They are only paying a fraction of his wage, have no obligation to buy him, and in turn are getting a serial winner who will now feel h♔e has a point to prove.

Sterling, then, could be massive for Arsenal.

Loser One – Oleksandr Zinchenko

Zinchenko has hജad a slow꧑ demise at Arsenal since signing from Man City for .

Initially, he was part of the big turnaround in attitude and standards at the club and very much ceme♚nted himself as the main left-back who stepped into midfield.

However, the signing of Jurrien Timber last season and now the addi🌳tion𓆉 of Riccardo Calafiori sees Zinchenko bumped down the pecking order even further.

Zin🐲chenko may still play a big role this season but on the flipside, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him push for a January exit either.

Winner Two – Kai Havertz

There’s no doubt that Kai Havertz has been a brilliant signing for Arsenal🌸 but even he must have been wondering if they’d finally sign that number nine.

But for now, Havertz remains the key option tꦦhere for Mikel Arteta which mean♐s he’s going to play every week for the foreseeable future.

Of course, the German deseꦫrves to🃏 play and scored again this weekend.

But if a new number nine ever does arrive, then t❀hat will be the time hꦕe starts to worry.

Loser Two – Gabriel Martinelli

While Martinelli has been𝔉 a key player for Arsenal in recent seasons, the signing of Leandro Trossard showed last season that he might not be doing enough.

Jay Bothroyd has sugges✃ted Martinelli is being selected from past endeavours and with the signing of Rahe🐻em Sterling, the Brazilian will be worried.

Competition is good for any team but with Sterling in the building looking to prove a po♌int and Trossard still contributing, Martinelli needs to up his game considerably.

Time will tell, but you feel Martinelli is facing a bi𓆉g seasoꦅn this year.