Barring any late movements or Chelsea bidding £175m for Saka, Arsenal wrapped up their January transfer business yesterday with the signings of Jakub Kiwior, Leandro Trossard and Jorginho. Always measured in their opinions, reactions and general behaviour during the transfer window, Arsenal fans were up in arms with regard to our transfer window, most notably after the announcement of our interest in Jorginho.
Despite Brighton’s insistence that Caicedo was not leaving the club for what they viewed as a derisory offer of £70m for a 21-year-old with 26 PL caps, Arsenal fans were incensed that we refused to pay any more. “Look at what Chelsea are doing !!!!” they decried as if that reckless and unimaginable spending was completely normal. “We are so WEAK!!” they shout as the Kroenke’s continued their record investment into the club for the second season running whilst Man United fans crossed every single bone in their body to *checks notes* complete the loan signing of Marcel Sabitzer. “WHEN WILL THIS CLUB LEARN” they shouted into the abyss as 1st placed Arsenal completed their third signing to finally have some decent depth in their three lightest areas (#6, LCB & out wide).
As much as Caicedo and Mudryk would’ve been great signings, one providing great back-up in the short term for Partey and his successor in the long term and the other a raw forward with an insanely high ceiling, Arsenal cannot be held accountable for Brighton (and Shakhtars) rightful valuation of their young talent. When these two signings failed, we pivoted to other signings just as we did when we signed Zinchenko and Jesus when Martinez and Vlahovic failed to join. Both players have elevated not just our attack but have brought a winning mentality and intangibles that are a big part of why we have been so dominant this season. A decent plan B isn’t always ideal, but it doesn’t make a window a failure.
Firstly look at Trossard, signed for £21m, a PL-proven Belgian international in the prime of his career with a point to prove that he can cut it with the big boys. A calm, composed presence in the box, Trossard has incredible ball-carrying skills and close control and an ability to play pretty much anywhere in the front three, and even possibly as a left #8. Bought to challenge Martinelli and facilitate ESRs conversion into a midfielder, Trossard offers a great option in the EL and off the bench and presents an opportunity for a new dynamic with KT as Trossard is an attacker that favours the interior as opposed to Martinelli who will hug the touchline.
Completed with little fanfare and shortly after Trossard, Arsenal plumped for Jakub Kiwior for €25m from Spezia, beating Dortmund to the Polish 22 year-olds signature. Like N’Dicka whom I hoped we would sign for free in the Summer, Kiwior is a lefty CB who has experience in midfield and LB, can comfortably dictate play in the first phase of build-up, can play in both a back four and five and like White/Saliba/Gabriel is a tall, imposing centre half. This will protect Gabriel as we currently have no left-footed backup and our only backup CB is Rob Holding who as much as it pains me to say should be taken to the glue factory.
Lastly, with the news that Elneny was out for the season, Arsenal are right to look for cover in the #6 position. With Caicedo not happening, despite his hilarious attempt at forcing a move, Arsenal moved for Jorginho, another contractual opportunity as he had 6 months left on his contract. Jorginho joins as arguably the ideal Arteta holding midfielder: composed, press resistant, can pick out diagonals in his sleep and has the Zinchenko metronomic gene to help settle games and kill teams with a thousand passes.
He isn’t coming in as the number one, but as a squad player to push Partey and raise the floor of the team if he is out, or give us a chance to win the Europa without sacrificing our best chance at a title in years. Signing a squad player for £10m in January, who has won some of the biggest trophies in Europe, captained his club, was previously targeted by Arteta and is a massive upgrade on our current (injured) deputy is good business. There were worries he would be tied to a long deal but we have also managed to swerve this and sign him on a 1.5-year deal, with an option for another if it is a success. It’s a no fucking brainer in my eyes and gives us license, funds and more options in the Summer when we look for potentially those game-changing long-term Xhaka and Partey replacements like Declan Rice.
If you’d told me at the start of the World Cup, that Jesus would be out for 3-4 months and that we’d still be top by 5 points (with a game in hand) and just signed 3 players to fix our depth issues front to back, I’d have laughed in your stupid, naïve face. I understand that Mudryk/Caicedo would’ve been nice but we’ve done well to raise the level in the squad in a notoriously difficult window to navigate without dropping £105m on ENZO FERNANDEZ, a player I’m convinced did not exist until about 3 months ago. Yes, it would also be nice to see Edu get at least one of our initial targets, but maybe this is his master plan… Sometimes I think Arsenal fans love to moan for the sake of it, but at the moment I have never been so comfortable and pleased with the recruitment at the club.
Now lets go and do it.
Over optimistic 24-year-old Gooner eager to see those Hale End lads get us back into the Champions League.
Write about Arsenal as an aspiring writer but more importantly as an attempt to put my drunk ramblings in the pub into something a little bit more coherent…
Good and pragmatic article Harry
Chelsea are taking an enormous risk that could seriously derail their club . We’ve acted sensibly and achieved a fine result
Bang on analysis.
Agreed