Arsenal's summer left them with one clear attacking arrival, Christos Tzolis, after missing out on Julián Alvarez, Morgan Rogers and Vinícius Júnior. It also left Mikel Arteta with a forward line that feels lighter than a club chasing major honours should want.
Arteta's attack after the window
Tzolis was the only front three arrival at Arsenal this summer. The departures were just as stark, with Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus all allowed to leave, and Ethan Nwaneri joining Borussia Dortmund on loan.
That is why the concern is about numbers as much as quality. Tzolis is also the only recognised left winger available between now and January, which puts real weight on a player still settling in. He has a 6.2 rating in his first Arsenal appearance, while his Community Shield cameo brought an 8.2 rating and two assists.
The cover options are there, but they are not full answers yet. Eberechi Eze can fill in at left wing while also covering Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, and he has only 54 Premier League minutes for Arsenal. Noni Madueke can also play in the frontline, but his 60 Community Shield minutes do not make him an established week-to-week fix.
The missed chance with Alvarez only underlines the scale of what Arsenal were trying to do. He has only 24 minutes in La Liga this season for Atletico Madrid, so the issue is not about a current club collapse or a lack of fitness. It is about Arsenal going into the season with one new front-three addition after a summer that was supposed to be more ambitious and fast in the market.
Mikel Arteta wanted Arsenal to be ambitious and fast. The squad that emerged still has good players in it, but the left side is thin, and January already looks relevant.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
