Arsenal’s 2025 Transfer Window, Graded: Depth, Control and a Real No.9

Arsenal entered summer 2025 needing end-product, control at the base, and real cover across the front line. They left it with a new spine in Viktor Gyökeres and Martín Zubimendi, plus attacking versatility through Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke. Around them, the club added functional depth in Christian Nørgaard, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapié, and Kepa Arrizabalaga. It was deliberate investment: high fees concentrated on roles that change game states, supported by smart squad balancing. Early signs point to a group built to withstand injuries, rotate without drop-off, and finally turn territorial dominance into points.

Pre-Window Squad Needs & Objectives

Arsenal’s 2024/25 campaign collapsed under familiar stress points: too many draws, not enough finishing, and injuries that left the bench exposed. They underperformed at home relative to title-winning standards, while chance creation outstripped conversion. The club’s priorities were clear:

• Secure a penalty-box striker.

• Acquire a press-resistant No.6 to stabilize circulation.

• Add a bona fide right-wing relief for Bukayo Saka.

• Raise the floor across defense and goalkeeping.

Player Profiles & Grades

Viktor Gyökeres – CF, 27 (Sporting → Arsenal, £65m / €76m)

Grade: A-

• Style/fit: Penalty-box striker, relentless presser, separation runs.

• Impact: Allows Havertz to move fluidly between 9/8/10 roles without carrying finishing burden.

• Value: Premium fee, but answers Arsenal’s biggest structural flaw: chance conversion.

Martín Zubimendi – DM, 26 (Real Sociedad → Arsenal, £70m / €82m)

Grade: A

• Style/fit: Deep-lying orchestrator with press resistance.

• Impact: Stabilizes build-up and frees Rice to play higher or wider.

• Value: Expensive, but addresses the most critical missing profile in Arteta’s system.

Eberechi Eze – AM/LW, 27 (Crystal Palace → Arsenal, £69m / €81m)

Grade: B+

• Style/fit: Ball-carrier, half-space creator, set-piece threat.

• Impact: Breaks low blocks, supports Ødegaard as a dual-10 option.

• Value: High for a late-prime creator, but scarcity of skill set justifies it.

Noni Madueke – RW, 23 (Chelsea → Arsenal, £56m / €65m)

Grade: B

• Style/fit: One-v-one winger, inside-cut shooter.

• Impact: Finally provides Saka with meaningful rotation, protecting against overload.

• Value: Steep for output so far, but strategic importance for squad balance is immense.

Christian Nørgaard – DM/CM, 31 (Brentford → Arsenal, £11.6m / €13.5m)

Grade: B+

• Style/fit: Defensive shield, aerial strength, reliable rotation piece.

• Impact: Veteran ballast behind Zubimendi and Rice.

• Value: Excellent price for proven Premier League experience.

Cristhian Mosquera – CB, 21 (Valencia → Arsenal, £15m / €17.5m)

Grade: B

• Style/fit: Mobile, cover defender, promising upside.

• Impact: Provides Saliba rotation without major drop in quality.

• Value: Solid developmental buy at a manageable cost.

Kepa Arrizabalaga – GK, 30 (Chelsea → Arsenal, £5.8m / €6.8m)

Grade: B

• Style/fit: Experienced ball-playing deputy.

• Impact: Raises the baseline at backup goalkeeper.

• Value: Low fee, adds depth with minimal risk.

Piero Hincapié – CB/LB, 23 (Leverkusen → Arsenal, loan with option ~£45m / €52m)

Grade: B+

• Style/fit: Aggressive left-sided CB/LB hybrid, suited to front-foot pressing.

• Impact: Strengthens two positions in one signing.

• Value: Loan structure cleverly manages spending rules while addressing a priority area.

Major Departures

• Thomas Partey (free to Villarreal): Finally enjoyed one full season fit, but long-term durability remained a concern. Off-field issues reinforced Arsenal’s decision to pivot.

• Jorginho (free to Flamengo): Still intelligent, but fading legs meant Arsenal needed a fresher midfield core.

• Kieran Tierney (free to Celtic) and Nuno Tavares (Lazio, £5m): Cleared the LB logjam, opening space for Hincapié.

• Others on loan: Jakub Kiwior, Fabio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Reiss Nelson, and Karl Hein—moves designed to streamline the squad and preserve optionality on sales.

Financial Strategy & PSR Positioning

• Gross spend: ~£257m (€293m).

• Sales: ~£11m (€13m).

• Net spend: ~£246m (€280m), among the highest in the league.

• Comparisons:

  • Liverpool spent over £400m gross but recouped nearly half through sales.

  • Manchester City’s business was more controlled (~£180m gross, ~£100m in sales).

  • Manchester United crossed £200m gross but struggled to balance their squad.

Arsenal’s approach was front-loaded, targeting specific gaps with premium signings. Cheaper deals (Nørgaard, Kepa) and the Hincapié loan showed pragmatic cost control.

Tactical Impact

• Finishing: Gyökeres offers near-post runs and reliable penalty-box presence, something Arsenal lacked.

• Control: Zubimendi enhances Arsenal’s rest defense with the ball, ensuring Rice isn’t overburdened.

• Attacking variety: Eze and Madueke diversify attacking options, protecting Saka and Martinelli from burnout.

• Defensive insurance: Mosquera and Hincapié give rotation options to prevent last season’s injury spiral.

• Unpredictability: Arteta can now rotate without obvious drop-offs, creating the tactical flexibility he has long targeted.

Rival Comparison Snapshot

• Liverpool: Record-breaking gross spend (over £400m), reshaping every line of the team. Balanced by strong sales (~£190m).

• Manchester City: Selective upgrades (~£180m in), offset by ~£100m out. Controlled evolution, not revolution.

• Manchester United: Heavy attacking buys (>£200m), weaker balance in midfield/defense, leaving the rebuild incomplete.

Expert & Fan Consensus

• Analysts broadly ranked Arsenal as transfer window winners, just behind Liverpool in scale but praised for coherence.

• Fan polls place Arsenal among the top performers of the window, with excitement around Gyökeres as the missing piece.

• Some caution remains around the sheer scale of net spend—success will be judged on whether it translates into trophies.

Final Verdict

Rating: 8.5/10
Arsenal solved the weaknesses that cost them points last year: a lack of finishing, shallow depth, and overreliance on Saka. They replaced fading veterans with prime-age signings and added tactical variety. The net spend was eye-watering, but the value lies in targeting roles that directly swing matches. If Gyökeres adapts quickly and Zubimendi anchors midfield as expected, Arsenal’s 2025 window could be remembered as the one that tipped them into genuine title-winning territory.