A disappointing 2022/23 season saw Arsenal narrowly lose the Premier League title to rivals and eventual treble winners Manchester City. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Gunners after staying on top of the League for most part of the season.
But rather than being frustrated, this seems to have encouraged the Board of Directors of the London Club as they are backing the manager Mikel Arteta by investing in the recruitment of players; this is evident in the ongoing signings at the club. The 2023 summer transfer window has proven to be wild, and so far the Gunners are one of the standout clubs landing their targets with precision.
In this transfer window already, Arsenal has spent about £200 million, landing the services of several players.
This transfer window has seen the Gunners break the English record, signing Declan Rice from West Ham for a fee of £105million; the former West Ham captain completes the transfer off the back of his European triumph with the London side winning the Europa Conference League last season as they defeated Italian side Fiorentina 2-1in the finals of the competition. The midfielder is regarded as a concrete signing, especially with the exit of Granet Xhaka and the possible departure of Thomas Party, which is linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League.
Another acquisition by the English side is Kia Harvetz who they purchased from City rivals Chelsea for a £65 million fee. The Champions League winner who Chelsea purchased from Bayern Leverkusen for a £75.8 million transfer fee in 2020 scored the winning goal for the Blues in their triumph over Manchester City in the finals of the 2021 Champions League. He also scored many clutch goals for the club such as the winner in the UEFA Super Cup finals but his form has dipped in recent times as he was seemingly unable to live up to expectations at Stamford Bridge. His move was anticipated this summer as he was not in the plans of Chelsea’s new boss Mauricio Pochettino
He could be a real jewel under Mikel Arteta who is credited for his ability to bring out the best in young players. Kia Harvetz is expected to bring fluidity and dynamism to the front line of Arsenal.
The club’s most recent signing is Dutch defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax in a 38 million deal, a 34 million paid upfront and the remainder in performance-related add-ons. The 22-year-old was linked with a move to Manchester United last summer to re-join his former coach at Ajax Erik Ten Hag, but this move never materialized as Manchester United opted for a move for Lisandro Martinez.
The defender will improve the ball retention ability of the team as he is known for his ability to carry the ball with ease. He is also expected to provide options in defense as he can play as a center-back as well as a right-back.
