The 2024/25 Premier League campaign is now in full swing and Arsenal FC is locked and loaded, ready to compete again to crown themselves the champions of England for the first time in the post-Wenger era. In this blog post we will go through all of Arsenal’s summer transfer business, recap the preseason and discuss the start of a promising new campaign.

SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW

Arsenal’s transfer business can be summed up in one word as the window approaches its close - sensible. After substantial marquee signings in each of the past few seasons like Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus - the gunners were focused more on squad balance and ensuring around FFP over the summer. That isn’t to say Arsenal didn’t make some exciting moves:

Riccardo Calafiori

The most intriguing signing of the transfer window, Arsenal added even more strength to last season’s league-best defensive unit by splashing €45.00m for Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori. Calafiori was Italy’s standout defender in the Euros and had a fantastic season at Girona. Primarily a LCB/LB, Calafiori can also slot into the inverted midfielder role when asked due to his quickness, ability on the ball and technical acumen. Mikel Arteta has built formidable and versatile defensive options to compete in all domestic and European competitions this season. 

Emile Smith-Rowe

This one is bittersweet.  It always hurts to see a talented homegrown player leave, however Emile Smith Rowe signed a 5-year contract with Fulham which will see him play at Craven Cottage until summer 2029 for a €23.00m transfer fee. In his 2 pre-season friendlies for Fulham, he’s already netted 2 goals and will look to find form on the west side of London. 

Eddie Nketiah

Eddie Nketiah seems to have many suitors. While he looked destined for Marselle or Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace saw a late bid accepted for the English striker after meeting Arsenal’s valuation. With Gabriel Jesus’s fitness in question, losing Eddie’s striker depth will not be something Arteta will wish for without a reasonable fee and a potential replacement. 

Mikel Merino

In Nicolas Jover’s dreams, the Mikel Moreno transfer saga will be concluded swiftly as no player in Europe’s top 5 leagues won more aerial duels last season. He had a strong showing in the Euros and Arteta seems to be serious about adding to his midfield depth with the 28 year-old Spain international. 

Fabio Viera

Fabio Viera has struggled to cement a place in the first team behind the captain Odegaard in Arsenal's starting rotation. The club has decided to send him back to Porto on loan for the season. The good news is that there is no buy option and his wages for the season will be paid in full.

Chido Obi-Martin

While his departure feels like a loss, this transfer signals the Arsenal staff want players who have a strong desire to play for the badge and aren’t willing to compromise the wage structure. Chido Obi-Martin is a 16-year-old promising striker who departed for Manchester United where he was offered double the wages.

2024/25 Preseason Recap

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta stated, “It was a really challenging preseason” after the club’s tour in the USA and finishing strong at home in the Emirates Cup.

The gunners had a trio of mixed results on their preseason tour, drawing Bournemouth, beating Manchester United and falling short against Liverpool. The first team players sprinkled in minutes in search of fitness while youngsters Ethan Nwaneri, Miles Lweis-Skelly Ayden Heaven, Josh Nichols and Salah Oulad M’Hand all got plenty of minutes.

In the Emirates Cup - Arsenal ramped up their level and romped last season’s German invincibles Bayern Leverkusen 4-1 which saw Granit Xhaka return to the Emirates for the first time since his departure. Arteta’s squad was purring and played some scintillating soccer.  A strong 2-0 performance against Lyon followed as Arsenal lifted their first silverware of the season - the Emirates Cup trophy. Hopefully a sign of more to come in the 2024/25 campaign. 

2024/25 Season Preview

After coming within fractions of winning the premier league title in the past two seasons, let’s hope the third time's the charm for the 2024/25 season.

Arsenal has kept its core group together coming into their primes on top of another season's-worth of experience both domestic and continental. While there are some questions of depth to be solved in the midfield and attacking department if we want to challenge on all fronts including the Premier League, the Champions League’s expanded format and the two domestic cups - this team has the talent and experience to now become one of the best teams in Europe. 

The first two tests are now behind us, and Arsenal has started strong with two wins out of two. The season opener saw Arsenal collect three points against Wolverhampton Wanderers behind a comfortable 2-0 victory at the Emirates. Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka led the line well with a goal each to get a fast start off the line.

The second match proved to be a bit trickier against last-season’s bogey team Aston Villa away from home. Unai Emery’s men were up for a tightly contested match at Villa Park, squandering some good chances and failing to get past a man-of-the-match performance from goalkeeper David Raya. Leandro Trossard came off the bench to slow his first touch of the game home to give Arsenal a full three points. A perfect start to the season saw the gunners put last season’s demons to rest. 

The challenge is clearly defined for Arsenal’s maturing squad this season - win silverware. Arteta, Edu and co. have completely rebuilt the squad in their mold, and hopefully this season’s results start rewarding those staff and supporters who have trusted the process with tangible results. One thing is for sure - Arsenal is a strong, dynamic team who will compete hard and remain hungry for success. Let’s enjoy the soccer and see what the season brings us!

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