Are Arsenal really weaker now than at the start of the transfer window?

Arsenal’s dead transfer window raises big questions. With key absences and a title race ongoing, have they enough—or will squad depth become their downfall?

Arsenal are weaker now than at start of transfer window
Failure to bring in attacking reinforcements means Arteta must rely on Havertz as side’s sole fit senior centre-forward
The Daily Telegraph4 Feb 2025By Sam Dean

Having a joke: Gabriel Magalhaes enjoys Myles Lewis-skelly’s meditation pose
So, how are the legs, Kai Havertz? If they are heavy now, they might feel significantly worse by the end of the season. The German has already produced a lot of running in an Arsenal shirt this calendar year, having played 663 competitive minutes in the past 26 days, and there will be much more of that to come in the remaining months of this campaign.

The closure of the winter transfer window confirmed that Havertz would be the only senior centreforward in Arsenal’s squad for the rest of this season. Arsenal wanted to sign a striker to provide support for the 25-year-old, but for various reasons failed to do so.

The end result is that Arsenal’s attacking options now look perilously thin, with Gabriel Jesus out for the campaign and Bukayo Saka weeks away from a return. Havertz is therefore under intense pressure not only to keep scoring goals, but to simply remain fit.

The good news for Arsenal is that Havertz’s injury record is encouraging. Last season he made 51 club appearances in all competitions, and started 22 of the final 23 games. He has done it before, so there is reason for Arsenal to believe he can do it again.

There can be little doubt, though, that Arsenal’s inability to recruit the forward they wanted has made their cause more difficult. Following the injury to Jesus, their squad is weaker now than it was at the start of the window. Their attacking depth is simply not comparable to their rivals.

To match up the attacking options at Arteta’s disposal with those at Liverpool, for example, is to see the scale of the challenge ahead. Arsenal have one fit centreforward (Havertz) supported by three wingers (Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Raheem Sterling) and a repurposed teenaged midfielder (Ethan Nwaneri). The combined cost of those five players? Around £90million.

Liverpool, by contrast, have Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa. The combined cost of their attackers? Around £230million. In terms of attacking firepower, Arsenal look unquestionably and alarmingly lightweight when compared to their biggest rivals for the title.

Arsenal knew all this from the moment Jesus went down clutching his knee against Manchester United on Jan 12. So, why did they not buy a striker?

The answer is that Arsenal simply could not sign the players they really wanted, and were unwilling to invest in a player they felt would not improve the squad. They worollie ried that buying the wrong man now would prevent them from buying the right one in the summer. The ideal outcome for Arsenal would have been to bring forward a move for one of their long-term targets. A player such as RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, or Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams. But it became clear such deals would be impossible midway through the season.

One player they thought might be available was Aston Villa striker Watkins. Arsenal were alerted to the possibility of Watkins leaving Villa earlier in the window, and made an approach in the region of £45 million. It would have been a considerable investment for a 29-year-old striker.

The financial framework of any deal was to change, though, when Saudi Arabian side Al-nassr made a £71million move for Villa’s Jhon Duran. Villa had no intention of selling both strikers, and Arsenal were never going to make a comparable offer for Watkins.

Arsenal have already planned ahead to the summer, with a deal in the works for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. They have had to be careful not to jeopardise that move financially, which is set to cost about £50million and is regarded as necessary, given the likely departures of Jorginho and Thomas Partey.

As pressing as the need for a new forward might be now, it is still not as pressing as the need for a new defensive midfielder is likely to be in the summer. The interest in Zubimendi dates back months and Arsenal could not rip up all of their long-term plans because of their needs in the moment. The other financial concern was that Jesus, who will miss around a year, now cannot be sold in the summer. His high wages mean that Arsenal are already committing significant financial resources on two strikers, even though only one is available to play.

It all meant that Arsenal were effectively left searching for shortterm loan deals. Their only option was to look abroad, though, as they already have two Premier League loanees in their squad (Sterling and back-up goalkeeper Neto). There is thought to have been a conversation regarding Bayern Munich striker Mathys Tel, but without any concrete interest being shown.

For all the talk around Havertz’s finishing, he has still scored 15 goals in 33 appearances this season. As a collective, Arsenal have scored 49 goals in the Premier League, a tally bettered only by Liverpool. As they showed against Manchester City on Sunday, they have enormous attacking quality in their team.

The bigger question, though, is whether they have enough in their squad. Arsenal were already reliant on Havertz. That is especially the case now the window has closed. For the remaining months of this season, they will be walking the thinnest of tightropes.

Myles Lewis-skelly has made 10 appearances in the Premier League. In two of those, the 18-year-old has puffed out his chest and decided to challenge Erling Haaland. Firstly in September, when he squared up to the Manchester City striker on his senior debut. And then again on Sunday, when he imitated Haaland’s “meditation” celebration after scoring in Arsenal’s 5-1 victory.

It is certainly a bold and brash approach for a teenager, against the most feared striker in the division and the winner of back-to-back Golden Boots. In playground terms, Lewis-skelly is the new lad who, on his first day of school, has called out the biggest kid.

Such chutzpah does not sit well with everyone. Haaland responded to it in September by asking “who the f--- are you?”, while on Sunday night social media was littered with fans of other clubs questioning how such an inexperienced youngster could dare to challenge a player of Haaland’s stature.

These sniping comments miss the point. Lewis-skelly’s “football antics”, as Declan Rice described them, are not aimed at supporters of Liverpool, City or any other club. They are designed for Arsenal, as a team and a fan base, and this sort of impudence is what the club have been craving for years.

After the feisty 2-2 draw with City in September, Arsenal were criticised for flying into tackles and defending deep in their own box. For years, they had been accused of being too soft on the pitch – and then they were suddenly accused of being too nasty.

On Sunday, the underlying accusation was that Arsenal were not showing appropriate deference to more successful opponents. Such a suggestion will have prompted derision from supporters, who spent the best part of two decades watching Arsenal roll over when they faced the biggest teams.

Indeed, there were few grumbles from other clubs when Arsenal were routinely thumped by Chelsea, Liverpool and City. The suggestion then was that Arsenal knew their place, as contenders for the top four but nothing more.

In those days, in the latter years of Arsene Wenger, under Unai Emery and at the start of Mikel Arteta’s tenure, plenty within the club (and the squad) agreed that fourth place probably was Arsenal’s rightful position. An inferiority complex became deeply embedded in Arsenal’s psyche.

One of the great successes under Arteta has been Arsenal’s ability to shake off that psychological block. Lewis-skelly, in the space of just a few months, has come to embody their newfound boldness. He has come into a team who believe they can beat any opponent and he has embraced that mentality.

Almost two years have passed since Arsenal last lost a Premier League match against one of the “Big Six”. That is a run of 18 matches. No wonder a player such as Lewis-skelly is willing to be punchy since becoming involved in the first-team picture.

Might he and Arsenal live to regret their goading of City and Haaland? Of course. Arteta’s side, after all, fell short in back-to-back title races with City over the past two seasons and are trailing Liverpool by six points.

But they are no longer afraid to back themselves, to meet the toughest opponents and to challenge the best in the league. The celebrations of Lewis-skelly and Gabriel Magalhaes might not earn the affection of many neutrals, but they are the ultimate proof that Arsenal have finally found a swagger and self-confidence that was missing for so long.

Article Name:Arsenal are weaker now than at start of transfer window
Publication:The Daily Telegraph
Author:By Sam Dean
Start Page:2
End Page:2 — Daily Telegraph, 4 February 2025

A Daily Telegraph’s article on Tuesday by Sam Dean argues that Arsenal have emerged from the winter transfer window in a weaker position than when it began. The central claim is that the club’s failure to sign a centre-forward leaves Mikel Arteta reliant on Kai Havertz as the sole senior striker, with limited attacking depth behind him.

But does this assessment provide a full and fair picture of Arsenal’s situation?

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Kai Havertz of Arsenal scores his sides fourth goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City FC at Emirates Stadium on February 02, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) — Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

There is no denying that Gabriel Jesus’s injury was a blow, and Arsenal’s inability to bring in reinforcements raises serious concerns about squad depth for the final months of the season.

The comparison drawn between Arsenal’s attacking options and Liverpool’s—who boast a wealth of forwards—underlines the challenge ahead.

However, the suggestion that Arsenal’s squad is now significantly weaker than before the window closed ignores key contextual factors.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 12: Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal leaves the pitch on a stretcher during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Arsenal and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on January 12, 2025 in London, England. Arsenal are playing in a special all-white kit for today's FA Cup third-round tie as part of their ‘No More Red’ initiative which was launched in collaboration with Adidas in 2022 to keep young people safe from knife crime. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) — Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

For one, while Havertz is Arsenal’s only fit senior centre-forward, his performances this season have demonstrated his ability to thrive in this role.

15 goals in 33 appearances (all competitions) is not an insignificant return, and Arsenal remain the Premier League’s second highest-scoring team, behind only Liverpool, who have relied on Mo Salah to make or net 61% of their Premier League goals this season (21 goals, 13 assists).

Arsenal are not that reliant on a single playmaker or goalscorer. Havertz’s nine in the league represents under 20% of the Gunners’ goals. Add in his assists, and his goal involvement rate is 25%.

Jesus’s contribution in the league before his injury stood at just three goals in 17 appearances. That’s the same number as Gabriel, Thomas Partey and 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and just one more than William Saliba, Riccardo Calafiori in his first season in England, and new boy Mikel Merino.

The idea that Arsenal are walking a “thin tightrope” also relies on the assumption that injuries will continue to deplete Arteta’s options but not Liverpool’s, but this remains speculative. Worrying, but speculative, nonetheless. Sure, Havertz could get injured. But so could Salah.

Arsenal’s decision not to panic-buy is framed as a failure, when in reality, it points to a more disciplined transfer strategy.

The article acknowledges that Arsenal attempted moves for Benjamin Šeško and Nico Williams, but these were never realistic mid-season signings.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 28: Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and FC Augsburg at Red Bull Arena on September 28, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images) — Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images

Similarly, Ollie Watkins was pursued, but Aston Villa’s change in stance after a Saudi bid for Jhon Durán altered the market dynamics.

Arsenal could have overpaid for a short-term fix, but instead opted to preserve their limited resources for summer deals, including a pre-planned move for Martín Zubimendi, who they have been trying to sign for two seasons.

Similarly, Šeško has an agreement to leave RB Leipzig for €60m this summer and seems likely to be Arsenal-bound.

SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN: Martín Zubimendi of Real Sociedad of Real Sociedad being followed by Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid during the LaLiga match between Real Sociedad and Atletico de Madrid at Reale Arena on October 06, 2024. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) — Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

What the article also underplays is Arsenal’s broader squad strength. While Bukayo Saka’s absence is a concern, he will return.

In the meantime, Arsenal still have Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Raheem Sterling to provide width, while Ethan Nwaneri’s emergence adds further depth. Two of his three league goals have come since Saka’s injury. Admittedly, Sterling isn’t offering much, but he has started to show some spark beneath his shattered confidence.

Unlike in past seasons, Arsenal’s squad is built with adaptability in mind, and Arteta’s tactical flexibility allows him to mitigate some of the perceived weaknesses. Arsenal have 15 different Premier League goalscorers this season. Liverpool? 11.

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's fifth goal with teammates Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City FC at Emirates Stadium on February 02, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) — Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

The wider argument that Arsenal’s inability to sign a forward has made them “significantly weaker” is ultimately too reductive from the Telegraph’s headline writer. A transfer window should be judged not just on immediate impact, but on its alignment with a club’s long-term strategy.

Arsenal’s refusal to compromise their squad-building philosophy is a sign of maturity rather than mismanagement. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself today.

Yes, Arsenal are taking a risk by relying on Havertz to carry the frontline, but given the alternatives, this is not the worst course of action.

The real test is not whether Arsenal are weaker today than they were just last month—it is whether they are strong enough to finish the season where they want to be.