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What next for Arsenal after failed quest to sign a forward
02nd September, 2026 09:40 AM
Premier League champions Arsenal had a quiet final deadline day in the transfer market as the curtain closed on the player recruitment exercise on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at the midnight deadline.
Mikel Arteta’s side will proceed without a direct replacement for its forward line after two major departures in the final days of the window.
Gabriel Jesus agreed to a deal to join Barcelona, while his compatriot Gabriel Martinelli is set to complete a move to join Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.
Arsenal transfer
Leandro Trossard left the club for a new challenge in Turkey. Despite securing a replacement in Greece, winger Christos Tzolis, the Gunners eventually allowed Ethan Nwaneri to join Borussia Dortmund on loan just before the window closed.
Arsenal’s transfer plans ultimately shifted toward securing offensive backups following those departures, leading the club to pursue a number of top European talents.
Their primary target was Argentine striker Julián Álvarez, who will now remain at Atlético Madrid after trying to force through a move to Spanish rivals Barcelona.
Arsenal also unsuccessfully tried to persuade the player to return to the English Premier League.
Following these developments, the Gunners will now have to navigate the league season short of an extra central striker, even as they boast a well-rounded squad throughout their ranks.
Arsenal had started the summer with Morgan Rogers as their primary target up front but lost out on the player to Chelsea.
They then shifted to an ambitious plan to swoop for Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior before the Brazilian winger extended his contract with the Spanish giants.
Arteta remained optimistic that the club would maintain an ambitious stance and look to strengthen where necessary, but that ultimately failed to materialise even as the club also mulled an approach for Man United’s winger Marcus Rashford.
Four Out, One In
The club will now proceed into the new season with four attackers having departed and only one coming in.
Read here on the full transfer list of completed deals by Premier League Top 6 teams
The vacant areas include the left wing, where Tzolis remains the primary natural option following Martinelli’s departure, though Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke can also provide cover.
Meanwhile, the center-forward role will now be held by Kai Havertz, who is traditionally considered a false nine, and Viktor Gyökeres, currently the only out-and-out senior striker remaining in the squad.
Though the overall depth of all Premier League teams will be put to the test as the season progresses, the Gunners’ test could come early as the start of September when they step up their league defense with a clash against Chelsea on Sunday, 6, 2026.
