Mikel Arteta has done a superb job of transforming Arsenal after his appointment back in December 2019, taking the club from mid-table strugglers to consistent Premier League title challengers.
The Gunners have finished runners-up in two consecutive seasons to Manchester City, potentially finishing in the same position this year, but to Arne Slot’s Liverpool.
Injuries and poor recruitment from the hierarchy in January have certainly halted the club’s chances of ending their two-decade wait for a league triumph, with the Spaniard having to operate with a makeshift forward line in recent weeks.
However, if they are to take the next step and claim title glory, the board desperately need to back Arteta once again, handing him the quality and depth needed to finally go one better than second place.
A repeat of one window could allow for such success, with a previous summer transfer window setting the club up for the progress they’ve seen over the last couple of years during the manager’s reign.
Arsenal’s transfer window in the summer of 2021
After an eighth-placed finish the season prior, the board handed Arteta the funds to improve his first-team squad, securing a £30m deal to sign Martin Odegaard on a permanent basis after his loan spell at the Emirates.
The Norwegian has since made over 150 appearances for the Gunners, often being the most creative player in the side, as seen with his tally of 36 goals and 28 assists since his big-money transfer.
Ben White also arrived during the same window, adding that defensive quality that had for so long been lacking under the management of former boss Unai Emery.
The 27-year-old cost £50m from fellow Premier League side Brighton, matching Odegaard in making over 100 appearances, but has struggled with fitness issues in 2024/25, restricting him to just 13 games across all competitions.
However, despite the big-money arrivals, the hierarchy also conducted excellent business in offloading multiple players, including one who Arteta was a big fan of after his appointment.
The player who Arsenal struck gold offloading
Given the success of the Arsenal academy, the first team is usually always benefitting from young talent who are looking to stake their claim for a consistent place in the squad.
Miles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are just two of the latest academy graduates to be challenging for regular minutes in Arteta’s side, gratefully benefiting from the ongoing injury crisis in North London.
However, another player who found himself in a similar position was midfielder Joe Willock, who emerged into the senior picture back in the 2017/18 campaign.
The Englishman made 78 appearances for his boyhood side over a four-season period, with his best undoubtedly coming in 2019/20, registering 44 appearances across all competitions – leading to Arteta dubbing him a “special” talent during his first year in charge.
“He’s a player I like – he has some special qualities and he’s showing it with his performances, his goals and his attitude.”
Willock would fall down the pecking order in 2020/21, making just seven league appearances in the first half of the season, subsequently moving to Newcastle United on loan for the second half of the campaign.
He would find a massive run of form during his temporary stint at St James’ Park, scoring eight times in just 14 appearances, leading to a permanent £25m deal to join the Magpies at the end of the season.
However, since his big-money transfer, he’s only managed to score 10 goals in 117 appearances, struggling to replicate the form that led to his subsequent move to Tyneside.
|
Joe Willock’s stats for Newcastle since his £25m move |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2021/22 |
31 |
2 |
0 |
|
2022/23 |
43 |
3 |
6 |
|
2023/24 |
14 |
2 |
0 |
|
2024/25 |
29 |
3 |
1 |
|
Total: |
117 |
10 |
7 |
The added investment from the hierarchy at Newcastle has also seen him start just seven league matches this campaign, falling down the order – just like he did before departing the Emirates.
Given his lack of form, coupled with his decline in minutes under Eddie Howe, the Gunners certainly made the right call in allowing Willock to depart, cashing in on the 25-year-old whilst his stock was at its highest.
His move is evidence of how impressive the academy could be for Arteta over the coming years, either allowing the Spaniard to gain key talent for the first team, as seen with Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri, or moving them on and gaining a huge fee – subsequently helping them in their quest for Premier League glory.