Thursday Cannon Fodder: transfers

How do you approach the transfer window? Are you relentlessly scanning the internet and Twitter, looking for the latest links and updates? Or do you try to avoid them, figuring that when the club announces a new signing, you’ll know who Arsenal signed?

Obviously, we have to keep our eyes and ears open to the transfer rumor mill here at TSF because we need to cut through the noise to bring you what’s useful. We try to be circumspect and not write up every little piece of made up gossip that’s out there. Lately, I’ve taken to rubbishing some of the “bigger” rumors that come across my radar, too. I don’t really have a hard and fast rule, but if I see something gaining traction and being talked about, I’ll post about it, even if that’s just to say, “yeah, this isn’t happening.”

Maybe it’s the way that Arsenal have taken to doing business under Mikel Arteta, maybe it’s a change in how I approach it, or perhaps it’s an indicator of wisdom borne of transfer window experience, but some of the uncertainty of the window has disappeared. I’m not as worked up about the names flying around because I have a pretty good idea of what Arsenal are going to do.

Last summer, it seemed pretty clear early on that they were going to buy Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale. We also knew they wanted to bring Martin Ødegaard back but that it might take time. This summer, Arsenal are going to buy Gabriel Jesus and Youri Tielemans (fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc.). They may also buy a winger but that seems to be contingent on shifting Nicolas Pépé out. The club will probably buy another young, not first-team ready prospect. There might be a surprise purchase, too, but that feels less likely this summer than last. Had they qualified for the Champions League, I think they would have bought another striker as well. Arsenal also have players to sell that we’ve known were on the way out — Hector Bellerin, Lucas Torreira, Pablo Mari, etc.

That’s the summer business I’m expecting.

So I’ll ask again — how do you approach the transfer window? Has that changed over time? How do you feel about where this summer seems to be heading for Arsenal?