Mikel Arteta’s transfer strategy has been a major talking point as Arsenal approaches the summer 2025 window. While some may see his approach as risky, there are strong reasons to believe it’s a gamble worth taking.
Long-Term Vision
Arteta prioritises strategic, long-term signings over short-term fixes, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable success. The pursuit of players like Martin Zubimendi and Nico Williams—both with release clauses of around €50-60 million—reflects a willingness to invest in quality that aligns with Arsenal’s playing style and future ambitions.
Financial Prudence
Despite pressure to make immediate signings, Arteta has resisted panic buys. While this approach may frustrate fans in the short term, it allows Arsenal to make more calculated moves in the summer. By avoiding hasty decisions, the club can better manage its finances and target players who truly fit the squad’s needs.
Tactical Fit
Arteta’s transfer targets are chosen not just for their individual talent, but for how well they integrate into his tactical system. His emphasis on positional play and structured team dynamics ensures that each signing strengthens Arsenal’s ability to compete at the highest level.
Risk and Reward
As Arteta himself once said, “You have to make a decision—whether I want to aim to make that gap closer and go for it, or I stay where I am.” This philosophy highlights the importance of taking calculated risks in the transfer market to close the gap on top competitors, particularly in the pursuit of Champions League success.
Building on Success
Arsenal’s back-to-back second-place finishes in the Premier League provide a solid foundation for attracting top talent. The pursuit of players like Zubimendi and Williams signals the club’s ambition—not just to compete but to win silverware.
While Arteta’s transfer strategy may seem like a gamble, it is one rooted in a clear vision for Arsenal’s future. By prioritising quality over quantity, tactical fit over marquee names, and long-term success over short-term gains, Arteta is laying the foundations for a sustainable return to the top of English and European football.
the end justifies the means! if at the end of the seasaon arteta succeeded by not signing players, he would be considered hero and with the outcome being negative as it is now everyone blames him for taking unnecessary risks. even people mention had arteta been an experienced manager he would not have done that. for me arteta should have pursued combination methods during winter transfer by bringing in free agents, promoting or using academy players and intelligenting reshuffling existing players to fill in the void left by esp havertz and martinelli.
The fact that I’m only the second person commenting on this article shows how irresponsibly stupid the write-up and the idea behind it is
I don’t agree…. this is a good article.
We should be discussing Arsenal’s transfer policy, not Arteta’s transfer policy. This probably explains why we have wasted so much money lately on players “fit for Arteta” but not “fit for the club”.
Not saying the manager shouldn’t have a say in player recruitment, but Arteta’s influence has been a financial disaster. Over 800M spent, but squad depth no where to be seen. Add to that, the squad rebuild for next season will cost another 400M, if we are to remain competitive.
Way to go Arteta….more than a Billion over six years in charge and not a single trophy to your name.
Let’s see how this coming June 1st to September 1st will turn out to be.
If Arteta and the new sporting director will pass or fail with their signings?
As per past trends, the whole window will be spent chasing targets who will not prefer to come, followed by panic buys from CFC / Sociedad and some loan deals for over the past players. Niko, Sesko and Zubs turned us down in the past, what is the guarantee they will join us this summer?
Along with the arrivals they have to focus on the departures of Gabby J (see if they can hoodwink CFC to pay 45M upfront as CFC hoodwinked us to pay 65M for Kai), Zinny, Tomi, Trossad. Nevertheless Jorginho, Partey, Tierney, Sterling, Neto will be surely gone (unless Mikel thinks he can revive Sterling’s carrier once more and sign him for 47.5M the same amount CFC paid MC ).
Will end up the coming summer with some 21 member squad, usual promises, usual injuries and usual excuses. What will be unusual will be the entry ticket and merchandise prices.
So Arteta got a second rate, over priced attacker for us to finnish 2nd anyway. Bye product of this no money to buy genuine players that will get us to the summit. For me it makes sense
Madrid is celebrated 🍾 in the champions league because they have won a record 15 times, have 35 laliga titles. Not because the y are runner ups. No one cares about who comes second. Arteta will never be celebrated because he came second, maybe by some arsenal fans who don’t love trophies
Success in a football club, comes with a right manager with a right team and responsible board. The board has been responsible in providing founds more than ever before.now its up to the manager. With Arteta I think we are a bit short. He is a good guy, but not good enough to be our manager, he had 5 years to prove himself
An impeccable record from a club that hardly seems to have been financially accountable over many years. I get your point that their success then breeds further success but it’s not by any stretch a level playing field.
I do wonder what the other premier league clubs and their owners make of the last few years of total dominance by one club with a cameo role by Liverpool?
Talking of Spain, the most highly paid manager in the world I believe is Simeone. Since December 2011 he has been at AM and has won just 2 league titles (other cup successes of course) so what makes him worth that much? They can’t compete with RM and previously Barcelona,but do you think that he’s overpaid for keeping Atlético relevant? In there with a chance? Arteta isn’t the best manager the world has ever seen but is he currently keeping Arsenal relevant? In there with a chance?
I haven’t forgotten the 2 nearly seasons and the good football. Was he just lucky? This season should not define Arteta as a bad manager. Other teams have suffered from multiple injuries to key players like Arsenal and have and dropped down the league. We are second place with no forwards and a European match later this week., much of it achieved with makeshift lineups over the season so far
SueP,
You answered your own question. Simone won two Leagues and some other cups. Whether that is enough to make him the highest paid manager is another story. But at least with his high wage, he’s got trophy’s to back it up.
What has Arteta got, his phases and Win the dog. 🤦♂️
Derek, The highest paid football manager in history on approximately 41m euros. Over a 12/13 year period he has won 2 league titles and 2 Europa league titles. Emery probably has a better record So do you think the club have had good value out of Simeone for upwards of £25mpa.?
To imply that Arteta has won nothing is clearly false.
SueP, in my opinion the club have, once again, awarded a ridiculous contract to a manager who, despite his undeniable successes, has not proven his worth where trophies are concerned.
I don’t know who gives out these ludicrous salaries, but we never seem to learn!!
Ozil, Aubameyang, Havertz and Arteta, one after the other!!
Of course we have to compete on salaries with the other PL clubs, but this is ridiculous.
I think DK’s point that we should have waited until the end of this campaign before negotiating a new deal was sound advice and if another club were to entice him away then so be it.
On the other hand, doesn’t this show that the owners are actually supporting the club, albeit being led by the nose from someone who seems to love spending Kronkie’s money?
Ken1945
It is ludicrous to pay Arteta that amount and DK was right to point that out. I don’t understand the argument for such a huge increase unless it’s based on a similar outlook as Atletico – which is what aerates Dan Smith so much – a top4 finish being all that is needed
Some months ago I was listening to Jim White and Simon Jordan discussing Arsenal’s expenditure. SJ was adamant that Arsenal had to invest heavily to stay in touch with City and Liverpool who already had a head start. I have my fingers crossed that instead of virtually giving players away, there are players who have a decent value in the market should they be sold and that if that’s the case, regular high expenditure reduces to a less eye watering figure
Well It isn’t false, the one FA Cup that was won under Arteta was with Wenger/emery players. And lets face it, Arteta didn’t need to show the team how to beat Chelsea in the final. They already knew how to do that. We had a striker who scored both the goals.
Did I just say striker, oh there’s a thought for the future.
Derek
Who gives a FF whose players they were? Emery didn’t win with them. It’s a totally absurd argument to put forward and one that gets aired on a regular basis. And you call anybody who has a modicum of respect for Arteta an apologist. I call that an excuse 👍😊🤦🏻♀️😄🤣👍
SueP,
I’ve clearly hit a nerve. You seem determined to give Arteta credit for the FA Cup win.
I give credit to the striker who scored both the goals.
Back then we had a proper striker, something that the great Arteta has chosen to ignore for 3 seasons and counting.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention the 2 Community Shields we’ve won under this wonderful manager of ours. Silly me, credit where it’s due. 🙄🤦♂️🤷♂️😂
Derek, perhaps you could look up the amount of goals we scored during Aubameyang’s time at the club in the PL, versus the amount scored when we finished in second place in said PL?
Anyhow, wasn’t he trying out the players we had such as Nketiah, Biereth and Balogun, as some of the fanbase wanted him to do, anyway?
During the two seasons we finished second, we didn’t have
to rely on one player scoring the goals, as every player was contributing – that’s what makes losing the four front men
we have in Saka, Martinelli, Havertz and Jesus an even bigger blow to the way Mikel sets up his players.
I do agree that it doesn’t matter who signed what player, unless the argument from some who say that Arsene and Unia left dross for Mikel…. that’s when I defend those two managers, as they plainly didn’t.
No nerve hit Derek. Ill look forward to Klopp getting all the credit when Liverpool win the league this season
The acquisitions of Zubimendi, Niko Williams, and Dusan Vlahovic would transform this team more than Jesus and Zinchenko did. I think we should keep both of those players btw. I think adding Jonathan David instead of Vlahovic would be ok, he’s a good player, but a potential attack next season of:
Havertz
Saka
Jesus
Vlahovic
Williams
Martinelli
Nwaneri
…is as good as anything you will find in the Premier League right now and better than most, barring maybe Liverpool’s current forward line.
I am including Nwaneri because I think he should player a major part in this team next season, but should not be starting every match. We want to prolong his career and develop him into a similar force as Saka. I actually think he has the potential to be better than Saka which is why it is critical he is managed properly.
So, with the additions of Zubimendi, Williams, and Vlahovic this side would be transformed and you could argue it would be the strongest squad in the league, with quality depth and versatility in all positions.