Summer transfer window: Assessing Man City, Arsenal and Tottenham’s transfer business

The recently concluded summer transfer window did not just present an opportunity for clubs to reinforce their squad, but it also allowed clubs to make sales and clear out some players to balance their books.

It wasn’t any different for the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur who used the summer transfer to fortify key positions in the team while also trimming the squad and making profit from sales to comply with the strict Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Manchester City

The 2023-24 season was a rollercoaster of experiences for City. They secured the Premier League title on the last day of the season. Before that, they fell short in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League.

However, City are starting the 2024-25 season like a house on fire. They secured the first trophy of the season by defeating Manchester United in the Community Shield while sweeping away their opponents in their first three matches which has now placed them first on the leg with a 100% win record.

There’s palpable excitement among the Cityzens who will be eyeing a fifth consecutive title.

The Citizens have only completed two signings this summer. Brazilian winger Savinho joined from Troyes on a five-year deal worth £21m after playing a pivotal role on-loan at Girona last season to secure a historic Champions League qualification with the club.

The Brazilian winger has already kicked off the season with an assist in two appearances and will look to nail down the right wing in the long run.

City also confirmed the return of Illay Gundogan to the Etihad after his contract was terminated by Barcelona.

Outgoings

Taylor Harwood-Bellis joined Southampton for £20m, while Ipswich paid £15m for Liam Delap. Sergio Gomez returned to Spain, signing with Real Sociedad in a deal exceeding £8m.

The most surprising and controversial departure was Julian Alvarez’s move to Atletico Madrid, anticipated to be worth no less than £81.5m following a shocking interview during his Olympics stint.

City supporters may have mixed reactions regarding the decision to part ways with Alvarez, considering his undeniable talent. Despite not always securing a regular starting position, he demonstrated his value by netting 36 goals in 103 appearances.

Joao Cancelo departed for Al Hilal, Kalvin Phillips moved to Ipswich Town, and Yan Couto joined Borussia Dortmund, all on season-long loan agreements.

Arsenal

Arsenal had a remarkable 2023-24 season where they did everything possible to win the League only to fall short on the final day. They had the best defence in the League and the second-best attack but they unfortunately missed out on the title.

This season, Mikel Arteta has further reinforced his backline as well as adding cover to the midfield and attack so fans with Arsenal tickets will be happy with their summer business.

There were speculations over Arsenal’s interest in signing a centre-forward with reports linking them to Victor Osimhen, Ivan Toney and Viktor Gyökeres.

However, the transfer window has now ended and the North London club have not added a striker with Kai Havertz doing a good job so far with two Premier League goals.

Here’s a summary of Arsenal’s transfer business:

After an outstanding debut season on loan from Brentford where he won the Golden Glove, Arsenal confirmed the permanent signing of Spain international goalkeeper, David Raya on a £27m deal.

Raya is already proving good value for money with commendable performances where he has kept two clean sheets in two matches so far.

In a bid to further fortify their backline, the Gunners completed the signing of Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna in a £42m deal. The versatile defender joined off the back of a fruitful season where he helped La Grassa to a historic Champions League qualification. His performances last season also earned him a starting role in Italy’s first team during the recently concluded European Championship.

He has featured in left-back all three matches this season and his depth will be important as Arsenal wiggles their way through European and domestic competitions.

Arsenal were linked with Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi for large parts of the summer but a move didn’t materialise. They instead opted for Zubimendi’s teammate, Mikel Merino in a £32m to add more firepower to the middle of the park.

The midfielder has since been injured after picking up an injury in training and will face the next two months on the sideline.

Arsenal also completed a transfer deadline deal for Chelsea winger, Raheem Sterling who joins on a season-long loan.

The England international joins Nicholas Anelka in becoming the only duo to have played Liverpool, City, Chelsea and Arsenal.

His experience will prove invaluable and he’ll hope to play a key role for the Gunners this season as they bid to be third time lucky in their title charge against Manchester City.

Outgoings

It was an active summer for departures as several prominent figures bid farewell to the Emirates Stadium.

The most significant sale by Arsenal was the exit of former England international Emile Smith Rowe, who moved to Fulham in a deal potentially reaching £34m with add-ons.

In the final days of the transfer window, Aaron Ramsdale completed a permanent transfer to Southampton, and Eddie Nketiah moved to Crystal Palace in a deal that could reach £30m.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Elneny left for the Middle East, and Albert Sambi Lokonga, Reiss Nelson, Fabio Vieira, and Nuno Tavares will again spend the season away from north London, indicating their roles in the club’s long-term plans.

Twenty-two-year-old keeper Karl Hein will spend the 2024-25 season on loan at Real Valladolid, while Fabio Vieira has also secured a loan move to Porto.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham were highly active in the transfer market, making notable moves both in and out. They signed five players while offloading numerous individuals from the squad, including academy graduates, through free transfers, permanent sales, or loans.

This transfer window saw a clear focus on acquiring younger talent with significant potential, aiming to develop them into future stars. Additionally, the club made a record-breaking signing.

After missing out on the top four last season, Ange Postecoglou will hope his new additions will help secure Champions League qualification at the end of the season while also winning silverware to ensure his famous phrase, ‘Usually in my second season I win things’ comes to fruition.

Just a year after losing their captain and record goal scorer Harry Kane, Spurs faced a significant gap up front with Richarlison underperforming. They addressed this need by agreeing to a £65m deal with Bournemouth to sign Dominic Solanke.

The England international scored 19 goals in the Premier League last season and he’ll hope to bring that lightning spark up front to be Spurs’ focal point in attack this season.

Despite still being a teenager, Spurs invested £30m in Leeds United academy graduate Archie Gray, who is versatile enough to play in midfield or at full-back.

The England u21 international has already shown promise in appearances under Postecoglou and is expected to gain considerable playing time across various competitions.

Postecoglou secured the Burnley player for a surprising £25m, with the expectation that Odobert will offer support and challenge players like Brennan Johnson on the flanks. However, the substantial fee raises eyebrows given that he has only 29 Premier League appearances to his name.

The North London club also signed 18-year-old South Korean winger, Min-hyeok Yang from Gangwon FC for £3m. The forward will remain with the K League outfit on loan for the rest of the season.

Outgoings

Manor Solomon headlines Tottenham’s list of outgoings after the Israeli recovered from a long-term injury. He joined Championship side, Leeds United on a season-long loan.

Alejo Veliz, Ashley Philips and Dane Scarlett were the youngsters who were loaned out for more playing time as they joined Espanyol, Stoke City and Oxford United respectively.

Oliver Skipp was the club’s biggest sale this summer after he made a permanent transfer to Leicester City for a £20m fee.

Emerson Royal also joined the exodus of departures this summer after making a £15m switch to Serie A side, AC Milan. Giovani Lo Celso joined Real Betis for a £4m deal while Joe Rodon remained at Leeds United permanently on a £9m deal.

Tanguy Ndombele agreed to a contract termination while Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier, Ivan Perisic, and Japhet Tanganga all left on free transfers.

It appears Pierre-Emile Højbjerg might still have a future at North London after a permanent move failed to materialize with the Dane making a loan move to Ligue 1 side, Marseille.