(Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal went into this summer transfer window with no hope but came out with six new signings…
Well, well, well. The papers were proven wrong regarding Arsenal yet again. Going into the transfer window, nobody gave Arsenal any real chance since they were rumoured to have a low budget. However, here is how their transfer window panned out…
Just under £150m spent is very good by Arsenal’s standards. However, were the calibre of players bought good enough for Unai Emery? Let’s discuss…
Gabriel Martinelli: D
I hope I’m proven wrong but I cannot see any future for Martinelli at Arsenal. I predict the 18-year-old will be sent out on a few loan spells and he’ll never be able to make it into the Arsenal first team on a regular basis.
However, he will be helped by Arsenal’s involvement in the Europa League. Given that he has the ability to play on any position in a front three, he could accompany the likes of Reiss Nelson and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the competition.
I wouldn’t write him off completely, however, breaking into what is now one of the strongest attacks in England is going to be a difficult task. Still, it was worth the risk from Arsenal’s point of view.
David Luiz: C+
Signing David Luiz was a positive move by Raul Sanllehi and company. The Chelsea defender has experience of playing at the top level and he is just what Emery’s men need as they seek to get back into the top four.
He will come in and directly replace Laurent Koscielny, hopefully keeping Shkodran Mustafi from the XI. Luiz is a brute defender who also has the ability to score a handful of goals each season. Sometimes he can be a liability, however, any deal which strengthens a team while weakening their rivals is worthy of applaud.
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<p>— B/R Football (@brfootball) <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/08/09/nicolas-pepe-david-luiz-grading-arsenal-transfer-window/"https://twitter.com/brfootball/status/1159772045888110592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>August 9, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Just under £150m spent is very good by Arsenal’s standards. However, were the calibre of players bought good enough for Unai Emery? Let’s discuss…</p>
<h3>Gabriel Martinelli: D</h3>
<p>I hope I’m proven wrong but I cannot see any future for Martinelli at Arsenal. I predict the 18-year-old will be sent out on a few loan spells and he’ll never be able to make it into the Arsenal first team on a regular basis.</p>
<p>However, he will be helped by Arsenal’s involvement in the Europa League. Given that he has the ability to play on any position in a front three, he could accompany the likes of Reiss Nelson and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the competition.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t write him off completely, however, breaking into what is now one of the strongest attacks in England is going to be a difficult task. Still, it was worth the risk from Arsenal’s point of view.</p>
<h3>David Luiz: C+</h3>
<p>Signing David Luiz was a positive move by Raul Sanllehi and company. The Chelsea defender has experience of playing at the top level and he is just what Emery’s men need as they seek to get back into the top four.</p>
<p>He will come in and directly replace Laurent Koscielny, hopefully keeping Shkodran Mustafi from the XI. Luiz is a brute defender who also has the ability to score a handful of goals each season. Sometimes he can be a liability, however, any deal which strengthens a team while weakening their rivals is worthy of applaud.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/08/09/nicolas-pepe-david-luiz-grading-arsenal-transfer-window/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> A younger centre back and a Spanish maestro </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">(Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>William Saliba: C+</h3>
<p>William Saliba will not spend this season in North London since he will return to Saint-Etienne on a season-long loan. Still, this is the perfect opportunity for the Gunners to assess the way in which he plays.</p>
<p>Saliba is like a younger version of Laurent Koscielny. He has an excellent reading of the game and the ability to intercept any oncoming attacks. He is only young, so he has plenty of time to flourish. Working with the experienced David Luiz and Sokratis Papastathopoulos upon his return will do the Frenchman a world of good.</p>
<h3>Dani Ceballos (loan): B-</h3>
<p>Dani Ceballos will join the North London side for one season on loan from Real Madrid. Unfortunately, there is no option to buy. However, my prediction is that the Spaniard will perform so well that Arsenal will want to pay full price for him in the summer.</p>
<p>Ceballos is one of the most promising youngsters around and he was one of the best players at the recent U-21 European championships. He is a box-to-box, energetic midfielder who thrives the most in the final third. He is an excellent dribbler of the ball and always has an eye for his teammates in space.</p>
<p>Ceballos is a goal-scoring midfielder too. This will benefit Arsenal since they became accustomed to this with Aaron Ramsey. It may take a few weeks to settle in but Ceballos will probably become Arsenal’s free-kick taker since this is one of his stronger assets. I mean, even Granit Xhaka could learn a thing or two from the youngster…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/08/09/nicolas-pepe-david-luiz-grading-arsenal-transfer-window/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Arsenal's record signing and a keen Scotsman </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">(Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Kieran Tierney: B-</h3>
<p>Kieran Tierney became the world’s most expensive Scotsman in history when he joined from Celtic on deadline day. Arsenal fans will hope that he justifies the title but I’m almost certain he will. I mean, he’s no Andrew Robertson but he certainly knows how to make the fullback position his own.</p>
<p>Tierney is a versatile defender who can either play on the flank or in the middle (preferably as part of a back three). This malleability makes him perfectly-suited to Arsenal since they have their fair share of defensive injuries.</p>
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<p>When he is given license as a fullback, he will push forward. He has a good eye for a cross and he is quick with the ball at his feet too. Also, with Celtic in the Champions League, he has shown many great contests with European wingers.</p>
<p>It’s this type of work rate which Arsenal have been desiring for some time. With Tierney on the left and Hector Bellerin on the right, the Gunners are sorted in the fullback position for many years to come, therefore he was a worthy investment.</p>
<h3>Nicolas Pepe: A</h3>
<p>Yes, I did save the best until last. Nicolas Pepe is Arsenal’s most expensive player ever and he warrants that title. There is no way I can fault the Ivorian winger. He is a complete product and a player that is only going to bring success to Arsenal.</p>
<p>Last season with Lille, he tallied a total of 22 goals and 11 assists in Ligue 1. Hitting double figures in both areas is something which Arsenal have not seen since Alexis Sanchez left the club.</p>
<p>Pepe is a creative winger who likes to cut inside as and when he pleases. His service from out wide is going to benefit Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who flourished at Dortmund when he had the assistance of a playmaker out wide.</p>
<p>The Gunners were deprived of wingers before Pepe joined, therefore breaking the bank to sign him, even with instalments, will prove to be justified. In my opinion, he is the signing of the summer as far as the Premier League is concerned. Watch this space.</p>
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<p>How would you rate Arsenal’s transfer window in comparison to the rest of the top six?</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">