Arsenal’s outstanding summer window did make the strong exceptionally strong, but did they miss out a few key targets in the process?

Arsenal ended the summer window with eight new players to add to their already impressive and strong squad. While our review of their business in the summer gave the activity a top rating, there are some questions about whether they missed out on certain targets that would have given them an edge over rivals.

Notable Arsenal summer signings

• Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad
• Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea)
• Noni Madueke (Chelsea)
• Cristhian Mosquera (Valencia)
• Christian Norgaard (Brentford)
• Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP)
• Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
• Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen)

With those eight arrivals, new Sporting Director Andrea Berta did a fantastic job at filling gaps in the squad and adding to their strength with a few key starters as well. The pressure is truly on Mikel Arteta to deliver trophies with the current squad he has at his disposal.

However, we look at three possible players they might have missed out on in this window. These misses are not centred around failing in the race to sign them, but rather on the lines of they should have angled a move for them to strengthen their squad.

Alexander Isak

There is an argument to be had whether Liverpool had a free run at Alexander Isak despite the struggles to sign the Swedish striker. The Merseysiders were cool throughout the window despite the obvious challenges in luring the striker to the club, something they did on deadline day on a British record deal.

As for Arsenal, they might have signed Viktor Gyokeres in a deal from Sporting CP, but there are some doubts about whether he was the club’s priority target. Many reports in the past had suggested that Arteta rated Isak very highly, and there were indications that Arsenal would be in the race should the Swedish striker become available in the market.

While signing him would have improved the Arsenal attack dramatically, the club took a conservative approach in getting Gyokeres early rather than adding themselves to the messy mix that was the Isak saga. There will be questions asked whether they should have waited until late to get Isak, but they would have run a massive risk had that been the case.

Rodrygo Goes

The second player on the list is probably Arsenal’s biggest miss of sorts this summer, as they barely made any advances towards signing Rodrygo Goes. In their defence, the attacker never really gave a clear-cut sign about his desire to quit Real Madrid despite reports stating the Spanish giants were ready to cash in.

Arsenal were not the only team interested, and while there’s an argument to be had about whether they should have made a bid for him to test the waters, none of the other suitors made any offers either. For instance, Liverpool also considered signing him as a replacement for Luis Diaz, but much like Arsenal, they never made an offer or approach.

From Arsenal’s point of view, they should have made a bid to test the waters, as the left wing was the obvious weak spot in the squad. They might have signed Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze, with the English duo capable of playing on the left wing, but someone like Rodrygo would have made that position his own and considerably strengthened it following Gabriel Martinelli’s regression of late.

Joan Garcia

Arsenal were interested in signing Joan Garcia last summer when Aaron Ramsdale was sold late in that window. Back then, the Spaniard was open to joining the Gunners as a backup or competition for David Raya, but Arteta’s side may have missed the bus this time around.

Following yet another stellar season with Espanyol, the keeper got his move to Barcelona, where, much like Arsenal, there is competition for places. Should Arsenal have made the move early on and gotten the Spanish stopper? Probably, but they may not be concerned about him joining another team other than theirs.

The idea of Garcia, the highly rated Spaniard, was to add stern competition for Raya’s spot, and probably even plan for the future. However, Barcelona won the race and convinced the stopper to take the No.1 spot there rather than fighting it out with Raya, as Arsenal ended up with Kepa Arrizabalaga.