2025 January Transfer Window

[TedLasso]

Embarrassing not to bring in some kind of reinforcements. We’re already thin and relying on academy kids, no matter how talented they are.

There’s still so much to play for.

[Gordon Bennit]

A damper squib than the summer window. City obviously know they are going to be cleared as they have spent like they used to. I don't see too many actions that will hurt us for this season, bearing in mind I gave up on the League after the first window. I don't believe we ever intended to buy, either down to stupidity or, more likely, balancing the books for another window for some reason (i.e. everyone passed PSR and we have CL funding incoming).

That said, I am hugely relieved we didn't throw money away on an average Watkins, or even worse, somehow sorting a loan out for the saviour of the world in Rashford. I can almost hear Arsene saying Ben White and Bukayo Saka will be like new signings, but if they return in a few weeks then maybe they can help secure top 4. After that, the current regime gets one more year for me.

However, agree with all those who are saying that yet again, we are in that 'just one or two additions' phase. Sad but true.

[Losmeister]

No comprendo.....

[alexis2015finalgoal]

United loan Rashford to Villa who will cover £225k/£325k of his wages and have an option to make the deal permanent for £40m

Great business from United tbh

We pay our unwanted players to leave

At least we won't get him. good.

I think this is a mistake on our part !

We need players to boost us. not failed,overhyped, Man U players who burst onto the scene but didn't live up to the hype.

Didn't live up to the hype? He scored 17 league goals twice as a wide forward, for a shit Man U.

No, he hasn't lived up the hype. he only scored one 30 goals a season, which is shit for a wide forward.

[FrustratedGooner]

Well, that was shocking.

Either they’ve decided there’s no point spending now because we’re not catching 1st place anyway, or they’re saving the funds for a summer splurge for Isak or Gyökeres.

If it’s Šeško they’re after in the summer, that’s just stupid. He’s not exactly banging in goals—only 8 in the league. You’d buy him now, let him get used to the league. It’s kind of a free hit to help him adjust, then give him a full pre-season so he can hit the ground running.

Either way, no need for me to renew my Sky Sports until next year. Pointless. Nothing good’s coming out of such a shit window.

[Mike Dean]

lol

[VCC]

Folks think about this Ayto chap trying to get rid of the amount of players touted to go in the summer and get players in.
The window that just shut was probably the best window I have ever seen for possible moves for forwards.

[Rockape]

Telegraph:

Arsenal are weaker now than at start of transfer window
Failure to bring in attacking reinforcements means Arteta must rely on Havertz as side’s sole fit senior centre-forward

So, how are the legs, Kai Havertz? If they are heavy now, they might feel significantly worse by the end of the season. The German has already produced a lot of running in an Arsenal shirt this calendar year, having played 663 competitive minutes in the past 26 days, and there will be much more of that to come in the remaining months of 2025.

The closure of the winter transfer window confirmed that Havertz would be the only senior centre-forward in Arsenal’s squad for the rest of this season. Arsenal wanted to sign a striker to provide support for the 25-year-old, but for various reasons failed to do so.

The end result is that Arsenal’s attacking options now look perilously thin, with Gabriel Jesus out for the campaign and Bukayo Saka weeks away from a return. Havertz is therefore under intense pressure not only to keep scoring goals, but to simply remain fit.

The good news for Arsenal is that Havertz’s injury record is encouraging. Last season he made 51 club appearances in all competitions, and started 22 of the final 23 games. He has done it before, so there is reason for Arsenal to believe he can do it again.

There can be little doubt, though, that Arsenal’s inability to recruit the forward they wanted has made their cause more difficult. Following the injury to Jesus, their squad is weaker now than it was at the start of the window. Their attacking depth is simply not comparable to their rivals.

To match up the attacking options at Arteta’s disposal with those at Liverpool, for example, is to see the scale of the challenge ahead. Arsenal have one fit centre-forward (Havertz) supported by three wingers (Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Raheem Sterling) and a repurposed teenaged midfielder (Ethan Nwaneri). The combined cost of those five players? Around £90 million.

Liverpool, by contrast, have Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa. The combined cost of their attackers? Around £230 million. In terms of attacking firepower, Arsenal look unquestionably and alarmingly lightweight when compared to their biggest rivals for the title.

Arsenal knew all this from the moment Jesus went down clutching his knee against Manchester United on Jan 12. So, why did they not buy a striker?

The answer is that Arsenal simply could not sign the players they really wanted, and were unwilling to invest in a player they felt would not improve the squad. They worried that buying the wrong man now would prevent them from buying the right one in the summer.

The ideal outcome for Arsenal would have been to bring forward a move for one of their long-term targets. A player such as RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, or Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams. But it became clear such deals would be impossible midway through the season.

One player they thought might be available was Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. Arsenal were alerted to the possibility of Watkins leaving Villa earlier in the window, and made an approach in the region of £45 million. It would have been a considerable investment for a 29-year-old striker.

The financial framework of any deal was to change, though, when Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr made a £71 million move for Villa’s Jhon Duran. Villa had no intention of selling both strikers, and Arsenal were never going to make a comparable offer for Watkins.

Arsenal have already planned ahead to the summer, with a deal in the works for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. They have had to be careful not to jeopardise that move financially, which is set to cost about £50 million and is regarded as necessary, given the likely departures of Jorginho and Thomas Partey.

As pressing as the need for a new forward might be now, it is still not as pressing as the need for a new defensive midfielder is likely to be in the summer. The interest in Zubimendi dates back months and Arsenal could not rip up all of their long-term plans because of their needs in the moment. The other financial concern was that Jesus, who will miss around a year, now cannot be sold in the summer. His high wages mean that Arsenal are already committing significant financial resources on two strikers, even though only one is available to play.

It all meant that Arsenal were effectively left searching for short-term loan deals. Their only option was to look abroad, though, as they already have two Premier League loanees in their squad (Sterling and back-up goalkeeper Neto). There is thought to have been a conversation regarding Bayern Munich striker Mathys Tel, but without any concrete interest being shown.

For all the talk around Havertz’s finishing, he has still scored 15 goals in 33 appearances this season. As a collective, Arsenal have scored 49 goals in the Premier League, a tally bettered only by Liverpool. As they showed against Manchester City on Sunday, they have enormous attacking quality in their team.

The bigger question, though, is whether they have enough in their squad. Arsenal were already reliant on Havertz. That is especially the case now the window has closed. For the remaining months of this season, they will be walking the thinnest of tightropes.

[theHotHead]

Reports that the offices are closed for the night, lights are out, recruitment team gone home. That’s that then

Never in doubt.

We never had any intention of buying anyone. I do understand that strikers in Jan are at a premium but we could have bought someone in to give us a little spark. A sign of intent.

We could have f***ked Sterling off back to Narnia and got Rashford on loan. Cover his wages and little no risk, bring the guy into a family environment and hope he kicks on, and if he does, great, £40m in the summer. If not, off you pop.

We could have bought Tel, or better yet Nico Williams. Anything, just something.

In the summer I have no doubt we’ll buy, but are we going to adequately replace who leaves?

Partey, Trossard, Jesus, Tierney Zinchenko & Jorginho at the least are all going or likely to be going. So we’re going to replace what we need out of them. Get a backup CB as well and get a striker and winger?

It just isn’t happening. Next season we’ll be the nearly men again and this 20 year perpetual cycle of always being 2-3 key players short will unfold yet again.

Players were available, we just chose not to sign anyone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

100% agree

Absolutely shocking that we didnt sign anyone, bloody criminal, considering where we are and what we are trying to achieve. This level of negligence should be sackable. I am fuming.

[theHotHead]

Chelsea getting £5m loan fee for Disasi lmao

And they have no buy option and cover all his wages

How do they do it

They're doing like £30m a year from loan fees alone

Because they are not a bunch of incompetent buffoons !

[theHotHead]

:BangHead: No comprendo.....

What's wrong with you?? Aren't you the one constantly telling people they are entitled and moaners when they say we are not doing what we should be doing ?!!

[DiamondGooner]

Great window guys, see you in the summer.

We better get a top, top striker or else.

[theHotHead]

United loan Rashford to Villa who will cover £225k/£325k of his wages and have an option to make the deal permanent for £40m

Great business from United tbh

We pay our unwanted players to leave

At least we won't get him. good.

I think this is a mistake on our part !

We need players to boost us. not failed,overhyped, Man U players who burst onto the scene but didn't live up to the hype.

Didn't live up to the hype? He scored 17 league goals twice as a wide forward, for a shit Man U.

No, he hasn't lived up the hype. he only scored one 30 goals a season, which is shit for a wide forward.

He did it in 19/20 and 22/23 !! You want Ollie bloody Watkins and he has only done it once - as a CF !!

To show you how silly your argument is Saka has NEVER scored 17 league goals in a season, so whachoo sayin?!!!

[Rockape]

Its all well and good looking at what a player has done in the past, but you could say that aout Sterling and look at the state of him now.

Rashford is a (£17M a year) busted flush!

[Ach]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 2643lxxwro

If only he was in a position to do something about it