ARSENAL COMPLETE SHOCK €60M DEAL FOR SPORTING CP STRIKER WHO SCORED 54 GOALS

Arsenal are one of the biggest football clubs in England and the world. But even for a big club, there is a lot of work to do behind the scenes to keep the team strong and competitive. Transfers, sales, contracts, tactics, injuries—all of these things have to be carefully managed every single season. If they are not, the club can easily fall behind its rivals.

In the last few years, Arsenal have completely changed the way they do their transfer business. Under Mikel Arteta, who became manager in late 2019, and Edu Gaspar, the sporting director, the club has become much more focused and ruthless. They have stopped keeping players around just because they are popular or expensive or were once seen as the future. Instead, if a player is not part of Arteta’s plans, they are moved on—no matter who they are.

This approach started properly in the summer of 2022. That was the first real “reset” window under Arteta. Before then, Arsenal’s squad still had many players signed under Unai Emery, the previous manager, or even earlier. Many of those players were good but just didn’t fit what Arteta wanted. Arsenal had finished 8th twice in a row, which was terrible by their standards. The board realised they had to trust Arteta’s vision and back him to build his own team. That summer saw players leave in big numbers. Some went for free. Others were sold cheaply. But the key was clearing the decks. Arsenal needed to create space in the wage bill and in the squad for new players who fit Arteta’s plan: young, coachable, hungry, technically strong, and able to play his high-pressing, positional football.

That transformation worked better than many people expected. By 2022/23, Arsenal shocked everyone by leading the Premier League for much of the season. They fell short at the end, but it was clear they had improved massively. That run also changed the expectations for the squad. Suddenly, it wasn’t enough to just be promising. Arsenal needed players who could win the league. This meant that players who might have stayed before were now seen as surplus. There was no room for sentiment.

One example is Folarin Balogun. He was an academy graduate, a talented young striker. But after doing well on loan in France, he made it clear he wanted to start every week. Arteta couldn’t promise him that, because he had Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah. So the club sold Balogun for good money instead of keeping an unhappy player. Matt Turner, the American goalkeeper, also left. He had been signed as a backup, but once it was clear Arsenal were buying David Raya to challenge Aaron Ramsdale, there was no point keeping three senior keepers.

Auston Trusty was another. He had been bought as a project, loaned out, but Arteta didn’t see a role for him. So he was sold, too. Rob Holding was at Arsenal for many years. He was popular with teammates and fans for his attitude and commitment. But he was not good enough on the ball for Arteta’s system. Eventually, the club accepted it was time to move on.

Then last summer, the clear-out went even further. Emile Smith Rowe was sold. He was once seen as the golden boy of the academy, even given the number 10 shirt. But injuries and inconsistency meant he was no longer trusted. Arteta didn’t use him much at all. Eddie Nketiah also left. Another academy striker, he had chances to establish himself but didn’t fully convince. With Arsenal looking to sign a new elite striker, there was no space for him.

Even Aaron Ramsdale, who had been the number 1 and a fan favourite, was moved on. Arteta clearly preferred Raya, who is more comfortable playing out from the back under pressure. Ramsdale was not happy sitting on the bench, so it made sense to sell him.

This approach has been called “ruthless” by some. And it is. But it is also logical. Arsenal want to compete with Manchester City, who have set the standard in English football with Pep Guardiola. City are ruthless too—they don’t keep players they don’t trust. Arteta learned from Guardiola when he was his assistant. He knows that to have a winning team, you need a squad full of players you completely believe in.

Edu Gaspar has also played a big role in this. Arsenal used to be terrible at selling players. They would let contracts run down and lose them for nothing. Or they would loan them out over and over without making a sale. Edu changed that. He has made Arsenal much more decisive. Even if they don’t get huge fees every time, they make sure deals get done quickly so they can reinvest. This summer has already followed that pattern. Even before June was over, Arsenal had quietly completed some key sales.

Nuno Tavares was one. He was bought with high hopes because of his attacking style. But he was chaotic defensively and Arteta lost faith in him very quickly. He spent time on loan, but there was no way back. Arsenal sold him rather than keep loaning him out.

Marquinhos was another. He arrived from Brazil with big hopes that he could become an alternative to Bukayo Saka on the right wing. Arsenal want competition for Saka, because they can’t rely on him to play every game forever. But Marquinhos didn’t develop fast enough. He went on loan several times but didn’t stand out. Rather than wait forever, Arsenal sold him.

Kieran Tierney is a sadder case for many fans. He was a very popular signing from Celtic and was once seen as the future Arsenal captain. But injuries kept stopping him. And when Arteta changed the system to have the left-back invert into midfield, Tierney didn’t really fit. He was loaned to Real Sociedad but never convinced Arteta to give him another chance. His contract ended and Arsenal let him go.

Jorginho is a different sort of departure. He was never signed as a long-term solution. He was brought in from Chelsea as an experienced Champions League winner to give depth and leadership, especially when Thomas Partey was injured. He did his job well, but at 32 he was not part of the future. His contract ran out, and both sides moved on amicably. What’s striking is how quickly Arsenal dealt with these players. They didn’t let things drag on all summer. By sorting these deals out before July, they avoided having them hanging over them while trying to focus on signings.

This efficiency is vital. Transfers are complicated. Negotiating fees, agreeing wages, handling agents—it all takes time. The more players you need to sell, the harder it is to focus on buying. By getting these sales done early, Arsenal gave themselves breathing space to focus on their main targets. Some people question whether selling so many players is wise. After all, Arteta does need squad depth. Injuries can destroy a season. But Arteta seems to believe that it is better to have a smaller group of players he trusts completely, even if that means less rotation.

For example, Thomas Partey is another player who might leave soon. Unlike Tavares or Marquinhos, Partey has been a key first-team player. But he has struggled with injuries, and Arteta doesn’t want to plan around someone he can’t rely on. Selling Partey would free up wages and generate a fee that can be reinvested.

Then there’s Fabio Vieira. Arsenal paid £40 million for him, so selling him wouldn’t be easy. But he hasn’t convinced Arteta. He’s skilful but not physical enough for the Premier League so far. He might still get another chance, but if a good offer arrives, Arsenal would probably take it. Albert Sambi Lokonga is in a similar boat. Bought for £15 million, he showed flashes of talent but never nailed down a spot. After loans away, it’s clear Arteta doesn’t see him as part of the core squad. He’s another sale target.

Karl Hein is a young goalkeeper who has been on the books for a while. He’s decent, but with Raya established and a new backup planned, Hein doesn’t have a clear pathway. Reiss Nelson is a more emotional situation. He’s been with Arsenal since he was a boy. He’s shown moments of real quality. But he’s never done it consistently enough. He signed a new contract last year, which protects his value, but if he isn’t going to play much, Arsenal may try to sell him.

These sales matter not just to clear space but to raise funds. Football finances are tight. Clubs have to balance their books to comply with Financial Fair Play. Arsenal can’t just spend unlimited money. Selling players is essential to funding new signings.

Arsenal spent about £47 million buying Tavares, Marquinhos, Turner, Trusty, and Holding originally. Selling them gets some of that back. Selling Partey, Vieira, Lokonga, Hein, and Nelson could bring in another £55 million or so. That’s over £100 million that can be put towards new players. Then there are players like Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko. Both are first-team options, but neither is guaranteed to stay. Kiwior did well as a backup at the end of last season but has attracted interest. If Arsenal get a good offer, they might sell.

Zinchenko is more likely to leave. He was a key player in 2022/23 but injuries hurt him. And inverting from left-back into midfield is demanding. Myles Lewis-Skelly, Riccardo Calafiori, and Jurrien Timber all look like better options now. If Zinchenko goes, Arsenal can reinvest in defence. Arsenal have also been linked with Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia. Signing him might depend on moving someone like Kiwior on first. This is how modern big-club transfer strategy works. It’s not just about buying stars. It’s about selling the right players at the right time to make space for better ones.

Arteta and Edu seem to have learned from past mistakes. They don’t want to let players rot on the bench, lose value, or cause problems in the dressing room. Everyone in the squad has to be hungry, focused, and aligned with the manager’s demands. Arteta’s style of football is also very specific. He wants players who can handle intense pressing, who are comfortable in tight spaces, who make smart decisions under pressure. Not everyone can do it. Even talented players can fail if they don’t fit the system.

That’s why Arsenal have stopped worrying about reputation or hype. Marquinhos was hyped as a Saka alternative, but he didn’t deliver. Jorginho had a big CV, but he was always a short-term fix. Tavares had raw talent but was too chaotic. Even Smith Rowe, so loved by fans, couldn’t stay fit or impose himself tactically. Selling these players clears the way to target the right ones. Arsenal want to sign a new striker. They want to add another winger to compete with Saka and Martinelli. They want defensive reinforcements. All of that costs money.

Being efficient sellers gives them more flexibility. It also sends a message: if you’re at Arsenal, you have to perform. If you don’t, there will be consequences. For fans, this new approach can be bittersweet. It’s hard to see academy graduates leave. It’s tough when players who once excited us fall short. But it is the price of trying to win the biggest trophies.

Arsenal used to be accused of being too nice, too soft, too attached to the idea of giving players endless chances. Those days seem to be over. Now it’s about building a squad that can go toe-to-toe with Manchester City, Liverpool, and the best in Europe. The work is far from done. There will be more sales. There will be more signings. There will be debates about who should stay and who should go.

But one thing is clear: Arsenal have a plan. Arteta and Edu are not just improvising. They have learned that modern football is brutal and you can’t afford to be sentimental. So when you see the list of players leaving this summer—Tavares, Marquinhos, Tierney, Jorginho, and maybe Partey, Vieira, Lokonga, Hein, and Nelson—understand it’s not random. It’s part of making Arsenal stronger.