‘Patience’ is the buzzword circulating around Arsenal’s London Colney base.
That might not appease large sections of the Premier League champions’ fanbase, with many supporters panicking at their lack of business so far.
But Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta are taking a measured approach, shaped by the unique challenges of a World Cup year and the need to carefully manage a squad already pushed to its physical limits.
The fan expectation stems from a more restrained strategy than last summer, when Berta had made six of his eight signings in July.
Those additions were Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and Viktor Gyokeres. They not only brought with them a great deal of excitement, but those moves left other clubs to sweat on deals, with Arsenal having done the bulk of their business way ahead of the deadline.
At present, the Gunners have only made one outfield signing heading towards the fourth week of July – and that was making Piero Hincapie’s loan deal permanent.
Arsenal made a raft of signings last July, including Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres (pictured), but have made a slower start to this summer’s window
Sporting director Andrea Berta with new back-up goalkeeper Illan Meslier – the only fresh face in their 2026-27 squad as it stands
Goalkeeper Illan Meslier was signed on a free transfer from Leeds last week. He is expected to be third-choice between the sticks, behind David Raya and Kepa, but could be bumped up to second if the latter departs.
The World Cup has made negotiating deals tricky, with players focused on representing their country. With the tournament concluding on Sunday, there is an expectation that business at Arsenal will start to be ramped up from next week.
Berta has put in the groundwork. Sources say he’s a ‘machine’ who gets to the training ground early in the morning and doesn’t leave until late.
The Italian’s strategy will not be shaken by the lack of signatures so far. He negotiates multiple deals for a single position before pulling the trigger and deciding which player to move for.
It goes back to his days as a banker, a real-world business outlook transported into football. Each agent or club is left on edge wondering if Arsenal really want their player, reducing the likelihood of them strongarming the Gunners into paying way over the odds.
The approach is smart but not flawless. The dithering can cause a player to have his head turned elsewhere, to a different club who show more concrete interest — and more money. Jeremy Monga is a pertinent example, the 17-year-old set to join Arsenal before Manchester City swooped in with a better financial package.
Arsenal, though, have a different sway compared to many clubs. They are the reigning champions, which is a highly attractive proposition for suitors.
It’s understood that Berta refuses to be drawn into a deal which is not good monetary value for the club. The numbers matter to him, a different approach to some sporting directors who are more gung-ho financially.
Berta puts in the groundwork. Sources say he’s a ‘machine’ who gets to the training ground early in the morning and doesn’t leave until late
Left wing is a key area in which Arsenal need to strengthen now Leandro Trossard has joined Besiktas
Left wing is the key focus now Leandro Trossard has joined Besiktas, with the club closing in on Club Bruges winger Christos Tzolis. Berta’s assistant Maurizio Micheli watched the 24-year-old play for Greece against Sweden last month.
Even when the Gunners get their deal for Tzolis over the line, there is still capacity to bring in another forward, with firm interest remaining in Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.
The squad needs bolstering. There is an awareness at the club that the opening weeks of the league season present a need for immediate rotation, with many of their frontline players at breaking point.
Declan Rice was the Arsenal outfield player who accumulated the most minutes during the 2025-26 campaign, with 3,094 in the Premier League alone. He has battled through England’s World Cup with neural pain in his hamstring, which began around Christmas.
Bukayo Saka started 25 of Arsenal’s 38 league matches last season despite enduring injuries to his hamstring, hip and achilles. The achilles issue has plagued the winger since March, Thomas Tuchel revealing that Saka had carried on playing for Arsenal while not fully fit in the later months of the league campaign.
He added that the winger would be treated with care in his camp, a genuine concern given that the 24-year-old has played an awful lot of football in the past year. Saka made just two starts in England’s seven World Cup matches, and was an unused substitute in the 2-1 semi-final defeat by Argentina.
William Saliba has been dealing with a back issue which saw the 25-year-old manage just 30 minutes of France’s 2-0 semi-final loss to Spain on Tuesday. He trudged off the pitch, mouthing: ‘My back is gone’.
William Saliba will be out for months after trudging off in France’s World Cup semi-final loss to Spain with a back issue
Arsenal will need to manage their squad carefully this season, with both Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice looking exhausted in the US
It’s understood that Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa is on Arsenal’s radar. He would have the potential to compete with Mosquera as the starting centre back in place of Saliba, who is set to miss at least the first few months of the season. However, the two clubs are some way apart in their valuations of the centre back.
Arsenal’s pre-season officially starts on Monday at London Colney, though players not at the World Cup are currently in a Marbella camp with Arteta and his staff.
For Arsenal, the message remains clear: patience will win out over panic. The next few weeks will determine whether Berta’s calculated approach delivers the final pieces Arteta needs to defend their title.
