Our third permanent signing potentially being our third goalkeeper signing of the season has created the hullabaloo that I expected. And it really is unneeded noise.
Firstly, fans need to realise that one deal being completed before another does not mean that deal was prioritised. It just means it was deal that was easier and therefore quicker to complete.
Football is real life. It is not a computer game. You can not delay the transfer of one player just because you want some PR and the appearance of prioritising a deal.
Secondly, there are some very clear and obvious reasons why we are looking to recruit 3 new goal keepers this summer.
David Raya
Our first, and easiest, signing of the summer was always going to be David Raya.
Whether you agree or disagree with the Spaniard replacing Aaron Ramsdale as Arsenal’s number one, Raya was clearly Mikel Arteta’s first choice last season.
Signed initially on loan with an option to buy, it was when, not if we triggered the clause. You would have got very, very short odds on Raya being our first signing!
Lucas Nygaard / Tommy Setford
I will deal with the signing of Lucas Nygaard and impending signing of Tommy Setford together as they are basically the “same player”.
To start with, neither are signings to our first team. They are youth players, and clubs sign many academy players each year. The only thing that has changed is with social media and 24/7 TV, youth signings become a news story. Back in the 90s we would not have known about them.
This summer, we have seen 5 academy goalkeepers depart:
James Hilson (23) – Joined from Reading in 2019. On the bench for a handful of Europa League games. Was considered as a potential 3rd choice before Karl Hein breakthrough. Released.
Arthur Okonwko (22) – Released by the club, joining Wrexham following a successful loan deal.
Hubert Graczyk (21) – Signed from Everton at 14. Loaned to Slough last season. Released and without a club.
Ovie Ejeheri (21) – Went viral earlier this season after it was misreported that he was 15-years-old. Released. Joined Danish champions FC Midtjylland.
Noah Cooper (18) – Joined Stoke City on a free transfer after club opted not to not offer him a professional deal.
Last summer also saw the promotion of Karl Hein (22), to third choice senior.
The 5 departures, plus the promotion of Karl Hein, has left both our U21 and U18 a little bare with keepers –
In our Academy, we had only two players on professional deals -the highly rated Alexei Rojas and recently promoted Brian Okonkwo, both just 18. there are no goal keepers who are either a second or first year scholars. Beneath this group, we are then into the U15/16s.
The departures meant that we have just 2 keepers to cover both the U21 and U18 sides. Lucas Nygaard (18) and Tommy Setford (18) make it 4 keepers for two teams. It is clear that we needed to recruit new keepers to our age groups.
Some will comment that we would have been better off keeping some of those that left, but why keep a player who the club knew were not good enough?
What we are doing is refreshing our academy keepers. Out are 4 guys in their 20s, being replaced by 4 teenagers. It really is that simple.
Hopefully this has clarified why our first cause no concern to anyone.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
I am always fascinated to read your blog which is of course inciteful and informative.
When it comes to how transfers work on that topic I find your analysis to be on point always.
However where we differ drastically is that you feel everything is hunky dory at the club.
I feel we are going in exactly the opposite direction. It is very very clear this summer there is no money available. Edu and Arteta are being forced to bargain hunt and sell before they buy.
The facts are that the Kroenkes are once again taking money out of the club by reverse leveraging this their most significant asset. Very soon they will announce hige purchases and investments state side. However once again Arsenal will be left holding the short straw. The fact is most fans are far too unaware of this ongoing strategy by these parasite owners.
We never really extended Man City last year…they were in second gear most of the year and we played our hearts out and we’re still not good enough.
in the CL we were rubbish mostly, struggling against teams we are supposed to be better than. In the domestic cups we were rubbish.
This club is not a serious club and will never be that under the KSE ownership as they are not serious owners.
KSE are happy with status quo..its back to Arsene days where top 4 are perfectly acceptable where tjey use increased revenue from CL and sponsorship to simply pad out their US holdings.
KSE is not interested to make Arsenal a true CL powerhouse. We have never won even one CL…only 3 PL, ITS A JOKE…
These owners must go
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I disagree with your comments around KSE.
My feeling is you think a serious owner is one that pumps 100s of millions of their own money into buying players. This is not what serious owners do. Serious owners ensure the right people are employed to drive forward and grow the club.
KSE will not be able to outspend Man City’s owners. You can not demand that.
As for the CL comment, that does not mean they are a joke. We didnt win the CL for 50-years before KSE came in. You can not blame KSE for our half century poor European performances.
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The next massive problem we have is that Arteta has a massive aversion to signing attacking flair players.
This is very similar to the when Zlatan joined Barcelona with Pep. He just couldn’t handle his personality of Zlatan because he was too free spirited. He scored 26 goals that season for those who don’t know without even playing all the games.
Well Real Madrid continues to win CL after CL and they are not and have never played system football that is espoused by Pep or Arteta.
Under Ancelloti they are adaptable to different systems and have brilliant players who are encouraged to express themselves and this remains true at the very very very top level of football.
Once again Arteta is proving that he is not really a top top top level manager because his choice of attacking players is always very very very poor.
His track record at Arsenal is abysmal when it comes to signing attacking players.
plus he always signs 80% defensive players to 20% attacking players.
William, Jesus, Fabio…all his carte Blanche choices along with Havertz All failed transfers.
Havertz is a failed transfer because he will never ever win us a Pl and CL as main striker
Last season he was bought as a LCM and he can’t play there at all effectively. He killed Martinelli’s entire season. He also is not ruthless enough to be Frontline striker.
The readon we know the transfer failed is because the club is looking for LCM, AM and striker this summer, therefore Havertz solved nothing except to waste a full season and set us back 2 years. Which is exactly what has happened.
Arteta to become a top top manager needs to allow flair plaayers to express themselves and give them that freedom.
Its no surprise both Martinelli and Saka regressed last year. People will say Saka numbers improved….but his style of play regressed ….his overall wow factor declined.
This coming season will define all for Arteta but it’s starts this summer with recruitment
FYI these are the type of players i would like to see us buy
Striker : Osimhen or Lautaro or Isak
Wingers: Leao, Williams, Simons, Bakayoko, Gordon, Kudus
LCM/AM : Barella, Eze, Bruno
Elneey Replacement: Fofana , Merino
Defender: Calafiori,..to be fair am very happy with this purchase
Didn’t add more defenders because we don’t need more
When KSE cannot deliver these type of players they should sell the club because this nonsese with them as owners has been going on for almost 17 years. They have brought nothing to Arsenal at all. Not a single PL or CL.
Furthermore their entire commercial expansion seems to be based wholly on the US market which short medium and long term is a huge mistake. Arsenal is global club with fans everywhere and are our tours must be reflective of this. We must continue to also tap into the middle eastern, Asian and African markets which are only continuing grow at far greater rates, as well as US market.
Anyway my wish is for real fans, not casuals, to actually understand who this ownership really is. They are NOT interested in Arsenal becoming a superpower …they are only treading water with the club…they are already happy top 4 restored that’s it.
it’s completely unaaceptable and they should leave. Arsenal fans wake up please
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