Arsenal shouts slogans but fails to buy superstars

If Arsenal intends to show wisdom, ambition, and achieve the new standard Mikel Arteta called for following the Champions League final loss, they must soon address every requirement for improving the squad's quality, as the season is less than a month away from starting.

Because all the top targets like Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers have already been "taken down" by the financial power and decisiveness of Man City and Chelsea. What The Gunners did so well in the Declan Rice deal—not allowing any opponent to get close or even making them retreat—has not been replicated in the current period.

After convincingly executing a series of deals to strengthen squad depth last summer, the London club's management has started to retreat into the "trenches" to hold ground and observe, fearing they might fall into financial risk if they enter the race with rivals.

Clearly, the English champion has not made the necessary moves to strengthen the squad like the rest of the "big six". Most of Arsenal's targets, such as Vinicius, Julian Alvarez, and Bruno Guimaraes, have high transfer fees and difficulty in negotiations.

These are all players with championship DNA and the ability to decide the outcome of a match. Certainly, they are a level above everyone in the squad that just won the Premier League for The Gunners. The talent of this "elite" group has been shown over many years, and most importantly, they bring stability and the ability to improve the team's overall play.

Arsenal won the English title with great authority, but their success was driven by set-piece situations and defense. The inability to play on equal terms with an attacking team like PSG exposed the team's limitations in a specific, high-stakes match that demanded talent in many aspects of football.

Meanwhile, maintaining achievements or building on a successful foundation always requires outstanding individuals to meet this demand. Therefore, from a sporting perspective, Vinicius or Alvarez represent a worthy and premium level of investment if they want to win the Champions League or build long-term success in the coming years.

But the problem is having the appropriate financial solutions to achieve the goal. Arsenal may be a smart-spending club at each stage of development, but they cannot expect to buy superstars at minimal cost.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Man City always buy the most expensive players in the world, but their success is always at the highest level, both on the pitch, commercially, and in image. So far, Arteta's team has not taken any concrete action regarding the aforementioned stars, other than shouting slogans.