Arsenal set for huge two-month spending spree as history suggests July and August is their most active period
FOR ARSENAL FANS, the opening of the transfer window sparks both hope and fear.
For every Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, there has been a Park Chu-young – pure delight or utter confusion and rage.
Sat by their phones or eyes fixed to Sky Sports News, weeks and months can go by with nothing but throwaway rumours and wishful thinking for the majority of Gunners supporters.
It’s the not knowing that’s the killer, with Arsenal well-known for leaving most of their transfer work until the last minute for maximum excitement and unnecessary pandemonium.
That is, until an overweight Andre Santos waddles through the doors at Colney.
Once again, Arsenal – this time under Unai Emery – are taking it slow with no real signs of picking up the pace.
But taking a look back over Arsenal’s dealings since the start of the 21st century, there are a few trends to cling on to for dear life.
Since the year 2000, Arsenal have made 100 first team signings, which is as big a shock as most considering the club’s frugal nature under Arsene Wenger for most of it.
Only two of those signings have been done and dusted and confirmed in April – Arsenal have never been a club to plan ahead when getting bolstering their squad.
But perhaps they should do it more often, with both Robin van Persie (signed on April 28, 2003) and Lucas Podolski (April 30, 2012) turning out to be largely successful signings.
They get a bit more business done in May with six recorded signings, although a little less successful – Marouane Chamakh (May 21, 2010) and Lukasz Fabianksi (May 26, 2007) mainly disappointing.
JULY IS THE MONTH ARSENAL MAKE THEIR MARK
June is rather similar, despite getting into the real nitty-gritty period of the window, with just nine recorded signings – Aaron Ramsey (13 June, 2008) and Olivier Giroud (June 26, 2012) the stand-outs there.
But then comes July – the grand-daddy of months for Arsenal fans to watch out for. The period of the year where it’s most likely to witness a new face pose awkwardly with a shirt.
A hefty 33 new names have been added to the Arsenal history books in July, the most of any month.
It also holds the joint-record for the most players signed on a particular day – in this case, July 3rd.
Takuma Asano (2016), Eduardo (2007), Nordtveit (2007), Campbell (2001), Pires (2000), Edu (2000).
Some good, some bad, and some you may have to look up to remember who they even are – but July 3 is the day to put in the diary if history is anything to by.
July 1 and July 11 are also historically busy days in north London, with four a piece.
Stephan Lichsteiner (2018), Bernd Leno (2018), Yaya Sanogo (2013) and Nicklas Bendtner (2005) all touched down on July 1.
While Matteo Guendouzi (2018), Gervinho (2011), Samir Nasri (2008) and Pascal Cygan (2002) all rocked up 10 days later.
Another big month for Arsenal is of course August – and more specifically the final few days, hours and seconds of the transfer.
And on some occasions, despite being announced on deadline day, signings were not officially completed until several days after the final gong.
Four players have been signed on August 30 – Lucas Perez and Shkodran Mustafi (2016), Park Chu Young (2011) and Rami Shaaban (2002).
To sum up that group of players, former keeper Shaaban was one of the better ones.
August 31 has seen six sign – with three of them coming in the same year.
In an act of desperation from Wenger following the departures of Nasri and Cesc Fabregas from the club, Andre Santos, Per Mertersacker and Mikel Arteta (2011) were purchased.
Mesut Ozil, Danny Welbeck and William Gallas were also late splurges – so late that they dragged on into September.
Ozil (2013) and Welbeck (2014) were officially Gunners on September 2, while Gallas replaced Ashley Cole a day earlier in 2006.
There are some signings which were so late that it was probably a sign of things to come – Sebastian Svard (November 27, 2000) and Tomas Danilevicius (December 13, 2000) clear examples.
And then you head into January – not normally an active period of the season in terms of comings and goings, but the occasional late gamble has been tried.
January 28 saw Gabriel Paulista (2014/15) and the late Jose Antonio Reyes (2003/04) come aboard.
But January 31, the second-string deadline day, once again tops it with three signings – Aubameyang (2017/18), Nacho Monreal (2012/13) and the big name of Guillaume Warmuz (2002/03).
Naturally, a few winter window deals took a bit longer to get done – Andrey Arshavin had to wait until February 3 (2008/09) while Kolo Toure couldn’t pull on the shirt until after February 14 (2001/02).
Those are the numbers, but as any fan will regrettably inform you, there are no certainties when Arsenal attempt to dip into the market.