The summer transfer window may now be closed but that does not mean Edu and Mikel Arteta have stopped working hard behind the scenes on potential deals. The Gunners signed David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, Neto and Raheem Sterling during the window, spending around £100million in total if all add-ons are met.
Teenager Tommy Setford also arrived from Ajax and will most likely be Arsenal’s third choice goalkeeper following Karl Hein’s loan move to Real Valladolid. “I’m looking forward to that,” Edu said last week when asked if he was excited to watch the new signings in action. “Because the way I see the squad right now, we are strong, I think we are very strong
Arsenal have started the 2024/25 season in decent form, winning their opening two games against Wolves and Aston Villa 2-0. They were held to a 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend, although the game turned when Declan Rice was controversially shown a second yellow card.
With the first international break of the campaign now here, Edu and Arteta may look to use the time to address the contract situations of two senior players within the squad. Those players are Thomas Parteyand Jorginho.
Both players have little under a year left on their contracts and it’s possible both are playing their football elsewhere this time next year. Partey was linked with an exit away from Emirates Stadium over the summer but a move failed to materialise. He is still an important member of the Gunners’ squad and has started all three of their opening games this season.
Jorginho, who was signed from Chelsea in January 2023, is yet to feature this season but could come into the side for the North London Derby against Tottenham on Sunday, September 15 given Rice’s suspension. The Italian’s experience will be invaluable to Arteta throughout the season as the Spaniard looks to challenge on all fronts once more.
There is an option for a further year in Jorginho’s current contract but it remains to be seen if that option will be triggered by the club or player. It’s very possible that both Partey and Jorginho choose to move on from north London at the end of the season, especially as their free agent status will attract a host of clubs.
Arsenal, though, could choose to extend both players’ contracts. Partey is valued at €18million (£15million) according to Transfermarkt, while Jorginho is valued at €12million (£10million). Given Partey is 31 and Jorginho is 32, both players have a decent amount of football left in them and at the very least will be good squad players over the next couple of seasons.
“I’m always happy with the squad,” Arteta said on deadline day. “I think we have tremendous players, a magnificent group of human beings.
“We always want to do better, we cannot deny that, the most important thing is to try to improve our own players, and then in terms of the numbers and the quality, can we improve the squad. For sure there are margins there.”
