Arsenal’s Transfer Masterclass — Romano Picks Gunners Over Liverpool

If you asked a dozen pundits who won the summer market, half would point to Liverpool because of the numbers and the late fireworks. But Fabrizio Romano — ever the hawk-eyed transfer guru — put his money on Arsenal during the latest Market Madness podcast, insisting the Gunners’ window was the most effective of the Premier League.

Why Romano favours Arsenal

There’s nothing wrong with splashing cash when you’ve got the pockets for it — Liverpool proved that by breaking the British transfer record to bring Alexander Isak to Anfield and racking up an astonishing £446million spend across the window. Yet Romano’s argument was simple: Arsenal did smarter, more purposeful work. Rather than buying numbers, the north London club addressed definite gaps in Mikel Arteta’s squad and added proven Premier League and European talent.

Andrea Berta’s recruitment drive has been surgical rather than simply celebratory, and the arrivals give Arsenal both goals and steel where they needed it most — a point that should not be underestimated when you’re chasing trophies.

Key signings that changed the picture

Let’s be blunt — the headline names tell the story. Viktor Gyokeres arrived as the new leading striker after a £63.5million agreement with Sporting, and Eberechi Eze was stolen from under Tottenham’s nose, giving Arteta creativity and a player who knows how to influence games in tight spaces. Noni Madueke, plucked from Chelsea, adds pace and depth across the front line.

On the balance-sheet and the midfield front, Arsenal didn’t hang about either. Martin Zubimendi’s £60million move from Real Sociedad brings a disciplined shield in front of the back four, while Christian Norgaard offers more defensive solidity. Piero Hincapie’s late loan from Bayer Leverkusen — with a sizeable option to buy — plugs a defensive hole and shows Arsenal were not leaving matters to chance.

They also snapped up Kepa Arrizabalaga and Cristhian Mosquera to bolster options between the sticks and at the back, meaning Arteta has both quality and quantity where it counts.

Squad housekeeping and the bigger picture

Arsenal offset some of the financial strain by selling Nuno Tavares, Marquinhos and Albert Sambi Lokonga, and by sending a clutch of players out on loan — Jakub Kiwior, Fabio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Reiss Nelson and Karl Hein among them. Contracts were allowed to run their course for the likes of Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Kieran Tierney. That kind of pruning keeps the wage bill under control while refreshing the squad profile.

From a pundit’s perspective, this is the sort of window that wins plaudits — not just for the names, but for the way the deals fit together. Liverpool’s headline spending may turn heads and buy immediate firepower, but Arsenal’s business looks built for a season-long push.

Fancy a flutter on how this season pans out? Try the betting sites if you’re feeling lucky — but do it with your head, not your heart.

All statistics courtesy of Sofascore and correct as of 11/09/2025. For more transfer insight, tune into Market Madness where Romano and co. dissect the moves in forensic detail.