Arsenal are, according to reports by David Ornstein and others, close to completing deals for Declan Rice of West Ham and Jurrien Timber of Ajax. If the Gunners are successful in getting both deals across the line then their summer spend will reach £210mil after the earlier addition of Kai Havertz.

Arsenal’s Rising Optimism Following Last Season

Big-name signings excite fans, and Arsenal fans entered the transfer window in optimistic moods after their side’s 2nd placed finish in last season’s Premier League. The Gunners are on the up, and they are splashing the cash. But are they getting better?

Havertz’s Potential Role: A Fitting Replacement for Xhaka?

Let’s start with Havertz, who seems like a replacement for the now-departed Granit Xhaka. There is no question that Havertz is a better footballer than the Swiss midfielder, but is a better fit for that role? He can definitely offer more in the final third, but Xhaka is coming off a season where he contributed 9 goals and 7 assists across all competitions. Havertz has averaged 11 goals and 5 assists in his three seasons at Chelsea, but those came predominately while playing as a striker.

Havertz and Defensive Contribution: Matching Up to Xhaka

And then there’s the question of whether Havertz can match Xhaka’s defensive contribution. The German is a hard-working player, but not one noted for his defensive output. Xhaka provided vital balance for Arsenal in sharing some of the defensive workload with Thomas Partey to enable Arsenal’s attacking brand of football to flourish.

Assessing Timber’s Position: Backup or Starter?

What about Timber? Is he a starter for Arsenal? If so, where? Arsenal fans will insist that they needed additional depth in defense, but is Timber the right fit as a backup to William Saliba? Or will be he the backup to Ben White? Perhaps both. Perhaps he replaces White, and White becomes a utility squad player who can offer cover at right-back, centre-back, and in defensive midfield.

Evaluating Timber’s Role: Improvement or Expenditure?

Timber is a better defender than White and a better dribbler, but he doesn’t have White’s passing ability or decision-making in the final third – things that have been vital to the development of Arsenal’s attacking patterns down the right side of the pitch.

Rice’s Big Move: What Position Will He Play?

Finally, the biggest outlay of them all, Declan Rice. The Gunners are paying a guaranteed £100mil plus £5mil in add-ons to bring in the West Ham captain, and the question here is what position will he play?

Rice’s Potential Impact: An Upgrade or Downgrade?

If he is the Xhaka replacement and not Havertz, then it’s a home run for Arsenal in terms of a player-for-player upgrade. Rice is a significantly better player than Xhaka. He won’t offer the goal contributions that Xhaka did this past season, but his passing, pressing, counter-pressing and ball-carrying will be an improvement. Defensively he can offer more than Xhaka as well with his ability to cover mammoth amounts of ground.

Rice in the Defensive Role: Is He Up to the Task?

But what if he’s coming in to replace Thomas Partey? Rice is a flawed number 6, who gets drawn to the ball far too often and leaves big spaces behind him. That was somewhat ok with Thomas Soucek to cover him for West Ham but if he’s partnering Odegaard and Havertz in midfield? Arsenal could have avery soft centre. Rice’s strengths all involve his ability to cover ground, as a ball-winner and a ball-carrier. Putting him in a box and asking him to shield a defense? Not something he has excelled at.

Comparing Rice’s Performance: International Vs. Club Football

Some people will point to his form with England, but international football is a different sport played at a much slower tempo against vastly inferior opponents, and Rice largely had Kalvin Phillips sitting in to help out anyway. Rice is not as good defensively as Thomas Partey in the number 6 position, nor is he as good a passer as the Ghanaian.

Assessing Rice’s Price: Is It Justifiable?

The price is outrageous, Rice is not a £100mil footballer, but if he’s the Xhaka replacement he will improve the team and it might not matter. If he’s the Partey replacement then it’s a downgrade, at least in the short term, and a massive overpay.

Arteta’s Spending: Massive Expectations

Mikel Arteta’s spending as Arsenal manager will cross the £575mil threshold with these signings, and having had no pressure placed on him in his three and half years to date, he will surely go into this season with high expectations. The Kroenke’s will want silverware in return for their outlay.

Evaluating Arteta’s Impact: Has the Team Improved?

Has he improved the team since arriving? Of course, without question. Has this summer’s spend, which has been driven by his demands, taken them closer to the title? Possibly not.

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