The £88m Chelsea signing and European champion Arsenal failed to land before this summer

Arsenal’s summer recruitment drive is under way after ending a 22-year wait to reclaim the Premier League title, but manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta will be keen to avoid repeating the costly near-misses that have haunted previous windows at the Emirates.

So far, the Gunners have confirmed the permanent signing of defender Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen, converting his loan into a full deal, and added French goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a free transfer. The club remains active in the market, with midfield and attack identified as priority areas for reinforcement.

Mykhailo Mudryk

Arsenal were the frontrunners to sign Mykhailo Mudryk in January 2023, submitting three bids for the Ukrainian winger, but refused to meet Shakhtar Donetsk’s £85m asking price — inclusive of add-ons. Chelsea moved swiftly, agreeing a deal worth an initial £62m plus £26.5m in add-ons, a package Arsenal declined to match.

Mudryk’s time in west London has since unravelled dramatically. He struggled to hold down a regular starting place across his first two seasons before testing positive for a banned substance in December 2024. In April 2025, the winger was handed a four-year ban from English football, running until 2028, a ruling he has since appealed.

Thomas Lemar

Arsenal came within hours of breaking the British transfer record in the summer of 2017, when a £92m move for Monaco midfielder Thomas Lemar collapsed on deadline day. The deal was contingent on Arsenal first selling Alexis Sanchez to Manchester City — freeing up the funds Arsene Wenger needed to push the transfer through.

The move fell apart at the final hurdle when Monaco failed to inform Lemar of the switch in time, with the Frenchman due to join up with the France national team that same day. The breakdown in communication left Arsenal empty-handed, and Lemar spent another season at Monaco before eventually joining Atletico Madrid.

With Arteta pledging to build on the title-winning squad this summer, the club will be hoping their current window avoids the late collapses and costly outbidding that defined those earlier pursuits.