Arsenal made no moves in the January transfer window, but they did sign five players last summer ahead of the 2024/25 season.
The Gunners failed to win a trophy for the fifth consecutive season, and this has subsequently sparked debate around their transfer business in the last two windows.
Many lamented Arsenal’s lack of activity in the January window, while questions have been raised about how they chose to allocate their resources in the summer.
Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta will have to do significantly more in the upcoming window to appease fans and to ultimately ensure the Spaniard’s side is best placed to conquer the Premier League next season.
In the meantime, here is how those who enjoyed their debut seasons at the Emirates rated across the course of the campaign.
David Raya – 9/10
Not a debut season for David Raya at the Emirates, but it was his first as an official Arsenal player, having signed permanently last summer following a successful loan spell last year.
Raya won the Premier League golden glove for the second consecutive season, keeping 13 clean sheets across 38 impressive games in between the sticks for the Gunners.
Playing every single minute in the league, the Spaniard was a reliable figure for Arteta, improving on his first season with an almost immaculate campaign in North London.
Making several outstanding saves, including a miraculous short-range stop from an Ollie Watkins header in August, Raya was arguably the best goalkeeper in the division this term.
His distribution was also largely excellent, while his ability to claim crosses with ease was a key facet of Arsenal’s incredibly resilient defence.
Riccardo Calafiori – 6/10
Arsenal signed Riccardo Calafiori for a fee that could rise to £42 million last summer from Bologna, after he’d impressed in the Serie A side’s surprise Champions League qualification season and in the Euros for Italy.
The Italian endured a largely frustrating debut campaign in N5, hindered by persistent injury issues.
When he did get on the pitch, he was certainly impressive, but he appeared to lose his fitness every time he looked to be building some momentum.
Starting just 11 Premier League games all season, Calafiori added an element of unpredictability to Arsenal’s attack when he did play, with his chaotic marauding runs from left-back causing the opposition problems.
However, academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly broke through into the first team and established himself as the first choice option on the left-hand side of Arsenal’s defence, and Calafiori subsequently has a difficult job on his hands to win the position back.
Mikel Merino – 6/10
Mikel Merino arrived from Real Sociedad for £27 million last summer.
Expected to take Thomas Partey’s position and accompany Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in the Gunners’ midfield trio, Merino flattered to deceive when deployed in the middle of the park.
Instead, Merino enjoyed his best form as a makeshift number nine in the latter half of the season, used in the role following injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.
Using his aerial prowess and pressing ability to be a nuisance up top, the Spaniard ended the campaign with nine goals in all competitions, including an important strike against Real Madrid and a winner against Chelsea.
Raheem Sterling – 2/10
Arsenal added Raheem Sterling to Arteta’s ranks at the eleventh hour in the summer transfer window, signing the veteran winger on a season-long loan from Chelsea.
It’s fair to suggest that the temporary addition was nothing but a disaster.
Starting just seven Premier League games, Sterling looked a shadow of his former self in an Arsenal shirt, displaying none of the electric pace or smart combination play that has made him such an effective player over the years.
The only thing that prevents the Englishman from scoring lower than a two out of ten is the fact that he occasionally offered some respite to other players by taking minutes off them when they needed rests, and he also cost Arsenal nothing.
Sterling finished the season with one goal in all competitions.
Neto – 3/10
Neto was signed by the Gunners as a last minute option to deputise for David Raya for the season.
Making a solitary appearance in a Champions League game against Girona, Neto certainly didn’t look sharp in his one outing for the Gunners.
However, he was ultimately there to ensure Arsenal had a senior back-up in place in case Raya suffered an injury, and he didn’t really derail the North Londoners in any way.
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