Arsenal fans have been frustrated with the club’s lack of transfer activity so far this summer.
And understandably so. Tottenham have already made six signings, spending around £250million while Arsenal are yet to bring in any new players.
The Gunners’ biggest targets, namely Morgan Rogers, Bradley Barcola, and Bruno Guimaraes, all remain at their current clubs with no public movement to speak of.
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Fan frustration has also been exacerbated by the Jeremy Monga situation, and the worry that Arsenal and Andrea Berta are moving too slowly.
But according to Arsenal source James McNicholas, that silence may be deliberate.
James McNicholas says significant movement is happening behind the scenes
Speaking on Arsecast Extra, McNicholas helped explain where things stand. “The big targets — I’m talking about people like Morgan Rogers or potentially Bradley Barcola, and Bruno Guimaraes — we’re at a point where Arsenal need to know and those players need to know that that’s the plan,” he said.
“In terms of actual progress on deals, I think that will be limited certainly in the public domain until the World Cup is through.
“But I’d like to think that there’ll be significant movement and decisions and calls being made behind the scenes.”
It might not seem like much is happening, but the Premier League champions will be working hard quietly to secure the best deals possible.
It may be a case of not wanting to show their cards too early, or purely just waiting until after the World Cup out of respect for those players competing in it.
Why keeping things quiet could actually be smart for Arsenal
Despite Newcastle already selling Sandro Tonali to Spurs, Arsenal are confident they can get a deal done for Bruno Guimaraes.
💰 Bruno Guimaraes is turning 29 in November and has TWO years left on his contract… How much should Arsenal pay to sign him?
Multiple reports have also indicated that both Morgan Rogers and Bradley Barcola are keen on a move to the Emirates.
Going public on any of these deals before the World Cup ends risks alerting rival clubs, driving up fees and creating the sort of bidding war that cost Arsenal in the Monga pursuit.
Also, after the tournament clubs will have a better sense of which players have gone up in value and which players are pushing for moves.
Making formal approaches now, before the dust has settled, could result in overpaying.
That said, the frustration among fans is justified. As Premier League champions, Arsenal should be operating in the market with conviction. Waiting too long will cost them.
After the World Cup final on 19 July, fans should expect to see official approaches made and deals accelerated.
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