Gary Neville has suggested that Arsenal’s failure to clinch the Premier League title this season will be a result of two disappointing transfer windows.
Despite coming within two points of the title last season, many anticipated that the Gunners would strengthen its squad in the 2024 summer transfer window to challenge Manchester City. However, the club’s lack of depth in forward positions and a reliable No. 9 were glaring weaknesses.
The summer ended with only Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, Neto, David Raya, and an ageing Raheem Sterling joining the ranks – a move orchestrated by sporting director Edu Gaspar, who left the club in November. As the 2024/25 season progressed, the shortcomings of Edu and manager Mikel Arteta became more apparent.
Liverpool surged ahead in the title race, while Arsenal struggled due to their lack of firepower, worsened by injuries to forwards Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli from December onwards. A barren January transfer window and a 1-0 defeat to West Ham appear to have marked the end of Arteta’s hopes of ending Arsenal’s 21-year wait for a title.
The Gunners’ lack of options was evident as Merino was forced to play out of position as a striker, while Sterling started on the bench.
Manchester United icon Gary Neville didn’t hold back in his critique of Arsenal’s management duo, Edu and Mikel Arteta. Speaking on The Overlap US with Rebecca Lowe, the Sky Sports analyst questioned whether Arteta should be under more scrutiny for Arsenal’s transfer strategy—or lack thereof.
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He remarked, “Yeah, I think losing Edu earlier in the season was strange, I don’t know whether that hampered Arsenal’s recruitment drive or not. But it has left itself woefully short and where I have little sympathy for Arsenal is that it has had two title races already.
“This is a team that’s hardened to title races. It knew when it lost William Saliba that first season that it needed to buy defenders to make sure it didn’t leave themselves in that position again – and it did that last year.
“What Arsenal has now done is left itself short in the centre forward position so it’s almost as if it is always one step behind. My view is that Arsenal is getting what it deserves at this moment in time.
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“I’ve got a lot of love for this Arsenal team. I think they’ve grown immeasurably in these last few years but they’ve become a little bit rigid in the last months.”
Arsenal had managed to close the gap on Liverpool to a mere four points before the disappointing home game against West Ham, despite having played an extra match. That was followed up by a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest, with Liverpool now 13 points clear after wins over Manchester City and Newcastle.
