The window's shut and Arsenal haven't signed a forward. Julian Álvarez stays at Atlético. Morgan Rogers went to Chelsea, Vinícius Júnior never happened, and the summer's attacking business amounts to Christos Tzolis at £34m from Club Brugge.
That's three targets and no striker. Tuesday's post had Atlético giving Álvarez until Sunday to decide, and the answer was no. Whether the club ever got close enough to call it a near miss is the question nobody at the top has answered properly.
The Athletic makes the sharper point: this was a summer to recruit from strength, as champions, with the sellers' market working the other way for once. That chance doesn't come round often. Andrea Berta carries it now.
I'd push back a little. Bruno Guimarães at £75m and Ezri Konsa at £51m plus add-ons are not a quiet window, and Gabriel Martinelli's £60m to Al-Hilal plus Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard and Fábio Vieira leaving cleared a lot of wage bill. The squad is leaner and better balanced.
But it's also thinner in front. Two games, two 1-0s. Six points is six points, and you can win plenty of them that way, but a January where somebody's hamstring goes will feel very different.
Richard Garlick gave an interview to Men in Blazers that was released, conveniently, just as it became clear nothing was coming. Read the full transcript on Arseblog if you want the club's framing of all this.
Arsenal Women are at Brighton to open the WSL season. Mariona Caldentey told Arseblog News that Arsenal was the only club she'd have left Barcelona for, and that the deeper midfield role has taken adapting to. She's been the best player in that side for two years.
James Scanlon and Habeeb Ogunneye both started for the U21s against Brighton after arriving from Manchester United. Two Manchester United kids for the U21s looked odd on paper. Early signs say otherwise.
Chelsea at home next.
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