Twenty-plus names on the shortlist, and the front line finished the window exactly as it started it. The account on BBC News of how Arsenal tried to cash in on the title is the most useful thing published about this club all summer, because it puts a number on the width of the net Andrea Berta cast.
That's the bit worth sitting with. Not that the club missed on Morgan Rogers or Julián Álvarez, but that a list that long produced no attacker beyond Christos Tzolis at £34m.
Arteta's defence has settled into a shape now. Wednesday's line was that this squad has to be better regardless. Yesterday it was the bigger picture, and a nod towards the old Wenger point about fans wanting new things for the sake of new things.
He's not wrong about the noise. He's answering the wrong complaint, though. Nobody's asking for a shiny name. They're asking who starts if Viktor Gyökeres pulls up.
He also made a point of thanking Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus on the way out, which was decent and slightly overdue. Neither had a secure future here. Both gave the place plenty.
Chelsea at the Emirates today, and Ben White's talking up the atmosphere. Bruno Guimarães, Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice all carried something out of Villa Park, so the team sheet is the first thing to look at.
The women open their WSL season at Brighton tomorrow lunchtime at Broadfield. Renée Slegers has had eight players in and a long list out — Manuela Zinsberger, Laia Codina, Beth Mead, Katie McCabe and more besides. Élisa De Almeida arrived from Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday and has already been round the training ground.
That's a rebuilt side playing its first competitive game since May. I'd give it a month before judging anything.
The U18s beat Southampton 1-0.
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