The transfer window may have closed on Monday night, but lingering questions remain.
As you find yourself here on Tuesday morning, pondering the moves your team made — or in some cases, the ones they didn’t make. Why was an additional player not brought in? Why did they let go of a key player? And is the squad now stronger than before?
Here at The Athletic, our club experts have come together to address the key questions and provide answers post-deadline day.
Why didn’t Arsenal secure a striker?
Arsenal faced difficulty in finding the right player at the right price during this transfer window.
Targets like Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko were unavailable. The club explored a potential move for Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa, but Villa chose to sell Jhon Duran to Al Nassr instead.
Manager Mikel Arteta and the club shared the view that they didn’t want to just bring in any player. They sought a No 9 who could have an immediate impact this season.
Isak was not available this month (Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
Despite their efforts, Arsenal found themselves with limited options up front, relying heavily on Kai Havertz as their only recognized center-forward. This move was a calculated risk, betting on Havertz to lead them through the remainder of the season while prioritizing their attacking targets for the summer.
James McNicholas
What was Manchester United thinking?
Manchester United opted not to sign a replacement for Marcus Rashford, a decision met with concern among fans. The team’s struggles this season, including 11 Premier League losses and a lack of goals, raised questions about their approach.
United’s strategy focused on offloading players deemed unfit for the team’s culture, securing a left wing-back, and maintaining financial restraint until the summer to target a long-term center-forward. The club deemed Bayern Munich’s loan fee for Mathys Tel too expensive.
Tel’s loan fee was deemed too much for Manchester United (Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)
United’s final investment focused on acquiring Patrick Dorgu, a young wing-back, to fill a gap in their squad.
Laurie Whitwell
Chelsea’s quiet window
Chelsea’s transfer moves were cautious this time around, focusing on long-term investments rather than immediate reinforcements. The club made limited acquisitions, with deals for their primary targets pushed to the summer.
The club’s decision-making was influenced by the need to balance the squad and manage finances, resulting in a relatively quiet transfer window compared to previous seasons.
A deal was agreed for Amougou on deadline day (Euan Cherry/Getty Images)
Chelsea’s strategic approach aimed to strengthen key areas while retaining financial stability, setting the stage for potential future moves.
Simon Johnson