Arsenal's deadline-day gamble leaves Mikel Arteta painfully short in attack

Arsenal spent the final days of the summer transfer window clearing out major attacking players for what many fans expected would be one crucial centre-forward signing to Arsenal’s attacking formation.

Instead, the window closed without any deal submitted for a striker, and Julian Alvarez is still an Atlético Madrid player.

For all the impressive signings Arsenal have completed this summer, that is a gamble Mikel Arteta may come to regret.

The Premier League summer transfer window closed at midnight on 1st September, with Arsenal making several last-minute sign-offs.

Gabriel Jesus completed a permanent £8.6 million move to Barcelona, ending a four-year Arsenal spell in which he scored 32 goals in 123 appearances. Ethan Nwaneri also joined Borussia Dortmund on loan for the season.

Gabriel Martinelli is also on course to join Al-Hilal, while Leandro Trossard had already left for Besiktas earlier in the window. Four attacking players would be missing in this season's games; Christos Tzolis, meanwhile, is the only natural front-three player Arsenal have added this summer.

Arsenal failed to land the elite attacker Arteta wanted

Amidst rumours of Julián Álvarez moving to Arsenal, the Gunners ultimately failed to sign the elite striker. The Argentine preferred Barcelona, and Arsenal were unable to convince him to return to the Premier League.

Other ambitious signings they had chased to make up their attack, Morgan Rogers, Vinicius Junior and Victor Osimhen, were all unsuccessful until deadline day.

What makes this particularly concerning is the now-lacking squad that will battle amongst most of the top teams in the world in the English Premier League and the European Championship League, most of them with recent upgrades.

Arsenal’s new forward formation faces its first big test against Chelsea

Tzolis is now Arsenal’s only natural left winger until at least January. Eberechi Eze, as he did against Aston Villa, and Noni Madueke can stand to cover either wing.

With Gabriel Jesus gone, Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz are Arsenal's two main centre-forward options, with Gyökeres having spent time on the bench recently. Mikel Merino can fill in when required, but Arteta would ideally use him in midfield or as an emergency substitute striker.

For a team defending a Premier League title while trying to get the Champions League Cup for the first time finally, “this may be enough” is an uncomfortable place to be. If anything, their 1-0 victory at Aston Villa offered a much-needed look at their attacking options.

Arteta himself acknowledged after the Aston Villa game that “the depth has to be really big when you're fighting for four competitions,” pointing to how quickly injuries can leave a squad exposed.

Arsenal may have strengthened their defence to be the best in England this summer, but they have allowed several proven attacking options to leave without landing the marquee forward they wanted.

As unfortunate as it might seem, if injuries strike the forward line before January, Arteta could find himself in trouble.