Raya, Sterling and Calafiori: An 8/10 but one 5/10 as every Arsenal summer signing rated so far
Arsenal are flying and they’ve improved so much that even a draw at the Etihad is viewed as a disappointment.
This season marks the third year in a row that Arsenal are being counted among the Premier League title contenders. Mikel Arteta has successfully elevated the Gunners to an elite level after several years of mediocrity in the post-Arsène Wenger era. He achieved this by imposing his style and being pragmatic in the transfer window.
In the 2024 summer window, Arteta went shopping in a bid to improve his squad after consecutive second-place finishes in the last two seasons. Arsenal let go of 11 players via permanent transfers and loans, while they brought in five new players through loans and permanent purchases. Here's my assessment of how these signings have fared so far.
David Raya - 8
The Spaniard joined Arsenal on loan from Brentford last season and quickly displaced Aaron Ramsdale as the first-choice goalkeeper, which led to Ramsdale's loan move to Southampton. This season, Raya’s deal was made permanent for a reported £27 million. After seven Premier League games, he’s proven his worth, displaying the form that convinced Arteta to make the deal permanent.
He’s kept five clean sheets in nine matches across the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. When the club faced Tottenham without Odegaard and Declan Rice, Raya was the hero, keeping a clean sheet despite facing 15 attempts on goal, securing a 1-0 win. A few days later, he produced a similar performance against Atalanta in Bergamo, including a penalty save in a 0-0 draw.
Riccardo Calafiori - 7
Arsenal had the best defence in the 2023/24 Premier League season, so it was surprising when they spent £42million on a defender from Bologna. However, Calafiori’s versatility has quickly made him a key player. He has excelled as a left-back, right-back, and centre-back and can even move into midfield when required. His well-taken goal against Manchester City highlighted his value in attack as well as defence.
Mikel Merino - 5
The former Real Sociedad midfielder arrived at the club injured. He recently returned to action, showing glimpses of his quality as a substitute in wins over PSG and Southampton. With club captain Odegaard currently sidelined, Merino will likely see more game time to justify the £31million Arsenal spent to bring him in.
Raheem Sterling - 5.5
Sterling has had enough game time to be fairly judged. He made his first Premier League start of the season in the 3-1 win against Southampton last weekend, where his performance was just okay—nothing outstanding. In the Carabao Cup match against Bolton, he scored once and provided an assist in a 5-1 victory for Arsenal.
Neto - N/A
Neto is yet to feature for Arsenal this season. The goalkeeper, signed from Bournemouth, has been on the bench for the club’s Premier League games. Even in the Carabao Cup match against League One side Bolton, 16-year-old Jack Porter was favoured to start ahead of the Brazilian.