The crazy summer transfer was like nothing ever seen before due in no small part to the rise of the Saudi Pro League, and Arsenal, one of the big players in the marketplace, can consider their buys to be at the top end according to former super agent, Jon Smith.
One of the creators of the Premier League back in 1992 and a lifelong Arsenal fan, Smith is naturally delighted with the purchases that the club have made, however, he has sounded a note of caution.
‘I watched the Arsenal game (against Man United) and I think their buys have been fantastic – although I’m not sure why they bought Kai Havertz. It’s only a personal view but why would you pay £65m for an off the bench player. That’s just my opinion,’ he wrote in his exclusive CaughtOffside column.
‘Arsenal are still not yet the finished, confident article. They still don’t like it if you put it up them, if you run at them, if you hustle them, but their ball playing abilities are fantastic. I think they’re going to be there or thereabouts. For me, it’s them or Man City who are going to challenge this year. I think Mikel Arteta has done a remarkable job. The whole club is a smiley place to be!’
The Gunners weren’t the only team to have a superb transfer window in Smith’s opinion either. Brighton and Hove Albion’s late capture of Barcelona superstar, Ansu Fati, ensures that eyeballs are going to be on them for the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign.
‘I also thought Brighton had an absolutely stunning window. To buy Caicedo for £4.5m and sell him a year later for £115m…’ Smith added.
‘I had to call Paul Barber (Brighton’s Managing Director) and say to him “oh my god, you know a few years back I was fortunate enough to get an OBE… for what you’ve just done, you should get a Knighthood!” He just laughed. Stunning business. You could say Brighton were playing hardball but that would be buying for £4.5m and selling for £40m, not £115m!’
Both teams have had a remarkable start to the season, with the Seagulls just a point behind Arsenal, Liverpool, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
It will be interesting to see how Havertz’s season develops in particular. As new signings go, he’s certainly not offered anything to suggest he’ll be a crowd favourite at the Emirates Stadium, but then Arteta has gone against the grain before and been proved correct.
Even if the German’s career in north London is a slow burn, as long as he comes good he’ll be a bargain even at £65m.