Arsenal gifted Tottenham Champions League spot in January transfer window
Robin Bairner
- 22 May 2022 17:49 BST
- 3 min read
As Arsenal look back on the 2021/22 Premier League table and find themselves fifth after 38 games, they may well reflect upon the January transfer window as being decisive in them missing out on the Champions League.
January is often considered to be a dangerous time to be buying players. Often, they are excessively expensive while there is also the concern over how they might settle into a squad given they may only have a matter of weeks to make an impact.
The Gunners entered the month fourth, and though they finished the month sixth, they remained well-placed on paper to finish in the top four, they had given up the initiative to Tottenham.
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Arsenal did not strengthen their squad immediately. Auston Trusty was signed from the Colorado Rapids but moved immediately back to the MLS club on loan. There were no other arrivals.
They were left transfixed by striker Dusan Vlahovic but the Serbia international striker always seemed to prefer a Serie A stay, so when he left Fiorentina from Juventus, it came as little surprise.
The Gunners, though, were left flat-footed, and though they offloaded Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona for disciplinary reasons, they did not replace him, leaving the out-of-form Alexandre Lacazette and the unfancied Eddie Nketiah to lead their attack for the rest of the season.
Is it any surprise they came up short?
Antonio Conte at Tottenham, though, has shown how January transfer windows should be done. The Italian may have grumbled that the business he wanted was not done, but what signings were made proved to be decisive.
Indeed, it was fitting that the goal that secured fourth for them on the final day of the season against Norwich was netted by two players drafted in during the winter transfer window.
Dejan Kulusevski got the goal, with the assist coming from Rodrigo Bentancur.
The Sweden international’s influence has been profound since arriving from Juventus. In just 18 Premier League matches, he has four goals and eight assists. Bentancur, meanwhile, has played almost every available league minute since his arrival, registering four assists in 16 games.
The signings of Kulusevski and Bentancur gave Tottenham the edge in the Champions League race – and Arsenal’s inaction in January gifted it to them.
