Mikel Arteta demanded that Arsenal move with ambition, speed, and intelligence in the transfer market after their Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in May. Two months later, their summer window remains far from spectacular.

The Gunners have secured Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, converted Piero Hincapie's loan from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent deal, and brought in backup goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a free transfer. But the headline-making signings have yet to arrive.

The World Cup factor

A significant reason for the slow start is the impact of the FIFA World Cup. Arsenal had 13 players at the tournament — more than any other Premier League club except Manchester City. That has meant a disrupted pre-season, with players returning at different stages after earning the FIFA-mandated three-week rest period.

"I think most Arsenal fans would agree it wasn't ideal timing to have a World Cup after that epic, 63-game season," said Sky Sports features writer Nick Wright. "You probably wanted these players to be getting a rest. Instead, you've got Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka playing 3,000 metres above sea level in Mexico City and in 80 per cent humidity in Miami."

Eight Arsenal players — Saka, Rice, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, David Raya, Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, and William Saliba — reached the last four of the tournament. Saka and Rice both dealt with fitness problems during the competition, while Saliba is facing an extended absence after suffering a back injury in France's semi-final against Spain.

Sky Sports football journalist Sam Blitz noted that the fixture list offers some relief: "Arsenal are probably boosted by that Friday night game to start the season against Coventry. It's a nice one to maybe bed in a few newcomers. Remember, at the start of last season, they had Manchester United at Old Trafford — a tricky game where they nearly dropped points."

How Arsenal missed out on Morgan Rogers

The most significant frustration of Arsenal's window so far has been their failure to land Morgan Rogers, who ultimately joined Chelsea from Aston Villa for £116m. According to Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth, Arsenal were in discussions over Rogers for the majority of the window — but Chelsea moved decisively to end the pursuit.

"My understanding is that Arsenal were talking about this for weeks, whereas Chelsea only came in last Thursday," Sheth explained. "They found out what the price was going to be and what Villa were going to accept. On Sunday, I was told it was one bid on the table, agreed, signed, medical. Rogers is a Chelsea player."

Sheth believes the transfer market itself inflated Rogers' price beyond what Arsenal were willing to pay. Deals for Elliot Anderson (£116m), Sandro Tonali (£100m), and Mateus Fernandes (£85m) pushed Aston Villa to set a minimum valuation of £100m for Rogers — a figure that widened the gap between what Arsenal offered and what Chelsea were prepared to pay.

Berta's multi-target approach

Sporting director Andrea Berta's recruitment philosophy means missing out on one target does not derail Arsenal's entire strategy. Rather than pursuing a single player exclusively, Berta works multiple targets simultaneously in each position before deciding on the best available option.

"Rogers was the number one target and they've missed out on him. Yes, it's a bit of a blow. But they clearly weren't prepared to go in with £117m for him. It doesn't mean the window is a write-off," said Sheth. "They will have got other deals in the background that they are looking at."

Barcola among the alternatives

One name firmly on Arsenal's radar is Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola. The 23-year-old France international scored 43 goals across 113 appearances over the last two seasons at PSG, and Sheth confirmed Arsenal's interest is genuine and ongoing.

With Leandro Trossard having departed to Besiktas, Arsenal are searching for a left-flank option who can create in one-vs-one situations. Wright pointed to Arsenal's struggles in that area last season, noting the club ranked ninth in the Premier League for attempted dribbles — a statistic that underlines the need for more unpredictability going forward.

"They need someone explosive, someone who can dominate one-vs-ones, someone who can break games open," said Wright. "It's clear that's why Arsenal were interested in Rogers, and I think that's why they are interested in Barcola as well."

Arsenal's summer may be one of evolution rather than revolution — but with Berta's structured approach and a clear set of targets, the Gunners are expected to move before the window closes.