Hype created around a possible transfer for Arsenal has always been one of the highlights of being a supporter. From the Mesut Ozil deadline day fiesta that saw hundreds of fans crowd at the Emirates Stadium to celebrate his arrival, to the unexpected tracking of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January window before he arrived.
However, few players created as much expectation and excitement as the arrival of Alexis Sanchez. Signed from Barcelona in 2014, Alexis made his debut in the Emirates Cup for Arsenal against Benfica. The game was made famous by four goals from Yaya Sanogo. However, the roar when the Chilean entered the field of play was unlike any other for a non-competitive fixture.
“Alexis will add power, creativity and much quality to our squad and we are all looking forward to him joining up with us in a few weeks," said Arsene Wenger upon Alexis' confirmation. "He has consistently produced top-quality performances at the highest level for a number of seasons now and we are all excited to see him integrate into the Arsenal squad. I’m sure all Arsenal supporters will join me in welcoming Alexis to our club.”
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Speaking ahead of the Emirates Cup in 2014 Wenger spoke of the impact a signing like Alexis can have on the team. He specifically referenced the idea of players wanting to stay because of the aura around such an arrival.
“Last season and this, it has changed. We have had the financial power to do it. But in the seasons before, we could not. I was sitting here and saying: ‘Who will go next?’ We’ve managed to get in a better position. It’s a vicious circle. Once you get great players in, everybody wants to stay,” Wenger explained.
Fast forward to 2022 and the Emirates Cup will make its return as Arsenal face Sevilla in the weekend ahead of the Premier League’s kick-off. Mikel Arteta and Edu have supposedly put a transfer plan in place but for it to succeed avoiding a repeat of the 2021 errors will be key.
Arsenal completed the signings of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Aaron Ramsdale and Martin Odegaard after the season had begun and it showed. Three defeats from three, it was unsurprising Arsenal’s form turned after the international break in September.
Yet this effectively meant Arsenal limited themselves to a 35-game season. Missing out on nine points when just three more would have seen them finish fourth.
Not only will getting this business done early benefit the club from a competitive point of view. It will also give a massive psychological boost. Scroll back up and watch again the clip of Alexis entering the field.
Imagine a marquee striker and midfielder can make their Emirates debut the week before the season. The noise from the crowd would be electric. This has been a success of Mikel Arteta’s tenure. The atmosphere in the grounds both home and away have benefitted. A connection is there that has been missing for some time.
The away crowd was always something we could be proud of. It has consistently been one of, if not, the best in the league but the Emirates has been lacking. Add more hype and some signings to boot and the red and white of north London can become a hostile place for opposition sides to visit again. It only forces home the point about how getting business done early is imperative to a season-opening flourish.
