In exactly one month from today, Mikel Arteta will have overseen yet another summer transfer window as Arsenal manager.
Not for the first time during his reign in north London, the Spaniard has reached this stage of a transfer window after making significant additions to his first-team squad. This time around it has been with the signings of Marquinhos, Fabio Vieira, Matt Turner, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Furthermore, Arteta has allowed Alexandre Lacazette to leave on a free transfer and Nuno Tavares seal a loan move to Marseille which means the Arsenal squad looks very different to the one that came agonisingly close to sealing qualification for the Champions League last season.
READ MORE: Confirmed signings, Raphinha saga and Tielemans 'agreement' - Arsenal's summer transfer window
Now the question is what other alterations are in store for the Gunners before transfer deadline day at the start of next month? Well, if the last two years are anything to go by the final four weeks of the window will be a busy period for Arteta and technical director Edu.
Amid talk of Youri Tielemans, Lucas Paqueta and Cody Gakpo among many others making the move to the Emirates Stadium, Premier League squad registration rules means a number of player sales must be completed if Arsenal are to sign at least one of the aforementioned players.
This may not prove to be much of an issue with the rumour drill going into overdrive as we count down to deadline day as Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno, Nicolas Pepe and Pablo Mari could all soon have new clubs. As a result, we've taken a look at the business Arteta has previously done during the final month of a summer transfer window to see what it can tell us about what's in store for Arsenal between now and September 1st.
2020 (September 5-October 5)
In: Alex Runarsson (£1m), Thomas Partey (£45m), Nikolaj Moller (£450,000), Joel Ideho (Undisclosed)
Out: Emiliano Martinez (£20m to Aston Villa), Tyreece John-Jules (loan to Doncaster Rovers), Mark McGuinness (loan to Ipswich Town), Daniel Ballard (loan to Blackpool), Matteo Guendouzi (loan to Hertha Berlin), Lucas Torreira (loan to Atletico Madrid)
The impact Covid-19 had on the 2019/20 season meant that summer's transfer window opened whilst the campaign was still in play and remained open for the first month of the following season as the deadline for clubs to get deals done was October 5 and Arsenal certainly made use of this extension by signing Alex Runarsson on September 21 and Thomas Partey on deadline day along with youngsters Nikolaj Moller and Joel Ideho.
In terms of outgoings, there were quite a lot in the final month. The most notable was Emiliano Martinez's £20m move to Aston Villa, whilst Tyreece John-Jules, Mark McGuinness, Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira and Daniel Ballard all left on loan.
It should be noted that this particular summer transfer window afforded Arsenal the chance to complete more deals before mid-October - but only on the condition they were domestic-based deals and that saw them loan out Dejan Iliev, Tolaji Bola, Harry Clarke, James Olayinka and Tom Smith to teams in England.
2021 (July 31-August 31)
In: Martin Odegaard (£30m), Aaron Ramsdale (£24m), Takehiro Tomiyasu (£18m)
Out: Tolaji Bola (Undisclosed to Rotherham), Joe Willock (£25m to Newcastle), Willian (free to Corinthians), Harry Clarke (loan to Stoke City), Jordi Osei-Tutu (loan to Nottingham Forest), Lucas Torreira (loan to Fiorentina), Miguel Azeez (loan to Portsmouth), Jonathan Dinzeyi (loan to Carlisle United), Hector Bellerin (loan to Real Betis), Reiss Nelson (loan to Feyenoord), Runar Alex Runarsson (loan to OH Leuven)
Interestingly half of Arsenal's deals last summer, in terms of incomings, were completed during the final month of the window as Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale both joined on August 20 which left Takehiro Tomiyasu as the sole deadline day signing on August 31.
And for the second summer in a row, there was a big sale to a fellow Premier League club with Joe Willock joining Newcastle United for £25m after impressing on loan, Willian departed on a free transfer after one season and academy quartet Tolaji Bola, Harry Clarke, Jordi Osei Tutu and Miguel Azeez were granted loan moves.
Then on deadline day, the Gunners announced the loan departures of Hector Bellerin, Reiss Nelson and Runar Alex Runarsson, whilst U23's defender Jonathan Dinzeyi was also part of the temporary outgoings as he joined Carlisle United.
What it tells us?
It's almost a guarantee that the final month of the summer transfer window will not be a quiet one for Arsenal. This won't come as any surprise to supporters given Arteta has confirmed he is still looking to add to his squad: "We’re still hoping to do something else if the market allows us to do that," he said at the weekend.
"You've seen some movement in the other direction in the last few days so we want to get the perfect balance and the plan we wanted right at the beginning. Whether we can accomplish that or not is another story, but I’m happy with where we are now."
History tells us that during the final month of a summer transfer window, Arteta has overseen 15 deals for first-team players, six of which have been new signings, two permanent outgoings to bring some money in, allowing Willian to terminate his contract with the remaining six deals being loan moves.
Taking a closer look at the permanent outgoings during this period in the last two summer transfer windows, both deals involved a Premier League club and that trick looks set to be repeated with goalkeeper Leno joining newly-promoted Fulham in an £8m move.
With that said, there could be more senior players leaving Arsenal for good this summer as Torreira, Nelson, Bellerin and Maitland-Niles are all out of contract next June, so maybe the plan is to focus on outgoings once again, but this time to raise some funds whilst sorting loan moves for those in need of first-team football - such as Folarin Balogun - and some academy starlets.
However, given Arteta has signed at least one player during the final month of both summer transfer windows he has experienced, maybe Arsenal supporters can expect another arrival before deadline day. Perhaps Edu will prioritise a move for Tielemans, Paqueta or Gakpo?
READ NEXT:
Arsenal signing 'outstanding' on debut as Nuno Tavares avoids disaster in first Marseille game
Edu given £6.6m Youri Tielemans ultimatum as Arsenal frustrations grow with lack of player sales
Cody Gakpo transfer stance revealed amid Arsenal links as Jarrod Bowen alternative emerges
What Lucas Paqueta and Alexandre Lacazette did at Lyon amid Arsenal summer transfer links
Bernd Leno exit, Youri Tielemans doubt, Takehiro Tomiyasu fitness boost and Arsenal WSL fixtures
