Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta oversaw a window of frustration which leant heavily on outgoings rather than arrivals in North London.
A total of six players left Arteta’s first-team squad this month with no new additions – although Auston Trusty was signed from MLS side Colorado Rapids, where he has returned on loan.
The Gunners pursued a deal for striker Dusan Vlahovic before the Serbia international decided to sign for Juventus from Fiorentina in a £63m transfer.
The club’s transfer window was dominated by the future of striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has joined Barcelona as a free agent after his contract at Arsenal was mutually terminated.
It leaves the Arsenal squad depleted going into the final stretch of the campaign – although the club no longer face any further cup matches due to their eliminations from FA Cup and EFL Cup respectively.
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Aubameyang’s exit leaves Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah – both of whom are out of contract this summer – as the only senior strikers in Arteta’s squad.
The former Dortmund striker was the sixth player to exit the Emirates this month following the loan of Folarin Balogun to Middlesbrough with Ainsley Maitland-Niles joining Roma on loan and Pablo Mari making a temporary move to Udinese, while Callum Chambers and Sead Kolasinac joined Aston Villa and Marseille respectively on free transfers.
The arrival of defender Trusty was the 14 th under the management of Arteta across his five transfer windows in charge of the club, since his appointment in late 2019.
The Spaniard may have shaped the squad heavily during his time at the helm but remarkably, he has never signed a striker.
Three of the additions have been goalkeepers – with Aaron Ramsdale’s signing last summer adding to the previous arrivals of Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson and Mathew Ryan.
Defenders Cedric Soares, Pablo Mari, Gabriel, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Nuno Tavares preceded the arrival of Trusty – seven who have been added by Arteta.
There have also been four midfielders signed by Arteta: Martin Odegaard, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Thomas Partey and wide forward Willian.
The fact that no striker has been signed may alarm Gunners fans, with the news that Lacazette and Nketiah are the only strikers remaining in the first-team squad – both of whom are out of contract this summer.
While Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli add a clear attacking threat from wide areas, the club are notably light in the central striking department and their lack of action in this area under Arteta appears to be a deep-set transfer pattern.
The arrival of American Trusty was the only incoming in an underwhelming and low-key month of arrivals at the Emirates.
An Arsenal statement read: "Defender Auston Trusty has joined the club in a permanent transfer from Colorado Rapids but will remain with the MLS side on loan.
"The USA under-20 international joined Colorado Rapids from Philadelphia Union in November 2019.
"He has made 41 appearances, notably helping the Rapids finish top of the Western Conference in the 2021 MLS regular season.
"Trusty, 23, will stay with the Colorado Rapids until at least the end of the Premier League season in May. The intention then is to loan him in Europe for the 2022/23 season to further progress his development.
"The transfer is subject to the completion of regulatory processes."
Arsenal will almost certainly need to sign at least one striker this summer with the futures of both Lacazette and Nketiah beyond this summer uncertain.
