Picking the Transfer Window That Arsenal Fans Would Love to Reboot

Arsenal fans do not always reflect fondly on transfer windows.

The club's financial restrictions during the period immediately after the move to the Emirates Stadium in 2006, as well as manager Arsene Wenger's infamous unwillingness to pay over the odds, mean it can be a difficult time for Gunners supporters.

This summer is particularly crucial. Having dropped out of the top four and consequently the Champions League, Wenger desperately needs a strong window to push Arsenal back into Premier League contention. With doubts over the futures of several key stars, the next couple of months could play a crucial role in determining Arsenal's chances next season. 

However, what if Arsenal fans could reboot a transfer window from the past to reinvigorate their squad? For this piece, Bleacher Report surveyed thousands of fans to determine which prior windows they enjoyed most—and which would be most useful to the team of today.

The Recent Past

Arsenal fans were given the choice between four of the past five summer transfer windows in an online poll. The one that was left out—the summer of 2015—was excluded on the grounds that no fan was likely to pick a summer transfer window in which no senior outfield player joined the club. However much you might like Petr Cech, that window was a disaster. 

Unsurprisingly, last summer's window did not fare particularly well. Despite some lavish spending on Arsenal's part, their most impressive signing was arguably the low-key acquisition of Rob Holding from Bolton Wanderers. Granit Xhaka took a while to acclimatise to the demands of English football, while Shkodran Mustafi struggled in the latter part of the season. As for Lucas Perez, he played a bizarrely limited role.

The summer of 2012, when Arsenal signed Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, was relatively successful on the recruitment front. Cazorla and Giroud have gone on to become loyal servants and three-time FA Cup winners. However, incomings are only half of any summer's transfer business, and memories of that particular window are marred by Robin van Persie's departure to Manchester United.

Plenty of fans plumped for the summer of 2013, which boasted the deadline-day signing of Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid. It's difficult to overstate what a symbolic moment that was for Arsenal. The Gunners had been seemingly unable to compete with their rivals to sign top talent, then—out of the blue—they landed one of the game's global stars.

That's exactly the sort of boost they're looking for this year, too, with an ambitious bid for AS Monaco's prized teenager Kylian Mbappe, as reported by Jeremy Wilson the Daily Telegraph, giving the fans something to be excited about. 

However, it's the summer of 2014 that is recalled with most affection. This is probably in large part down to the acquisition of Alexis Sanchez, who has been a sensation since arriving in north London. Although his arrival was cheaper and arguably less heralded than Ozil's, he has probably been the more successful buy.

The success of the 2014 window is about far more than just Alexis, though. Arsenal almost doubled their spend from the previous year, when Ozil was their only major signing. The Gunners added five players to their first-team squad, as Alexis was joined by Calum Chambers, Mathieu Debuchy, David Ospina and Danny Welbeck.

Arsenal operated efficiently and effectively. They had a variety of gaps to fill in their squad and largely did so with the minimum of fuss. That is what Arsenal fans want to see this summer—no dithering, just decisiveness.

Blasts from the Past

What if Arsenal fans were offered a choice not just over the manner in which Arsenal conducted business but the precise personnel they brought in? More than 3,300 fans were asked to choose between four transfer windows on the basis that they could add the players acquired in that period to the current squad. They would arrive at the age they were when they joined Arsenal, with their careers expected to follow a similar trajectory.

Remarkably, not many fans opted for the 1997 transfer window, in which Wenger signed Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit. Perhaps that can be attributed in part to the fact Arsenal already have a player relatively similar to Petit on their books in Xhaka, with both being physical, left-footed central midfielders with an eye for a through ball.

The 1995 window pre-dates Wenger but includes arguably the most important signing in the club’s history. Dennis Bergkamp's arrival transformed the perception of Arsenal on the European stage, helping to redefine the club's identity. While David Platt's signing is certainly less celebrated than the Dutchman's arrival, he was also an important acquisition for a club seeking to re-establish itself as a major player.

Bergkamp and Platt were, in many ways, Arsenal's Ozil and Sanchez of the '90s. As brilliant as Bergkamp was, perhaps Gunners supporters feel Ozil's presence in the squad means his creative genius is not as necessary as it was 1995.

The year 2000 was an important one for Arsenal, as they signed three players who strengthened an already impressive squad. Sylvain Wiltord, Lauren and Robert Pires brought versatility and quality to Wenger's side. All three would go on to become vital components of the squad that went unbeaten in the Premier League in 2003/04. 

However, it's perhaps no great surprise that most fans elected to resurrect the summer of 1999 window. There's one reason that most supporters cited: Thierry Henry's signing.

Arsenal lost Nicolas Anelka that summer, but Henry's arrival more than made up for that. In fact, swapping the sulky French forward for the man who would go on to become Arsenal's record goalscorer was arguably Wenger's greatest master stroke.

"

99 for Henry and Henry alone. Aside from his stupendous all-round ability he would also bring so much more out of creative players like Ozil

— George Gabriel (@georgegabriel) June 25, 2017"

Henry's arrival would be huge for this Arsenal team. The chase for Mbappe shows Wenger wants a forward with speed and power, and Henry would certainly fit the bill. Supplementing him with the experienced Davor Suker would also give him time to bed in and potentially mean Arsenal could afford to dispense with Giroud to balance the books. 

Meanwhile, the addition of Sylvinho would be an exciting one. Arsenal's new 3-4-2-1 system is dependent on attacking wing-backs, and the Brazilian would be a perfect fit for a role bombing on from the left-hand side. 

The summer transfer window of 1999 showed it is perfectly possible to lose a big star and come through stronger. Wenger needs to repeat that feat this summer if Arsenal are to stand any chance of challenging for major prizes in 2017/18.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and follows the club from a London base.