🔁 **Transfer Window Guide: How It *Really* Works**

The transfer window opens today. While it’s often called unpredictable, there’s actually a method to the madness. Once you’ve followed a few windows, patterns become clear—and you’ll realise it’s not as random as it seems.

This guide breaks down how most clubs like Arsenal operate during the window, and how the media shape what we see and believe. Some of it might sound like common sense, but many fans still fall for the same traps. There’s a mix of basic knowledge & niche details & “hacks” that’ll help you get a good idea of how a transfer saga will plan out before it even happens. So whether it’s your first window or your 20th, this should have something insightful for you.

I recommend reading everything so that you don’t miss anything but I’ve split it into many sections, so if there are things you already know, then you can move onto the next section. 🏟️ CLUBS

**When Do Players Actually Get Signed?**

Even though the window officially opens in June, around **90% of signings happen from the first week of July onwards**. Why? Fans assume that their club is just being slow but there are 2 significant reasons.
-The financial year for PL clubs ends on June 31st so many clubs strategically wait for the new financial year.
-That’s also when players return from holiday and clubs begin pre-season training- it’s simply more convenient for everyone.

Deals that have been worked on for weeks or months are often completed just before or during the first week of pre-season (not to be confused with the first game of preseason). So if you see **strong links in May or June**, there’s a high chance they’ll go through in early July.

When you see news of a bid going in, a deal being agreed or a bid being accepted etc around the time of the first week of pre season, it’s not a coincidence & they’ve intentionally waited for that time to wrap up the deal.

**Examples:** Jesus and Lacazette.

**Why Some Transfers Happen Early:**

* Clubs need to meet financial deadlines.
*E.g. Chelsea selling Havertz before the PSR cut-off.*
* Players signing on a free via pre-contract.
*E.g. Kolasinac, Lichtsteiner.*
* Players wanting clarity before a summer tournament.
*E.g. Podolski, Xhaka.*
Players being signed via release clause.
*If the club had a low spend in the previous summer window, they would have flexibility to spend before July, as it is within the same financial year.

**Why Some Transfers Happen Late:**

* Player had an extended holiday due to playing in a final or major tournament.
*E.g. Rice.*
* Player is injured—clubs may delay the deal to avoid paying wages early.
*E.g. Tierney.*
* It’s a more complicated deal, the selling club needs a replacement, or the buying club is waiting on outgoing transfers.

**How Many Players Do Clubs Look At?**

Clubs like Arsenal track loads of players. But when they’re ready to buy, they’ll shortlist players based on key criteria: ability, price, age, availability, etc.

It’s normal for the club to lay groundwork for **multiple players in the same position**, so if Plan A falls through, they can quickly move to Plan B without starting over.
**Example:** Calafiori.

Just because Arsenal are “in talks” with a player doesn’t mean they’ve abandoned other targets. But sometimes Plan A is *so much better* than the rest that they won’t even bother with the alternatives.

The shortlist can be altered or sometimes even abandoned if a market opportunity arises where a player becomes available for an offer that they can’t ignore.

It’s common for players to be offered to the club by their agent or their own club. These are where most of the “out of nowhere” transfers happen. The club genuinely had no plans of signing that player until they were offered to them.

**Who at the club is actually involved in transfers?””

The common misconception is that sporting directors & managers are speaking to the selling club throughout the whole process but this is far from the truth. They will be involved in key stages of the deal, such as initial contact, convincing a player to join & closing a deal but a lot of the studf in between is carried out by lawyers, negotiators, accountants & intermediaries. The director sets out a transfer strategy; an action plan on who to contact, when to contact, whether to prioritise speed or money, quantity or quality etc. Then they delegate roles to the right people to execute the plan. Previously, Arsenal’s chief negotiator was Dick Law but since then the structure has changed & the role is split across many people.

In extreme cases, the sporting director may speak to the selling party completely on their own. This is usually seen for deals where they want to keep it quiet, as having too many people involved will get the deal leaked.

THOMAS LEMAR THREAD

This thread reveals the ins & outs of how Thomas Lemar’s move to Arsenal never materialised & how it ended in a £92M bid.

Some parts are known, some aren’t so hopefully you find it insightful.

It’s a simple story but I’ve thrown in a bonus story too 👀

https://twitter.com/MAA_Gunner/status/1856758935300313470

In May 2017, Arsenal had just finished 5th, narrowly missing out on the CL & Top 4 for the first time in 20 years.

Wenger had signed a new deal but refused to have a technical director. He was keen to prove he didn’t need one by doing business early for key targets.

THOMAS VERMAELEN THREAD

10 years ago today, Arsenal sold club captain Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona.

This thread will reveal the SHOCKING truth to why he was dropped, phased out of the team & eventually sold. I’ll also touch on how he almost joined a rival club.

Looked online & I’m staggered this hasn’t come out so hopefully this should be insightful. I know some people like to skip to the main part so I’ve given each section a heading to make it easier to find. I’d still advise to read the full thread for context.

- Back Story
- Captaincy
- Bradford
- D Day: White Hart Lane
- 2013 Transfer Window
- Slow End
- Man United Interest

This thread will cover the TRUE story of what actually happened with Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs during the 2017 FA Cup Final.

It’s a straight forward story so I’ll try to keep this short.

Most people won’t know this so hopefully you find it insightful.

https://twitter.com/MAA_Gunner/status/1795047298017505512

2016/17- Back Story

So Gibbs had lost his spot as the 1st choice LB to Monreal 2 years earlier. Over that time he was getting less & less minutes becoming a squad player.

This thread will reveal the sad & shocking story of how Arsenal’s number 1 keeper Wojciech Szczęsny lost his future at the club & everything that led up to that moment.

The story involves betrayal of trust & shows how stress can get to players.

https://twitter.com/maa_gunner/status/1770465438696153268

Firstly, here’s a little back story.

Szczęsny joined in Jan 2006 when he was only 15. This was when the club were investing in young players, especially keepers like Fabianski, Martinez, Mannone etc.

He then joined the senior team in 08/09 before his Brentford loan in 09/10.

A lot of this has been reported by credible journalists already but there’s some stuff I’ve heard too. I’ll try piece everything together.

It revolves around non-Negotiables & could explain why Arteta wants to ease in youngsters slowly.

https://twitter.com/maa_gunner/status/1758485387100438713

He had issues at Lorient at 17. In the first half of a cup game, he was making multiple wreckless fouls & got booked. At half time, his manager warned him he could get sent off & had to calm down. Didn’t listen, was subbed off, didn’t handshake his boss & threw a tantrum.