Having gone from being linked to Ryan Fraser, Dennis Praet and Joachim Andersen at the beginning of the window, many Arsenal fans were led to believe it would be a summer filled with 'that will do's'.
A pitiful transfer budget of £45m and the hardly enticing prospect of Europa League football left all in the red half of north London fearing the worst ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
Well, consider us all utterly bamboozled.
When the @premierleague opening day is in sight #NEWARS pic.twitter.com/ShNuyFZtNI
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 8, 2019
From out of seemingly nowhere, Arsenal
Not bad for £45m, eh?
Needless to say, the Gunners' Twitter contingent (of which there are many) pointed to one man in particular as the saviour of the summer, certain long-haired Spaniard who goes by the name of Raul Sanllehi. The head of football at the club has, over the course of just a few months, become a cult figure.
Long may he reign.
A picture of Raul Sanllehi when he was younger pic.twitter.com/uWMNGNrbau
— Daily Cannon (@DailyCannon) August 8, 2019
Raul Sanllehi after signing Ceballos, Pepe, Martinelli, Saliba, Tierney, David Luiz on a £45m budget . pic.twitter.com/s3qFQ0pYMe
— Alexander Umeakubuike ™ 洛⚜️ (@whizkrane) August 8, 2019
“Arsenal’s budget for the summer will be £45m due to missing out on Champions League football”
— N.i.K (@ItssNiK) August 7, 2019
Raul Sanllehi: pic.twitter.com/j1Zl4I2Or8
With a £45m budget, Raul Sanllehi pulled off:
— Fouad (@FouadAFC) August 8, 2019
•Martinellli £6m ✅
•Dani Ceballos (Loan) ✅
•William Saliba £30m (Loaned-back) ✅
•Nicolas Pépé £72m ✅
•Kieran Tierney £25m ✅
•David Luiz £8m
The man. The myth. The legend. #AFC pic.twitter.com/0bCotU126h
Some even suggested immortalising the 50-year-old alongside club legends Thierry Henry and Herbert Chapman.
It took Don Raul Sanllehi one transfer window to do what Ivan Gazidis couldn't do in 9 years with Arsenal.
— WelBeast (@WellBeast) August 8, 2019
Build the man a statue and name a street after Don Raul.
Mehn! Raul Sanllehi is a god! Transfer guru of life...Arsenal should build him a statue...wow!
— Sidney ♨ (@sidramatics) August 7, 2019
With only a deal being arranged for Gabriel Martinelli up until July 25, Arsenal fans were growing restless ahead of the new season kicking off in just a few weeks time. But, just like London buses, you wait for one, and two come at once. And naturally, the fact that both players turned down Tottenham made it all the sweeter.
Spurs fans were really gassed about getting Ceballos, Coutinho, Dybala, Saliba and ended up getting rejected by all of them. pic.twitter.com/in7s7jLFRE
— P™ | (was @cechque) (@SemperFiArsenal) August 8, 2019
-Arsenal sign Dani Ceballos on loan
— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) July 25, 2019
-Arsenal sign William Saliba for €30m
-Mesut Özil bodies a Spurs fan on Twitter
-Sead Kolašinac protects Özil, fighting off two knife-wielding cowards with his BARE HANDS
July 25, 2019 will go down as a truly insane day in Arsenal history. pic.twitter.com/rMt8UvKnm2
Then the record signing came, and for some bizarre reason even after Nicolas Pepe was pictured in his Arsenal shirt, it still took a full three days to make the announcement.
I wonder how many times 'announce Pepe' has been said on Twitter today?
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) July 31, 2019
⌛⌛
When Arsenal finally announce Tierney and Pepé
— Big Man Keith Stanton (@KaiRyan17_) August 1, 2019
pic.twitter.com/xVd5Jj6lYS
4.36pm - Arsenal announce the club record signing of Nicolas Pepe.
— bet365 (@bet365) August 1, 2019
*59 minutes later*
'Announce Tierney' is trending.
Arsenal fans are at it again. pic.twitter.com/DFiF6KfvBz
With the Gunners' heavy presence on social media, even Arsenal themselves confessed they were getting bombarded.
Our mentions since the weekend... pic.twitter.com/xrbWWCOVHF
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 1, 2019
After all that subsided though, it was onto matter at the other end of the pitch, where defensive reinforcements, it's fair to say, were absolutely imperative.
As it emerged that Kieran Tierney was finally set to make his move south and that a shock transfer of David Luiz is also due to be confirmed. It's fair to say, there was some joy among the Arsenal fanbase.
Pepe ✅
— Arsenal scoop (@arsenalskoop) August 8, 2019
Ceballos ✅
Martinelli ✅
Tierney ✅
Luiz ✅
Saliba ✅
Edu ✅
Got rid of some dead wood ✅
Aubameyang and Lacazette new contracts?
Willock/Nelson etc in the mix
This is the way we wanted our club to be rub
Brilliant
Deadline day:
— Arsenal (@ReppingOzil) August 8, 2019
-David Luiz & Kieran Tierney are close to signing
-Hearing Auba & Laca have both signed new contracts
What a day! pic.twitter.com/3wnvpGBkHX
*Sky Sports: Tierney & David Luiz will be Arsenal players tomorrow*
— Aubazettes (@Aubazettes) August 7, 2019
Me right now:pic.twitter.com/TKx0JoPOtl
Arsenal: *announces 45mil budget*
— First Hoekage (@_Shonnen_) August 8, 2019
Me: We are fucked, what will Raul and emery do with 45mil?
Raul: *signs Saliba. Ceballos. Pepe. Tierney. David Luiz. Martinelli*
Me: #COYG #DeadlineDay pic.twitter.com/niJorpLUyl
Some took to recent history to suggest a certain Premier League referee might need a change of undies when faced with the prospect of the coming season.
Somewhere out there, Andre Mariner is shitting himself #arsenal #afc #Luiz #tierney #TransferDeadline pic.twitter.com/6M6MOenLwr
— Stuart (@StuartWilders) August 7, 2019
Nevertheless, it all seems pretty rosy in the Arsenal camp at present. How it all comes together is anyone's guess, but a certain degree of optimism is expected when a £45m budget lands you a whole host of exciting talents.
There's just one tiny, little matter to decide, however.
Sanllehi trying to get Mustafi out of the club pic.twitter.com/4JRYx9uPTS
— Koscielny (@iH14afc) August 7, 2019
Source : 90min