The 2022-23 season will be a season that Arsenal fans will remember for a long time. Mikel Arteta's young and exciting squad exceeded expectations, taking on Manchester City in an exciting title fight. They failed to fully cross the finish line due to their slippery performance in the final weeks, but there is growing confidence that they will be able to continue competing with more strong additions. The likes of Gabriel Jesus and Alexander Zinchenko have had a transformative impact, and hopefully the next batch of new faces will take the team even further.
But what happened to the players they chased but didn't sign? We revisit the seven transfer targets reported by Arsenal last summer and assess their performance for the 2022-23 season.
Lisandro Martinez
Lima reunited with Ten Hach at Old Trafford for a £57 million transfer fee. Many experts have questioned whether the Argentinian's diminutive stature will have an impact on Manchester United, but he quickly silenced critics and enjoyed a fantastic first season in the Premier League. The Gunners didn't end up adding a new centre-back last summer, but returning loan player William Saliba was like a new signing. The French defender managed to integrate into Mikel Arteta's backline. If his season hadn't ended early with injury, who knows if they might have crossed the finish line in the title race.
Rafinia
Leeds United could receive a higher transfer fee if they are willing to move to another Premier League club, with both Arsenal and Chelsea reportedly competing for the 26-year-old. Rafinha wasn't always great with Barcelona, but with seven goals and seven assists, he helped Xavi's side win their first league title in four years.
Yuri Tielemans
If Arsenal really want Tielemans, they could have signed him last summer. The Belgian midfielder is in the final year of his contract and last summer was Leicester's last real chance to cash in on him. Still, Tielemans' name often appears in gossip columns, with Arsenal reportedly reaching out to his camp. 12 months on, few in north London will regret failing to sign the 26-year-old as Leicester endure a disastrous season and eventual relegation. He has since joined Aston Villa as a free agent.
Gianluka Skamaka
It seems strange now, but Arsenal have been linked with the Italian striker last summer. Sky Sports even reported in July 2022 that the Gunners' £34 million offer was rejected by Sassuolo. In the end, West Ham signed Scamarca for £35.5 million, while Arsenal signed Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City. Ultimately, it wasn't too bad for Arsenal. The striker has scored just three goals for David Moyes' Hammers and has been linked with a loan return to Serie A.
Cody Gakpo
Gakpo shined at the World Cup and quickly moved to Liverpool. Prior to this, he had been linked with Arsenal and Manchester United, but he turned down an offer on deadline day. It took Gakpo a few weeks to play at Anfield. While he couldn't completely save their season, by the end of the 2022-23 season he looks like he's been a reliable addition to Jurgen Klopp's side.
Leroy Sane
Sky TV reported that Arsenal had asked Sane in the spring of 2022 before their attention turned to Rafenha and later to Mikhailo Mudrick, eventually signing Leondro Trossard in the middle of the season. The Germany international has won three consecutive Bundesliga titles during his time at Bayern, but he has yet to reach the heights he reached when he worked under Manchester City's Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola. The 27-year-old helped Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund in the title fight, scoring eight goals and seven assists.