Player signing decisions for major sports teams always make the headlines, and this year has been no different for Arsenal. The team has scored some high-profile signings, as well as a few controversial ones. Notably, it is in the final stages of signing Ethan Nwaneri, which is hot off the heels of the Noni Madueke signing, which has generated some discourse within and outside of the industry.

All these developments come at a great time given that funds are more invested in the outcome of matches they ever before. Outside of the obvious emotional investment, many are putting their money where their mouth is. Notably, sports betting as an industry has only grown over the last few years, and this means that more and more people will be placing wagers on various games. As sporting expert Jake Turner noted in a recent article, California sports betting apps are increasing in popularity, and so, this upcoming season will see more wagers than ever before. 

This is good news for Arsenal as it has made some very interesting moves within the summer transfer window. First, it is in talks to sign 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, who had previously been linked to Chelsea. However, Arsenal is looking to lock him into a four-year contract. His current contract with the team is due to expire next year, but this last season has seen some impressive performances on his end. Across all tournaments, he scored nine goals, and clearly, Arsenal wanted to keep him around to continue this winning streak. The teenager played in midfield last season, and according to Mikel Arteta, he has the potential to become a striker in the future.

“Ethan can play as a right attacking midfielder, a left attacking midfielder. He can play as a right winger, and there is another position I think he can develop into - No. 9. He has got the goal in front of him, and he looks at the goal, and he has a tremendous ability to put the ball in the back of the net,” Areta said previously.

He was already the fifth-highest goal scorer for Arsenal, and the team is eager to expand on his potential moving forward. This comes as Arsenal has locked in contract renewals with other top players like Bukayo Saka. And while the move to keep Ethan on the team has been universally lauded, there has been some controversy regarding the non-madie signing. 

While Madueke is generally considered a competent player, Sky Sports columnist Paul Merson recently commented on his move from Chelsea to Arsenal. The way he put it, the amount of money paid for his contract, £52 million, was a very high amount for someone he does not consider a very prolific scorer. As of the last season, he scored eight goals as a right winger and zero as a left winger. The way Merson puts it, he has been inconsistent with his performance is and this makes the decision to buy him from Chelsea a controversial one.

Besides the concern about his skill level and how well he might play for Arsenal, he also speculated that this move could be such in the groundwork to get rid of a more prominent player within Arsenal. Specifically, Merson noted in his column that this could be the start of a long-term plan to trade Bokayo Saka or any other player moving forward. 

“Call me a cynic, but is there another reason why they are doing this deal?

Are there concerns about the future of Saka?[...] The one player at Arsenal who has to play every week is Saka. When he doesn't play, they are not the same team. The players around him are not the same when he doesn't play. If fit, he plays. So why do you spend £52m on a backup for him?” he wondered.

Merson says that if Arsenal were to take any player for this position, Eberechi Eze would have been a much better choice. As he puts it, Eze has the ‘X Factor’ and would have been prferable. As the final reports of players being transferred or renewed to Arsenal come in, the public will certainly have their opinions.

So far, the Gunners have spent about £204 million signing various players. Some notable announcements include Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Viktor Gyokeres, whose £63 million deal has reportedly faced some delays.

But once the summer transfer window closes and the team is fully aligned, fans can breathe easy and look forward to the next playing season. As we've said, sports betting has been a prominent activity for decades, and the internet is creating even more avenues to do so. Hopefully, Arsenal will have a successful next season both in terms of actual tournaments and trophies and also with thinning engagements and overall visibility.