Arsenal spends over $200 million on reinforcements after ending 22-year Premier League drought

After 22 years waiting for that Premier League title, Arsenal hit the transfer market this summer as if determined never to endure such a long drought again. The bill tells the story on its own: more than $200 million spent on reinforcements. This is not a club that spends this way without reason.

The name that made the most noise was Bruno Guimaraes, who arrived from Newcastle for around $101 million, one of the most talked about transfers in Europe this window. The Brazilian was coming off a World Cup to forget, having missed a penalty against Norway in the round of 16, but he got off on the right foot in London: fans were already singing his name in his debut, a friendly that ended 1-1 against Como.

I want to win trophies and make history, and I feel like I'm in the right place for that to happen.Bruno Guimaraes

Guimaraes didn't arrive alone. Arsenal also brought in Greek winger Christos Tzolis, signed from Club Brugge for roughly $46 million, and made permanent the transfer of Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapie, who had already spent the previous season on loan from Leverkusen, for just over $60 million. On top of that came French goalkeeper Illan Meslier, added to strengthen the rotation between the posts.

A rout that raises hopes, cautiously

The Community Shield left a powerful image: 3-0 over Manchester City, with goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard. It should be taken with a grain of salt, of course, since squads are still coming together. But beating another title contender like that is still a good sign.

What's interesting is how Mikel Arteta has already begun blending new pieces with the core that won the title. Guimaraes started the match and quickly built a rapport with Odegaard and Myles Lewis-Skelly, in a midfield where Declan Rice will also need to find his place at some point. Tzolis buzzed down the flanks and even set up Havertz's goal with a header. Hincapie, who came on in the second half for the booked Calafiori, did his job without any trouble.

Arteta was clear about the logic behind all the market activity:

Since we want to improve, we need to increase the competition internally. Make sure we identify the things we're missing in the team, to get bigger margins. And that's how we have to think.Mikel Arteta

Not everything was about adding players. There were also departures handled carefully, without breaking up what works: Jakub Kiwior left for Porto and Christian Norgaard will continue his career at Everton, both having had limited roles last season. More significant was the departure of Leandro Trossard, a key player even in the Champions League final against PSG, who moved to Besiktas for around $20 million after three seasons at the club.

My time here has come to an end, but this is a fantastic group of players. I'll miss all of them, though the moment has come for me to take the next step.Leandro Trossard

The shadow of the Invincibles

The goal now is different: to establish themselves as the team to beat in the Premier League, a status that Liverpool and Manchester City have shared in recent years. Before that, at the start of the century, that spot belonged to Arsenal itself under Arsene Wenger, with names like Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira, the "Invincibles" who won the 2003/04 Premier League without losing a single match, on a run that reached 49 games unbeaten.

That team no longer plays at Highbury but at the Emirates Stadium since 2006, and the years in between were filled with near misses. After winning the league and coming so close in the Champions League against PSG, it's fair to ask whether this Arsenal side is finally in a position to turn that momentary joy into something more lasting.