Now that the Reds are willing to spend £150M for quality, what’s holding Arsenal back

If you have been keeping an eye on transfer rumours, you have likely seen that Liverpool are making a strong push to sign Florian Wirtz, reportedly closing in on a £150 million swoop for the Bayer Leverkusen star.

It has been reported by Fabrizio Romano that Wirtz has given Liverpool the green light, and the club are now working swiftly to finalise the deal. By the time you are reading this, the transfer may have gone through, or it may not have. But that is not the main focus here.

Instead, it is worth considering what Liverpool’s approach should tell Arsenal fans.

Liverpool’s transfer strategy appears swift, ambitious and precise. They are being proactive in the market, aiming to strengthen their squad early before other teams ramp up their business. Their reported interest in Milos Kerkez, alongside Wirtz, highlights a clear commitment to securing top-tier talent as soon as possible.

A wake-up call for Arsenal’s recruitment team

Liverpool’s ambition is evident. They want to improve, and they are making calculated moves before the market descends into last-minute panic buys.

This approach should make Arsenal fans reflect on their own club’s strategy. The Gunners have, at times, waited until deadline day, ending up with compromise signings after failing to secure first-choice targets earlier in the window.

Early transfers matter. Liverpool’s decisive action ensures that new signings integrate during pre-season, build chemistry with the squad and are fully prepared when the campaign begins.

Arsenal learned this the hard way during the Mikel Merino transfer saga. Negotiations dragged on to the point that the Spaniard missed pre-season, picked up an injury in his first training session and then required additional time to return to form.