The strangely specific transfer obsessions of elite clubs, and what the summer window taught us about them

"Mikel Arteta and the hybrid center back/fullback In Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard & Co., Arteta has some of the world's most luxurious attacking talents to work with. He also has a brand new striker in Viktor Gyökeres to unleash and an incredible midfield pool to call upon. But you know what really excites him? Players who can play both center back and fullback."

"- Tighe: How players use data to show worth in contract negotiations - O'Hanlon:Top 50 most expensive summer transfers, ranked by true cost - Marcotti:Making sense of Premier League clubs' record spending The Spaniard has stuffed his squad full of them over the years. It started with Ben White and continued with Jakub Kiwior, Jurriën Timber and Riccardo Calafiori. Then late in this summer's window, Arsenal added Piero Hincapié from Bayer Leverkusen."

Elite soccer clubs exhibit distinct transfer 'types' and recurrent preferences that shape recruitment strategies. Some clubs pursue only the very best players regardless of cost while others target very specific profiles, such as free transfers or versatile defenders. Arsenal under Mikel Arteta has prioritized hybrid defenders who can play both centre-back and fullback roles, recruiting players like Ben White, Jakub Kiwior, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié. Arteta appears to value left-footedness and the ability to cover both fullback positions. The recent transfer window exposed these infatuations and tactical obsessions across elite clubs.

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