The Gunners entered the transfer window with considerable momentum after ending a 22-year wait for the Premier League title. Rather than resting on their success, Arsenal moved aggressively in the market, committing almost £200 million to strengthen their squad ahead of the new campaign.
Their recruitment drive saw Piero Hincapié arrive from Bayer Leverkusen, while Ezri Konsa was brought in from Aston Villa to add further experience and quality to the defence.
Arsenal also strengthened their goalkeeping department with the signing of Illan Meslier from Leeds United as a third-choice goalkeeper. Bruno Guimaraes joined from Newcastle United, while Christos Tzolis arrived from Club Brugge as the club sought to improve its attacking options.
Despite the scale of their spending, however, Arsenal were unable to complete their attempts to sign Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior, leaving questions over whether their attacking department was sufficiently reinforced.
It is the decision to let Trossard depart that has particularly concerned Smith.
The Belgian forward, who had developed a reputation for producing important contributions in high-pressure matches, left Arsenal for Besiktas earlier in the summer for a reported £17 million.
For Smith, the decision could prove costly, particularly given the attacking players Arsenal have lost compared with those they have recruited.
“Time will tell, but Trossard, on paper, is more of a loss.
“He delivered in crucial matches and contributed goals in significant games, which is difficult to overlook.
“Whether Tzolis can replicate that is a different matter entirely, but it is a considerable expectation.
“However, they have allowed Martinelli, Trossard and Jesus to leave; they have lost three attacking players and have only brought in Tzolis, essentially.
“From that perspective, there are definitely one or two concerns.”
Smith’s argument centres on Arsenal’s attacking balance. While the club have invested heavily across several areas of the squad, the departure of three attacking players in Martinelli, Trossard and Jesus has left Tzolis carrying much of the responsibility for replacing the outgoing firepower.
Trossard’s departure is particularly notable because of his ability to operate in several attacking positions and his experience of decisive Premier League moments.
The former Brighton player was often relied upon when Arsenal needed a goal or an attacking spark, making his relatively inexpensive departure a decision that could attract greater attention if the club encounter difficulties in front of goal.
Arsenal’s failure to land Rogers and Vinicius Junior further highlights the issue. Both players were viewed as potential solutions to the club’s desire to strengthen the left side of their attack, but neither deal was completed.
That has left Arsenal facing a potentially important question: whether the quality and depth of their new-look attack can compensate for the proven contributions of the players who have departed.
For a team attempting to defend its Premier League crown, the margin for error is likely to be small. Arsenal’s substantial summer investment demonstrates their determination to remain competitive, but Smith believes the decision to part with Trossard could ultimately prove to be the most questionable element of their transfer strategy.
Whether Tzolis can fill that void remains to be seen, but the pressure will be on Arsenal’s new arrival to justify the confidence placed in him as the champions seek to maintain their dominance.