Mikel Arteta [Will Palmer/SPP]

ARSENAL fans find themselves having to trust in the process once more following Tuesday’s underwhelming climax to the transfer window.

Despite winning their first Premier League title in 22 years last season, it was widely accepted that the Gunners were still missing that wow factor in the final third.

With the club’s hierarchy promising that Arsenal “will not sit still” this summer, and will be “very ambitious” in the transfer market, fans were starting to dream big.

They have therefore been left a little stunned following a window that saw no fewer than six attack-minded players exit the Emirates Stadium, while only Christos Tzolis was added to the squad in the wide areas.

Realistically, Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson were never going to be a part of manager Mikel Arteta’s plans, and academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri was only allowed to join Borussia Dortmund on a season-long loan because the Gunners are keen on keeping the attacking midfielder long-term.

The battle lines have, however, now been drawn: Arsenal will be hoping that better luck on the injury front – after the likes of skipper Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka spent long spells on the sidelines last season – will be enough to fend off the eye-watering investments that all of their title rivals have made.

That tactic will be tested to the fullest this Sunday when the Gunners host London rivals Chelsea, who haven’t been shy when it comes to splashing the cash this summer.

All the focus ahead of the match will, of course, be on Morgan Rogers. The midfielder was reportedly Arsenal’s top target this summer, but he ended up at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea struck a £117million deal with Aston Villa to make Rogers the most expensive British player in history.

It was thought Arsenal would employ Rogers on the left side of their attack. But Gooners can now expect to see Eberechi Eze juggling that role alongside Tzolis.

It worked well on Monday night when Eze stepped off the bench to play a crucial part in Arsenal’s winner at Aston Villa, which was tapped home by Saka.

The 1-0 victory was especially sweet for Eze, who switched off at Villa Park last season to allow Matty Cash to sneak in and score as the Gunners were beaten 2-1.

Sharing his thoughts on Eze’s impact in Monday’s win, Arteta said: “We knew that he could create an action. He created three actions where he put people almost looking at the goalkeeper one-against-one, but as well, I have to trust him.

“When they [Aston Villa] make the rotation, especially on the right-hand side, and Cash’s goal last year he [Eze] lost him, we conceded the goal – and this year, I think he learned a lesson because every time something was happening he was at it, and I think he helped the team in a great way.”