Despite a late surge for Champions League qualification, Arsenal failed to make the top-four and will miss Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in over two decades. Apart from this, there is also a wave of uncertainty at the club in terms of ownership, management and the futures of key players like Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, all factors which make this summer the most important in the Gunners’ recent history.
Perhaps the best case scenario will be that Alisher Usmanov, who seems to be determined to take over this summer, will finally make Stan Kroenke an offer he cannot refuse and banish the American from Arsenal, with Wenger finally deciding to walk and the club being able to retain the services of Sanchez and Co. But being Arsenal fans, we must know by now that the best-case scenario seldom occurs at the Emirates.
But above all, I believe that the most decisive factor this summer will be whether we can hold onto our key players. Apart from Ozil and Sanchez, players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Granit Xhaka and Hector Bellerin are all being linked with moves away from the Emirates, and those reports are likely to gain momentum considering Arsenal’s failure to qualify for the Champions League.
If the club fail to retain the services of these players, it is a certainty that they will not be adequately replaced and Arsenal may well turn out to be a mid-table club if that happens. With a lack of Champions League football to go with the inability to compete financially with the League’s big-spenders, it certainly is not rocket science to figure out that making every possible effort to hold on to these players is Arsenal’s best chance to avoid spiraling down into mid-table obscurity.
Personally, I would love to see Usmanov take over this summer, despite the billionaire admitting that he would like to retain Wenger’s services if a take over does happen. But whether or not ‘Silent Stan’ decides to budge, the onus should be to keep the club’s best players at any cost. Considering that the club cannot attract talent of the same pedigree this summer, whether or not we can hold on to the world-class talent already at the club will be the decisive factor in regards to Arsenal’s future.
AT
Arsenal should keep the good performing top stars, not the underperforming ones. Arsenal should not keep a player just because he was an expensive purchase.
It should also apply to the next purchase. Arsenal should look beyond the price tag and try to rebuild the team with better players. This is why a director of football is required in Arsenal.
We must keep Yaya Sanogo.
The young Henry has only been
at the club 4 years but has already
racked up an impressive zero league goals.
Takuma Asano has also made an instant impact
this season having already banged in zero League goals.
Jack Wheelchair continues to star in the medical room
since signing pro just nine years ago.
Although now out of contract we must offer him
at least 100k p/w to replace Diarby.
Dan Welbeck has been dynamic in front of goal these
last 3 seasons at Arsenal scoring 4,4, 2 goals per season.
A mammoth 10 goals over 3 season at a staggering average of 3.3 per season.
Transfer and salary amounting to only 28 mill shows what a bargain he is.
Mat Debuchy has been a stand out at right back for 3 years at Arsenal.
The Frenchman has played 1 game this season but
doubled that tally last season yes 3 games in two years
speaks volumes about this mans talents.
And to think he only cost a paltry 12 mill and 12 mill in salary = 24 mill
What a bargain.
Arsene knows best.
5 more years please.
I like your sarcastic tone.
Me too but you just know some will see it as justification for the continuation of our nightmare!;)
Made me laugh though, thanks!
As Great Arsene said Sanogo will be worth 50m in the future, while you worth nothing as grumbling moaner.
RESPECT ARSENE.
Lol.. i’ll like to have some of what you’re smoking. What a foolish comment.
Seems like not too many are bothered. Bit like our emptying stadium is justArsenal.
People made disinterested by a club that stopped caring and in turn made fans feel the same.
Well done, those who sold our club to SK, well done to Stan
For milking your cash cow and well done to Ivan, the board and Arsene for being yes men.
We should put you on bargain backyard sale of useless fans.
I know Wenger has been criticised this season, but there is no better manager than Wenger. He has got the whole club right. It is profitable, growing, cultured & consistent. This club is the only club in the world that can be sure of success for the next 10 years. Further than that is a matter of good appointment & consistent quality. Wenger has set the club on this path. It is easier to destroy than to create. Buying success is not so difficult. Maintaining quality without continuous investment needs external wealth funding the club. When the money was not there AW built a wonderful young team but saw it decimated by injury and vultures. It took some tough seasons and changes to start over but prudence allowed us to build slowly and know the club is very strong again. How is that possible if Wenger is so flawed? Wenger explains his position most eloquently. Wenger believes his approach to squad building requires greater skill than buying established players, but is not concerned that his rivals in the Barclays Premier League will try to muscle in on his territory. The fact that man utd, Chelsea and later man city were spending hundreds of millions on world class players and arsenal were relying on a bunch of kids and selling off the better players they had then. After years of deliberately refusing to spend money available to him, he suddenly decided to spend £90 million this summer. That really makes sense because other’s strengthening too. Football is all about money. If you haven’t worked that out by now, I can’t help you.
Sing with me now, One Arsene Wenger.
OT: This season is a complete failure and fans must demand change and banners must be raised in the FA final …
I think if we win the FA cup this year we will have Wenger and his crew fans back again on the top … Chelsea has to make the double … Wenger zero trophy this year (this Arsenal is all about wenger)
Yes even more important than ever now to pay the money needed.
Kroenke and gazidis must be squirming!
The lost revenue through no CL and now we’ve lost the minimum we need to sign top players.
The board have no power now, this has completely switched to the players and their agents,(rodents).
As David seaman just said now we simply must keep the best players at all costs.
Time to see now if we really are a business only satisfied with mid table and top 4 or whether we will spend and compete.
No point in keeping players that don’t want to be there. That could make things worse.
Probably best to strike a balance between keeping ones that see out at the end of the contract/end of next season as a positive versus keeping players that have a negative impact on the squad
We went from Cl to El, then we went from needing a mass overhaul, to needing only two players and keeping this lot together.
To be fair, I believe if we got CL I think he’d be keeping this lot together anyway.