Arsenal have confirmed that we only have a limited transfer budget

I have been reading about the meeting between Arsenal fans and the new bosses at the Emirates, owner Josh Kroenke, managing director Vinai Venkatesham and director of football Raul Sanllehi, as reported by John Cross from the Mirror who was present at the time. He reports that the bosses have “insisted they will have to be clever in the transfer market”, and this is what Cross said in his article….

Arsenal have found themselves a hostage to fortune over a raft of big names in recent times with Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez and are determined not to make the same mistakes again.

Arsenal are likely to have only around £40m to spend this summer – that may increase slightly if they get into the top four – but they also insisted they will have to be clever in the transfer market.

They pointed to good value deals like Greek defender Sokratis, Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi as the template for signing players for moderate fees but also offering big potential.

So it looks like the Kroenke’s stinginess in the market is going to continue for ever more, although how he squares that with his insistence that he is aiming for success and trophies for the club I am not sure. But then again, we knew through all the Wenger years that the Top Four was always the target, and hopefully a cup or two, so really nothings changed, eh?

Admin

51 Comments

  1. Clever doesn’t mean stingy, as what they proved with Lacazette and Aubameyang purchases

    If Arsenal manage to re-enter the CL and able to let the highly paid old players or underperformers go, I think Emery would be given 100+ M transfer budget

    It depends on how Sanllehi, Venkatesham, Fahmy, Monchi and co can sell some of the current players and buy the younger ones. I want to see whether they can do better than Gazidis and his ex-colleagues or not, despite they still have the same board

  2. Another misleading headline! Arsenal didn’t confirm the amount available as the headline states but it is an assumption by John Cross. Yes I know he’s usually quite reliable, but not always, so the article is somewhat misleading. I’m sure that everyone tries to be clever in the transfer market, both buying and selling, but we haven’t been too clever in the past. However much we have to spend, it’s being clever which is more important than the amount.

      1. I read the article too but even that part you have quoted does not confirm a limited transfer budget, just better use of whatever we spend. I personally think £40 million is b/s, especially if we manage to get into CL next season.

      2. Admin, why have you decided to put a giant advertisement over your page and over article. I encountered this yesterday so 8 decided not to visit your website until today. And off course what I found over the new article is the giant advert. I couldn’t read the article, I couldn’t comment and and sorry if this continues it I will not be visiting your website anymore. What is the point of the advert if people stop visiting your website.

        1. Umm I am afraid I know nothing about this. I do NOT allow popups or popunders on JustArsenal.
          Can anyone else tell me if they are having the same problem please?
          Also Pat, next time it happens please take a screenshot and send it to me on the email address in “contact us” above.
          I have seen this before and it is normally caused by malware on the phone or PC.

          1. I saw it a couple of times yesterday Pat… you couldn’t read the article, could only see half of it. I was on my phone. I think it was advertising Cheltenham? I maybe wrong though… as I came out of it when it took up half of the screen! Not seen it today

            1. Please Sue, Can you take a screen shot if you see it again. I only have one advertiser (other than Google) and they know my feelings on anything that annoys my readers. I WILL sort it out once i have more info…

              1. Yep just had it myself
                Paddy power ,takes up 3quarters if the screen but I could still click on a post that I wanted

                    1. Admin-please have more of the MYRA BREAST ENLARGEMENT advertising please.I find the whole topic very educational and it expands our football knowledge so much.

    1. Because anyone with half a brain cell can read between the lines and understand that saying “being clever in the market” is just PR speak for “we have very little money available”.

      1. Or “being clever in the market” could also mean “limit our spending” or “not intending to spend much” or “will spend as little as possible.”

        Not arguing with your post, I’m agreeing that the club is obviously going to go cheap as usual except not bothering to mask it this time.

        When most clubs lose out on CL they will spend more in an effort to get back in, and make up the additional funds they spent by advancing out of the group stage. But not Arsenal, nope no way. They miss out on CL, and decide to capitalize on that by using it as justification not to spend more to get back in.

        Instead they rely on hopes, wishes, magicians, and karma to make up for their cheapness.
        By “their” I mean the Kronkes’ both Stan and Josh. Perhaps Stan jr. rather because he sound eerily like the old man to me. Long on speeches and promises, but very very short on the delivery.

        1. Totally agree with u.. to summarise when clubs with ambition in winning titles and CL titles loses out on CL money they invest to get back in.. but with us we use it as justification for not spending big.. is bang on!!
          If we are fighting with 3 other teams for top 4? Way behind city and Scousers.. lets be fair all the teams around us will invest (apart from spuds who will suffer from stadium dept for next 5 years and have peaked under poch) with this yank “corporation” running our club we wont get the investment we need to compete for PL or CL like we been promised for last 10 years.. let’s not forget kroneke just bought out usamov for how ever much.. so will see this excuse now for lack of spending for probably next 10 years just like last 10 years of paying of the stadium dept.. it will be the usamov buy out dept lol!!

          we need to finish in top 4.. which is in our own hands now and is most certainly achievable.. then who knows in the summer we may pull off a couple of big signings.. hopefully smash rennes tomorrow and get a favourable draw next round I’ll be happy!! Either way winning europa or top 4 finish we need CL next season.. so then they can’t use that as a excuse not to spend in the summer.

  3. As one of the only clubs in the world to have paid for their stadium and have little or no debts but have millions from the gate and merchandising how the bloody hell are not able to compete with the other teams? It all comes down to Kronke and his insistance on the club being run like a small business…not acceptable sunshine. My own feeling after supporting now for over 70 years is that one splurge of competative money would set us up for titles etc for up to 10 years. But buying on the cheap and old finished players is chaos theory. We have now a basis of a good team, four world class youngish players could get us back where we belong.

  4. One final thought is why not bring back George Graham as defensive coach its obvious to all that Bouldy has no idea !

    1. Just give each defender a copy of Fever Pitch, a 50m length of rope and send them out and practice raising their right arms in unison ?

  5. We have been subject to profiteering owners for some time – the new ground was the key, didn’t turn out that way : there are always “reasons” or excuses depending on your perspective but our owners have NO desire to win unless it is done on the cheap and we need to accept that is the new reality once the club sold out some time ago.
    We used to be a Football Club now we are just another private enterprise looking to make a profit for its owner

  6. John Cross was not present at the fans’ forum meeting this quote comes from. I was and being clever in the transfer market is not the same as having a limited budget. No figure was mentioned. John Cross has clearly turned his hand to fiction.

  7. Spurs have already shown how to build a team on a tight budget. The downside is it takes time. First you identify young players with potential then work to make them better players. It might take two or three seasons before the player really makes an impact. The upside is if you make a mistake its a lot less expensive and you only pay them high wages after they’ve earned them. You can also arguably get better players that way. Spurs bought Eriksen at around the same time Arsenal bought Ozil for about a third of the cost. At the time Ozil would have been regarded as the better player, I don’t think any neutral would say the same thing now. There’s no reason Arsenal couldn’t go down the same road as Spurs. If you do though you can’t keep changing managers, you need stability. If you are focused on buying the finished product, players who can make an instant impact, then you need to overhaul your scouting system. Since everyone wants the finished product and the best players its an expensive market to shop in.

    1. Spurs have won nothing from the way they are ran.yes they play some good football ,but that dosent win you medals .
      You say eriksen and ozil were bought the same time and now eriksen is the better player .
      I believe since they were both signed eriksen as won how many medals ?
      I know which one I would prefer

    2. “Spurs have already shown how to build a team on a tight budget.” And where exactly would Spurs be without Kane? And also, what exactly have Spurs won to make their transfer dealings so desirable?

      “I don’t think any neutral would say the same thing now.” You don’t think any neutral would say that Ozil is better than Erikson? Even though his stats over the last 5 years are nothing close to Ozils? Even though Ozil is the one with 3 FA cups and 1 world cup in those years?

      “There’s no reason Arsenal couldn’t go down the same road as Spurs.” What, and win absolutely nothing just as they have? Yeah, what an inspiration!

      Are you an Arsenal fan or a Spurs fan? Literally your entire comment is just absolutely gushing over Spurs.

    1. The ornacle had said in Jan no CL circa 40 million with CL up to 100 million.
      I know upto is subjective but gives confidence that we could have a reasonable pot.

      Also they gave examples of clever spending for the 2018 summer window when we spent circa 70 million.

      Clearly if we get monchi the target will be unpolished diamonds rather that the finished article but in reality it makes a lot of sense.

      Take Alison for example Roma paid less than 10million two season s before selling him for inexces of 60

  8. Only a decent level of transfer spending on the defence will move arsenal on to the next level. By all means utilize the resources in the squad and those players out on loan. There will be no improvement unless they shut the back more effectively.

  9. I just can’t understand any owner of any business or team of any kind ,not wanting to excel in what there doing. Why did we sell to these uninterested Yankees. Spend your money please, is fans want to be winners

  10. Anything with “the mirror ” in it should be treated with the contempt it deserves.
    A trash newspaper fit for putting in my cat lit tray…

  11. Surely we will have more. We need atleast 80-100m

    Under will cost 30m
    A new LB, RB & CB will cost 70m
    Hopefullly we can get Rabiot for free for CM

    1. The reported figure of £40 million is also before any player sales, it is the worst case scenario.
      Arsenal could get around £10 million for Monreal, £25 million for Mustafi, if we wanted to sell Chambers then I bet we could get £35 million for him… English so bump his value up from about £20 million 😛

      That is £70 million before the £40 million we could get if missing out on UCL/UEL football.

      We could add more to these funds by selling Xhaka (Sign Rabiot as direct replacement), if we could get £30 million for him then that could boost our transfer kitty up to about £100 million.

      I’m not as worried about the transfer kitty as most, I am of the opinion that we are not far away from being contenders and if we add in our youth system… A couple years and we will be laughing even if we don’t make any signings at all until then. I hope we do 😛 lol but I hope you also get what I mean, we are well placed when considering the future and not just next 6 weeks.

  12. “Surely we will have more.” Not unless we get into the champions league we won’t. A people already forgetting that we literally couldn’t spend a penny in January after only spending £70m in the summer?

  13. From where will the money come when we pay a certain magician 350000 per week to pull out some astonishing disappearing acts? Also PEA, Lac, Mihki are also on high wages with average contributions. Good PC is retiring, that will save some money. I think Emery will follow the Seville model of having lesser star names but a good organised hardworking unit. Now that Wenger trophy seems attainable, think he will remain for another year. Good luck to him.

    1. Yea because PEA isn’t near the top of the scoring charts is he ,don’t let facts stand in the way of a good post though mate lol.

    2. Laca is on high wages while average contributions?

      Laca = £140k a week.
      Lukaku = £200k a week
      Salah = £200k a week
      Aguero = £250k a week
      Kane = £200k a week
      Higuain = £270k a week

      1. Except Lukaku and Higuain, is Laca close to the caliber of the rest mentioned to earn 200k/week? And how many sitters has PEA missed (including the one against Spuds)?

        1. Basically I proved that Laca is earning his wage and you wanted to get onto Auba, who is earning more and could be singled out a bit easier.

          Are you a gooner?

    3. The “Wenger trophy”??? That same thing that Poch & the spuds are being plauded for achieving!
      The Daily Mail has finally admitted Arsene was right for saying how important it is being in the top 4 and it’s like a trophy! ? and after being in the EL for 2 seasons, I know which competition I’d rather be in

  14. The biggest issue is that the other clubs will not stand still. There is a lot of money in the EPL distributed amongst all clubs. As well as the current top 6, Wolves will be entering their second season after promotion from the Championship and have more money to invest; Usmanov, now that he has divested himself of his Arsenal shares can pour money into Everton for example. Who knows what may happen at Leicester City (Thai ownership) or Newcastle City (say if Mike Ashley sells)?
    Arsenal can’t afford to stand still and must invest (wisely) to compete. The books will make interesting reading, if accessible given Kroenke’s private ownership. Kroenke’s debt to buy out Usmanov is a real concern.

  15. I don’t like to go from a single story, if we look at other stories as well then we can paint a very different picture.

    Will Auba be offered a new deal at the end of this season? Raul & Co have indicated that any player with two years remaining and doesn’t sign a new deal will be sold, unless too old. Auba has resale value and as much as I hate to consider his sale, we do have Lacazette and not forgetting young Eddie who has impressed at every level he has been called to play.

    Same can be asked about Mkhi, iirc his contract will have two years remaining at the end of this season, will he be offered a new deal or sold?

    Ozil is almost in the same boat but his wages really hamper Rauls ability to move him on.

    Sokratis is also in the same position, his wages are not as high as the others and I could see him being offered a new deal quite easily if we sell Mustafi, he and Kos would be our only senior CBs and Kos is someone we should be looking to phase out.

    Mkhi and Auba though… They will be losing value from now on, they are on high wages, they are not unsellable due to mega wage.

    ElNeny isn’t irreplaceable, we could replace him with a kid who will put in equal passion but better potential and less wage. Why not use Willock and AMN more in replace of Elneny? No wage increase for the club at all or purchase costs.

    Chambers is doing alright in DM role, his value is increasing with good performances and he did sign a new deal before going on loan. Add in English tax and this is a valuable asset to cash in on if Emery will not use him.

    Xhaka could be seen as a potential asset to sell, if we can get a better CM for Emery style then why not? I’ll point to Rabiot, free, means Xhaka sale is pure cash for reinvestment in other areas.

    I can see Arsenal selling and getting in £100 million with ease.
    £55 mil for Auba
    £20 mil for Xhaka
    £25 mil for Chambers

    Because of the relative ease, we do not need to sell cheap, making it easier to get funds to reinvest, we just need a person capable of doing good deals… Obviously not me as you all can see XD

    1. I’d rather keep Chambers for DM and sell Mustafi.

      Chambers has shown good performances as a DM with some consistency as well. He’s good competition for Torreria and can play CB if needed due to injuries.

      Mkhi I’d sell if there was interest and invest in a winger. I’d sell Xhaka if someone would pay 30 million and go all out for Rabiot.

      I’d probably sell Auba if we could get 55 million or more. I think Laca offers more honestly; works harder, defends more, and can still impact match if not scoring.

      Auba is either banging goals or a passenger; either hot or cold, not much inbetween.

      We’ll see come the Summer if they are true to their word or just more of PR hype bullshit.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors