Arsenal need to continue with their prudent transfer policy

Arsenal’s Transfer Philosophy is Right by AI

There are not a lot of things currently going right with Arsenal as it is. One of the things going right on the button though is our transfer policy. The thing about transfer policies is that they are very contextual and situational in nature.

Manchester City, for example, ignoring their UEFA ban, are a club chasing their first Champions League in the medium term. Their squad is already one of the best around in the world. They have incredible depth in every position except for at centreback. And considering that they have bright youth players coming up through their academy, their transfer policy will be a careful search for world-class talents at the central defense position and reinforcements at wherever their head coach suggests. They have the financial power to pursue almost any player in the world and this makes such a policy a feasible one for them.

Arsenal are not in that position. We do not have external investment pouring like a flood into the team. Our squad has significant holes in places. The chances of a Champions League spot are slim and Europa League qualification is not assured. We are already walking a tightrope financially.

Our transfer policy therefore must be one that would most likely yield a Champions League spot in the nearest future. Of course, we could go all gung-ho next season and snap up big names in a bid to qualify immediately. But with the strength of other teams in the league and the state of our finances, it would be a great risk to do so.

Luckily, the team is not in total shambles. The defense is actually stable now and the attack is not so bad. The likes of Saliba are coming in to reinforce this defense, while the attack will get even better with the likes of Nketiah, Martinelli, Saka, Nelson being more experienced along with the likes of Aubameyang and Pepe.

The attacking midfield is our biggest issue as it is. We’ve bled too much in the way of technical and athletic ability in recent years. We need to recharge our creative juices. A big talent like 2014 Ozil will be absolutely critical here. That sort of transfer is still within the reach of our basic budget. With the potential sales of fringe players like Mkhitaryan, Elneny and one or two out of this current squad, we could afford another good addition to midfield. If Lacazette is sold, then we potentially have enough left to have another great transfer window.

This optimistic outlook on our upcoming transfer window has only been made possible by the past two ones, in which we have purchased great talents below their market value and have almost plugged up the defense and attack. Coming into this season, we all felt this was close to our strongest squad in years. Now it would be even more better if the Arsenal board persist with the sensible transfer policy from the last two seasons.

Agboola Israel

21 Comments

  1. We need 2 or 3 transfer off season windows with big investments to become competitive. In the last one the club invested serious money but the buyers and Emery didnt gambled with the money via Pepe acquisition and lost. So we have to start afresh.

  2. We’re two years down the line, and the consistently horrific mistakes of Wenger and Gazidis in the transfer market are still dictating what we can, and cannot do. I fear it will be at least another one or two years until we finally get to grips with the problem.

    We might have to offload Auba and Laca to generate some funds, because can anyone really see being able to finally offload the likes of: Ozil, Miki, Mustafi, Xhaka, Bellerin, Luiz, etc, all in one transfer window? Even if do manage to sell, we’ll get peanuts because of their wages, and form.

  3. If I were MA and I know I’m not,I would have a busy summer,first selling or loan players already on loan this season,with Saliba,Mari,Luiz in defence I’d sell Sokratis, Mustafi,Kola,keep Chambers, Holding, Soares,sell Bellerin and buy a better,younger RB and a cover for Tierney,then in midfield try to keep Ceballos if we can’t look for his replacement,a new proven DM and sell Xhakha ,and if we could offload Ozil ,but a playmaker,and finally only if Auba is sold we’ll need a proven goalscorer!is it unrealistic?please let me know thanks.i think money wise it is doable between fix budget and money recouped from sales/loans fees and wages/spaces freed!!

  4. A good article to discuss.

    While acknowledging your thoughts, I suggest that we haven’t been prudent at all, especially since gazidis introduced the new regime three and a half years ago and officially took over the buying, selling and contract negotiations for the club (when we got our Arsenal back!!!).

    Here are some examples, with reported salaries since then:
    Lichtsteiner – £90,000 a week
    Mkhitaryan – £120,000 a week
    David Luiz – £125,000 a week
    Nicolas Pepe£140,000 a week
    Sokratis Pap-£92,000 a week

    Add to that the grotesque wage of Ozil at a reported £350,000 a week, plus the new and improved contracts given to the likes of Iwobi, when UE took over, certainly paint a less than prudent picture I suggest?

    On top of that, UE on a reported £6,000,000 a year, was hardly the deal of the day was it? Especially as he left with the £12,000,000 it is reported after getting sacked.
    Then add the costs of sacking AW’s backroom staff, employing UE’s backroom staff, sacking them and then employing MA’s backroom staff, the picture becomes horrendous…affecting our transfer policies of course.

    Let’s wait and see what the club decide to do with regards to Auba, then we will see the path that kronkie will be taking us down – if he invests in Auba’s reported claim of £300,000 a week, do we become a “big club” as was the claim when Ozil was given his ludicrous salary, or do we become a “selling club” as was the claim when Sanchez left for manure?
    We really can’t have it both ways and still expect MA to compete for the top four, as AW did so successfully for 20years.

    1. MANY GOOD COMMENTS AND ALSO SOME OTHER GOOD THOUGH SURPRISING ONES, SALARY WISE, ABOUT “YOU KNOW WHO” FROM YOU, DEAR KEN!

      What we have always agreed on and will continue to agree is the immense harm that the ghastly and appalling Gazidis has done ,which will still affect us for quite some time to come, to the current financial limitations of our beloved club. I reckon that this “man”, (well, he is anatomically a man!) is responsible for over half a billion pounds worth of damage to us. I try actively not to hate all but the most evil human beings. But in his case I MAKE AN EASY EXCEPTION.

      1. I agree about the owners but realistically there is nothing we can do about it,I just hope that MA got assurances about the budget when he took the job and if so that the club will back him up, secondly that MA realises he needs a good clear out(last summer I think it was around 13 players who were either sold or loaned)that would be a good start!

      2. Not really Jon, as regarding Ozil, I have ALWAYS maintained that no one is worth that kind of salary – my gripe has always been that his salary is used to vilify the man and use it as a reason to judge his performance on the pitch, plus the reason for all our ills – MA doesn’t see it like this thank goodness BUT if he did in the future, I would back MA, why that seems strange I DON’T UNDERSTAND.

        With regards to GAZIDIS, that is one of the subjects we have always agreed on and I really do wish that others remember when he actually took over (along with the new regime) the areas I mentioned above…three and a half years ago and counting!!!
        Your figure of half a billion is astounding and sets this man apart from anyone else in the damage wreaked on The Arsenal – it makes the loss of David Dein an even worse episode in the history of our club.

        It seems he is now causing the same problems at Milan, with players (ex and current) demanding he leaves…what goes around comes around, the only problem being, he makes £millions destroying other peoples visions and dreams!!!

  5. Yes. At this rate we will win the Premier League in 2055. So we are right on track

    Keep up the good work Arsenal

    1. Innit, funnily enough, if we do win it in 2055, it will still be less than the length of time that lot down the road will have taken!!!!
      and how long was it before city actually became champions under the ownership of a country?

      Yes, we have our problems, but let’s not forget what our club is all about and our history in England is second to none…the longest top flight club in the history of football.

  6. Spot on ThirdMan.Wenger and Gazidis have indeed a lot to answer for but so have our aging Directors who should have the decency to admit their error of judgement in the appointment of Emery.We need some younger,more dynamic Directors to create a more positive outlook for the future and not a group who seem happy to sit quietly in the background and pocket their fees.

    1. I disagree with you Grandad,still blaming Wenger,ok he made mistakes when it comes to some players he bought but do you really think he had free reins and all the money he wanted?I don’t think so,it is just that he took the blame for many things unlike Emery!Wenger had to sell our best players in order to balance the books,money that wasn’t reinvested in the squad,this summer (1st time since 2002)even before buying players we have to make up for a loss of 23 or 27M which doesn’t include further losses if we fail to qualify for CL football,is he to be blamed for that too??

      1. Siamois, like your response to Grandad, some very good questions for him to reply to.

        I would also ask like to ask him to name one single manager/coach who has not made any mistakes over just one season, let alone 22 seasons?

        Absolutely agree with the members of the board, one was even reorted as saying that he didn’t know what he was there to do (or words to that effect).

  7. This summer would not surprise me if we actually went out and tried to make a profit in the transfer business we do or at least stay level. I know to some that sounds wrong but thats the reality of spending and selling poorly over the last few years. We gambled last summer for CL football spending money we really did not have. No CL football will mean, no money and a rethink as far as spending goes. If we buy a player for 40 mil, i would think that is because we will or have sold one for 50 mil. Thats just the way it will be.

      1. A very depressing summary Reggie
        People who are supposed to be at the top of their game in business but can do so much damage to our club whilst lining their own pockets in the meantime

      2. Very truthful, Reggie. Arsenal need to go back to basics and use their scouting network far better. Buys like Sokratis, Luiz, Lichtsteiner, have been nothing but reckless and expensive patches to longterm issues. And they are all hard to sell too (excluding Lich who thank god we only signed for one year). Arsenal should focus on selling the tons of players that are not up for it. I was really surprised we even held onto as many players as we did last summer. Facts are it is going to be a conservative summer in terms of spending, so Arsenal will have to make smart purchases, take some risks on some unknowns too. Dont always look abroad, there are some players with good potential in the relegation sides, and championship teams. Focus on building a core group of players and not just throwing patches on positions that need filling. I think Martinelli/Pepe/Saliba/Saka are current players that can create a solid foundation with the right midfield (because right now I include no midfield in the entire squad that is good enough for this core).

        1. It hasn’t got to be depressing Sue, it has to be prudent and intelligent, like Rsh says, thats something we haven’t been for years. Things have to change and quickly, it seems too often, every summer we are having a clear out.

  8. In the summer

    Sell:
    Auba only if he wants to go – $50m
    Laca hopefully we can get $45m
    Sokratis – $10m
    Xhaka – $30m
    Miki – $10m
    Elneny – $5m
    Ozil to anyone to get wages off
    AMN – $20m
    Kola – $20m
    Torreira only if he wants and we find a suitable replacement – $30m

    Buy:
    CB: Torres/Maghalles – $30m
    RB: Aarons – $25m
    CB/LB: Matvyienko – $30m
    CM: Szobsozlai – $20m
    Wing: Benhrama – $15m
    DM: Zakaria – $30m
    DM: Pape Gueye – $15m
    CAM: Korku – $20m
    ST: David – $20m
    Try keep Cellabos – $20m

    Team:
    Leno
    Bellerin Torres Salilba Tierney
    Zakaria Doucoure
    Pepe Szobsozlai Saka
    Martinelli

    2nd Team:
    Martinez
    Aaron’s Mustafi Mari Matvyienko
    Guendozi Cellabos
    Nelson ESR Benhrama
    Nketiah

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