Lets assume for a moment that our interest in Aubameyang is not a publicity stunt (you ever wonder why we are the only club who seem to take two weeks to negotiate?). If we sign the Gabon striker (my previous article tells you why I don’t think we will) Arsenal will only be spending money we have made through outgoings.
With the Sanchez saga dominating headlines it’s easy to forget that in the background we have made our squad weaker with the selling of Szczesny, Gills, Ox, Coquelin, Gabriel, Walcott and other fringe players. A portion of that income covered Lacazette but do the maths and we are still one of the few clubs in England who have managed to get a slice of a billion pound TV deal yet make a profit. So there is no excuse for us not to make any signing before the end of this month.
The Mkhitaryan transfer is the type our board pride themselves on. They have acquired an asset in the region 0f 30 million (a price they would refuse to pay if he were on the transfer list) for the sake of an individual who was no value to them in 3 months. In the meantime they have slashed the wage bill.
Even in the case of offering Jack Wilshire a new contract, they want to save money. So as our money men are in Germany purposely about to miss our on a world class player because they can’t stump up an extra 10m million, they continue to contradict all the reports and and surveys we hear about just how rich Arsenal are, how much revenue they make, and worse how much cash they take off the fans.
In other words in today’s era there is no reason for us to be so stingy. If they truly were interested in Aubameyang, Evans, etc they have the resources to do the deals as quick as you see Chelsea and Man City complete theirs. This is why I continue to doubt the sincerity in our current business deals (I hope I am wrong).
But when we get to February the 1st and the explanation for no signings are ‘we were only after top players and couldn’t find value in the market’ that’s not true. If Arsenal wanted Aubameyang, they pay the asking price, simple, anything else is to throw us off the scent. Instead of chasing stars with offers you know their clubs will say no, why don’t you be honest and find value?
Lets just accept for a moment that Arsenal’s real priority is to keep money in the bank so the criteria is to strengthen a failing squad without paying over the odds. Surely a Daniel Sturridge would meet that criteria. Liverpool are willing to allow him to go on loan and while they wouldn’t want to help a top 4 rival in that regard would surely accept 20-30 million for a player not part of their plans? Most of my fellow gooners will right away point to his injury record but for that price surely it’s worth the gamble. when fit he’s a better finisher then what we have.
Klopp is also not the type of manager not to sell just because we are a threat to them in terms of the Champion’s League. He has the class and respect where he doesn’t play those type of games. He would trust his instincts and beliefs and those tell him that Sturridge does not fit into his philosophy.
We as fans need to stop being arrogant. We need to accept where we are, 6th in the league with a gap growing between us and the rest. The days of us attracting top players is over, we now need to think outside the box and take a punt on a few players.
I hope I’m wrong about Aubameyang but if we fail I won’t accept hearing that there is no plan B available (Aubam
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eyang by the way is 5-1 to stay at Dortmund, just saying)….
Dan Smith