Football supporters are naturally impatient during the transfer window. Every rumour is dissected, every signing is compared and every day without an announcement can feel like a missed opportunity.
But as Dan Smith argues, there is a difference between strengthening a title-winning squad and simply spending money because everyone else is.
Have you ever known (or been) a child who has birthday or Christmas money burning a hole in their pocket?
They have zero concept of budgeting. They just want to buy something new, usually the first thing they see. As the adult, it’s your job to educate them, especially when you know they’ll be bored of the new toy within days and asking for something else a week later.
Now, I would never call my fellow Gooners childish, but some supporters do seem more frustrated by who Arsenal have not signed than by whether the players available actually represent value.
Like a parent dealing with a child desperate for the latest gadget because their friends have one, a section of our fanbase appears more concerned that our next-door neighbours are spending money than what they are actually spending it on.
At the end of last season, I didn’t hear many Arsenal fans suggesting the Premier League champions should spend close to £100 million on Sandro Tonali or around £85 million on Enzo Fernández.
That’s approaching £200 million on two midfielders who didn’t even feature at the World Cup.
Just say that out loud.
Portugal chose to leave one midfielder at home, while another was relegated with his club, yet those are the kinds of fees now being discussed.
Let’s put that into perspective.
It’s not as though Kylian Mbappé is moving across London.
Arsenal don’t have to pay over the odds
It isn’t a weakness if Arsenal refuse to pay inflated prices.
Football is still a business, and the Kroenke family didn’t become billionaires by investing in assets that weren’t worth their market value.
If you’re buying a house, you view the property, assess its condition and then decide whether you agree with the asking price.
You don’t make an offer simply to tick a box.
Arsenal have generated significant revenue over the past 12 months, but that doesn’t mean the club should spend for the sake of spending.
This isn’t me being arrogant, but we are currently the best team in the country having won the Premier League 2025/26.
We’re not in a position where we have to overpay just to improve the squad.
Success should not change sensible decision-making
I’ve heard people say, “Why should we care about money that isn’t ours?”
My answer has always been the same.
If you genuinely love your football club, you should want what’s best for it in every area, including how it spends its money.
I’ve got no issue with Arsenal paying more than £100 million for a footballer if that player dramatically improves our starting eleven.
So far this summer, though, I’m yet to see Andrea Berta lose out on anyone who falls into that category.
Dan Smith
Do you agree with Dan’s view? Should Arsenal remain patient and refuse to pay inflated transfer fees, or is this the summer to spend whatever it takes to stay ahead of the competition? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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“If you genuinely love your football club, you should want what’s best for it in every area, including how it spends its money.”
I don’t love the club – I’m too old to think like that. They’re selling a product and don’t love you back.
“I’ve got no issue with Arsenal paying more than £100 million for a footballer if that player dramatically improves our starting eleven.
So far this summer, though, I’m yet to see Andrea Berta lose out on anyone who falls into that category.”
I fear Rogers may have been such a player. Hope I’m wrong, but the way he played for villa last season, especially in the middle of it, could have helped us win the title earlier and saved us some legs for the final – you never know, could made all the difference.
117 million though ?
Thank you very much for your Input. Guimares who will be 29 in 2 months time and we should pay 80, I don’t care how much of an improvement he adds but with that money, Give Me Alex Scott all day. If Newcastle will accept between 60&65. Deal
I wouldn’t be disappointed if Arsenal don’t sign any big money players until they are able to move Jesus, Norgard, Martinelli, Nelson and probably Kai Harvert on. Any form of buying now completely blocks the pathway for the academy to develop and come into the squad. I really look forward to seeing Nwaneri, Dowman and co doing great things in the team this season. I hope Nwaneri especially gives us the reason to rejoice for not signing Rogers.
Correct. The impatient fans should also remember that our wage bill is huge and maybe Arsenal almost breach the FFP rules after spending around one billion to build the EPL winning squad
The club might have to sell one or two of their main players first, before signing a marquee player
Rogers’ best position is CAM, so Arsenal should’ve sold Odegaard or Eze first if they wanted to sign him. I think Rogers knew that he’d likely play LW if he joins Arsenal, hence Chelsea that will give him an AM position in their 3-4-2-1 formation
it’s okay mate
we are not close to breaching FFP rules
UEFA rules are stricter than the EPL rules, and we’re fine in both regards.
We don’t need to sell any players to acquire a new marquee signing, in other words. It’s quite possible that none of the players being talked about as being available are sold this window if no interesting offers come in.
Market value drives the prices. No one talks about how much Rice cost anymore. Regardless, there was little risk with Rice he was going to either be very good or great, and as it turned out he has been great. The most important thing for me is to buy players who improve the team. That said, not all top players are without risk. Not all adapt immediately to the PL, some never adapt. I think Rogers was low risk even at the inflated price. I shudder at the thought of Nico Williams who l would consider a high risk even at 65 million. We have another ~ 40 days left in the window to get our preferred targets and without panicking.
Yeah, we’d all love to see a shiny new player arrive this window, but they are clearly being very picky, as they should be really.
The horse has bolted on this one. Unfortunately you have to be in it to win it. Still if the rumours of Martinelli being available for 60 million are true, then we are underselling ourselves once again. So much rubbish has already gone for more. For that price I can’t see us finding a better or cheaper replacement, unless we’ve spotted some emerging talent on South America or Asia.
While I agree we shouldn’t pay over-the-counter top prices we also need to avoid second rate players.
I agree with the article, we should not be pressured in paying over the odds but we should also consider the current market price increase and find a balance. Did tottenham overspend? Yes. Would i take tonali for 100mil? yes. Would i take mateus fernandes for 85mil? No. Separate cases imo, one has done it for years, is prem proven and entering his prime years. The other one had 1 standout year and will be a huge gamble. Would i take scott, wharton etc for the quoted prices? Definitely not. Imo the best possible signing for midfielder is the one we are targetting, bruno g ( 2nd option would be tonali), we just need to find the right balance on the fee and get this done. We have a very good team as it is. You can spend 500mil and not improve the team (would bringing in rodgers for 117mil really improve us, considering we would lose martinelli and restrict the minutes of someone like eze) or make 1-2 marquee signings (if the right players become available-barcola, alvarez, bruno g) and heavily strengthen the starting 11 as well. It takes patience, negotiation skills and player availability. Besides st, lw, cm, i think we could also use a full back with different characteristics than those currently in the roster. Could be a backup option or even someone who would challenge for a starting position, depending on the money spent on the other positions. Lewis hall and daniel munoz would be great options for either side, in case we cannot find proper upgrading in the other spots.
I’m with the club when it comes to them refusing to pay over the odds for said player. As frustrating as it might be for some fans, what would be the point in paying over the odds and finding you’ve signed a dud.
I know that there is risk in every transfer the club makes, but I think it better to pay a sensible fee and find the player to be a dud, than to spend recklessly to find out.
Talking about transfers, I notice today that Chelsea have signed Roger’s, they’ve had a bid for Scott turned down, and they are interested in Stones.
I think there getting ready to offload another one of their duds on us. 😂🤣
Fortunately it appears they have offloaded Garnacho to Villa, so that’s one less horrible Chelsea reject to worry about, haha.
Bergkampfwagen,
😂🤣👍
Arsene Wenger was spot on when he called the inflated Transfer Fees ‘Financial Doping’
We all know that he had both Chelsea under Abramovich and Man City under the Arab in mind when he said that.
Abramovich is now long gone (Not long enough some might say) and the Arab is still there.
Financial Doping is still with us in the Transfer Market.
It’s no surprise that Chelsea took a hit for their Transfer dealings and excesses a couple of seasons ago – and Man City are under an eternal investigation over the 115 charges – and at some point will very likely be sanctioned in some way by UEFA – which will tarnish their ‘successful 12 years they keep crowing about.
Arsenal have always spent, and should always continue to spend within their financial means – and should continue to set a solid financial example.
For Trophy / Silverware success to be genuine and real it shouldn’t be based on which club has the biggest cheque book.
The Kroenke’s are supporting the Club Financially – we’re Premier League Champions, and were a
a whisker away from winning the European Cup.
We don’t need to ‘break the bank’ to achieve success – the 2025 – 2026 season that’s just finished proved that.