If you were a club truly looking for a bargain, you could have acquired for a season Lokonga, Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Zinchenko for a fee of around 5 million. That is not factoring in wages of course, and that is the issue. These are players not good enough to be at this level but being paid like they are, meaning when they drop down the pyramid, those clubs are not willing to carry on paying salaries designed for talent who play in the Champions League.
It meant it was almost impossible for Andrea Berta to raise funds this summer because, as predicted, buyers waited until the final day of the window, and even the last few hours, to call his bluff. Why would Nottingham Forest feel the need to offer a transfer fee for Zinchenko if he is out of contract this time next year?
So Edu Gasper of all people essentially offered to take over our left back’s deal, compensating us with a small loan fee. Our only other choice was to pay the defender to sit at home for 12 months, because that is how far down the pecking order he reached.
Loan culture at Arsenal
Because it is only a loan to Brentford, it means Reiss Nelson clings on to his Gunners career simply because no one is investing money on top of his 100,000 pounds a week earnings. Why would they once they realise Arsenal are content just not to have to pay him? Academy talent was on the bench at Anfield instead of the 26-year-old.
No loan fee from the Bees has been made public. Hamburg have confirmed they did not have to pay a loan fee to take Fabio Vieira to Germany. All they have to do is cover his wages and they have an option to make the deal permanent for 20 million. Arsenal had little room for a counter offer because it was say yes or pay the Portuguese to not play. So there is a good chance in the next summer window we are in the same situation regarding Nelson and Vieira, accepting another loan or offering a massive discount.
Surely for their own careers, these players want to feel settled somewhere and part of the team? Our new Director of Football’s hands have been tied in these negotiations because in reality the Italian would have adopted the same strategy himself. His employers have for a long time made it too obvious how desperate they are to sell, which in a game of poker is like showing the world what cards you have.
A bad habit that must stop
This policy stretches back to the Ozil saga, which still divides opinion today. The German’s contract was ripped up because the priority was to reduce the wage bill. If anyone thought that was a one-off, the same happened to Aubameyang, not coincidentally also our top earner at the time. A sign should have been put outside the Emirates saying “players available, no transfer fee required, not a joke”.
Essentially anyone who did not fit into Mikel Arteta’s ethos was written off. Our owners should have stepped in and insisted part of his job was to get the best out of the resources around him. Yet once the Spaniard insisted someone did not suit his principles, they were removed from the wage bill.
Instead of trying a proper business plan, the decision was to fast track assets out of the door. The quicker the exit, the smaller the balance sheet. It was like a meeting was held and it was decided that no one would match the money these players were on, so rip everything up and start again. Pepe, Sokratis, Bellerin, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Willian, Mkhitaryan, Chambers and Tomiyasu all had contracts ripped up early. That is a crazy amount of names in such a short time.
Maitland-Niles was loaned out until his contract expired, which is now the situation Zinchenko, Vieira and Nelson will be in. Nothing the last two can do will change their employers’ minds, as the loan is not set up for their development but simply to save money.
It would help if our boss was less transparent about his thought process. Could he not have at least pretended this summer that everyone had a future in North London? At the weekend the 43-year-old preferred to travel to Merseyside with youth players rather than experienced professionals who could be trusted off the bench. By leaving them at home you are telling the rest of the market you do not rate them. A potential suitor then assumes that if you are too lazy to try and get a fee for others, are you really going to haggle over a price for Nelson?
I am sure there was a point in August when Berta pretended that was the case, but you knew he blinked first because he had to. This has been a bad habit that has gone on for too long. Hopefully this is the last group of players this happens to?
Your thoughts welcome in the comments.
Dan Smith
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That’s what happen when you pay ridiculous wages to squad players. Edu and the previous team responsible for these contract negotiations did a terrible job. Berta has shown how much of a rookie he was. The clubs that would be interested to buy them don’t even approach as they wouldn’t or couldn’t offer the same wages and players rarely entertain lowering them. As such we are forced to take lower transfer fees to compensate or the players run their contracts down before settling for a lower wage contract from interested clubs.
Take gyokeres case as example how the player and agent waived the wages, performance bonus and commission fee to lower the overall cost of the transfer.
Wenger correctly predicted players running down their contracts would become more common in future years because of high transfer fees.
This isn’t just an Arsenal problem, but it’s one that often comes up at the Emirates. The club signs players on huge salaries, but if it doesn’t work out, those same wages make it nearly impossible to sell them. We see it time and time again—players stuck on the bench, picking up a massive paycheck but seeing their careers stall.
From a player’s perspective, I’d rather be playing my day job, wouldn’t you? Sitting on the bench, no matter how much you’re earning, must be soul-crushing. I’d take a pay cut just to get on the pitch with another club. A few years of inactivity at a top club can kill a career faster than anything.
I really applaud the move to send all 5 out even on loan. They’re given ample time to show their value but they proved their are not in the level of a top class team. If money is gained through the sale, honesty it’s for the owner but what I wanted to see was their departure which made me jovial. Sometimes I perceive I’m better than a certain scout for from the very beginning I was saying Vieira will never and ever be a success at Arsenal due to his diminutive stature and lack of proactiveness in his play. Arsenal already bought and stockpiled for at least next 3 seasons. There’s one player who hibernated like a Troy horse who still escaped from the clear out. You know his name starts with m and ends with i. Berta surely has earmarked him for January sale.
It’s better for them to be loaned out than to be paid to sit at home here in Arsenal.
I’m beginning to think there is nothing our club will do that will please you Dan.
What a depressing ordeal it must be for you following our club through thick and thin!!
Ken, if we won the PL I dare say he’d moan that we didn’t do unbeaten.
Good write up Dan ,
Seems some fans believe we have an endless pot of money where money is not needed coming the other way .
Sorry was t ment to be a reply .
Winning the Prem would be good lol
How about if repeat what Newcastle did last season ?
*if we
I don’t see what’s wrong with the points that Dan is making. It’s been a problem now for some seasons.
Clubs know full well that Arsenal will at some point want to clear out some of their fringe players and that’s being kind.
But they know all they have to do is wait to the end of the window and just go for loaning said players.
I really don’t see what the gripe is. All Dan is doing is commenting on the clubs recent history regards player outgoings and the lack of any profit for Arsenal.
And having read on here by several poster’s over time regarding not winning trophy’s, but are happy to finish in the top four and the club getting all the money that brings with it, now all of a sudden, Dan points out the lack of money regarding player sales and gets criticized for it.
Make up your mind people.
It’s not the whole picture though is it? Do you want a title challenging team or one that can just about challenge for the top 4? How does developing a title challenging team align with a focus on maximising value for underperforming senior players? How do you develop your younger talent when you have so many senior players who are not at an elite level or are past their peak?
Loaning players that you can’t sell or whose value you want to preserve is inevitable in some situations. It happens at many clubs.
The author regularly comes up with these type of articles that superficially look good to some fans who are just interested in suggesting that everything the club or the manager do is poor.
The suggested solutions however generally lack coherence or credibility when you look deeper into them.
The plan that the club has progressed up to now means that Arsenal now have one of the best squads they have had in years.
David agreed regarding one of the best squads they have had in years.
But no matter how you dress it up, it doesn’t change the fact that regards player transfers have been and still continue to be an issue with this club.
It can’t be right that the best we can hope for is a loan with a possible option to buy or an obligation to buy. There’s absolutely no doubt that other clubs see us as a soft touch regarding recruiting our players.
Argue with it as much as you like. Just look over recent seasons, and compare our sales to loans ratio. It’s plain to see.
I am not dressing anything up. There are players that had to be moved on. Ideally, you want to get good fees for them. However, sometimes you can’t. Several of the players are on high salaries or not at a high enough level. So what do you do with those players?
Just complaining that “it can’t be right” is not a solution.
What the club have done is to raise levels right across the most of the first team. This makes the team more competitive and if successful will raise profiles in event of future transfers. What the author proposed is not a credible alternative for Arsenal who are aiming to challenge for major titles.
If that’s the case David, why can’t we get top money for the players who are part of the “best squad we’ve had for years?”
Could it be that we paid to much for them in the beginning, then put them on ridiculous salaries and then let them stagnate on the bench?
Spot on Ken1945. 👍
It’s only a problem for a select few ,we all know why .
Did you answer my question about the so called petition I arranged DK, as I forget what article you first brought it up on?
Jon fox petition bud .
Can you elaborate Dan?
He can’t Michelle, as you can confirm.
There has never been a petition, just a figment of Dankit’s imagination.
What ! ,so I made up the fact you wanted a petition to get Jonny boy back on JA ?
Where did I say there was one ,all I said to David is that he might be lucky if you Ken was goi g to go through with your petition talk .
Wriggle away Dan, we all make mistakes 😂
So you did t say it then Ken ?
I mean I could find the post if you like .
I didn’t start a petition to reinstate anybody DK and that was your accusation.
There’s only one person who can do that and it’s Michelle I believe.
It’s nice to know that you believe any suggestion I make (in humour or otherwise) carries so much weight, it becomes a fact, but, sadly, that’s not the case, although others will say it’s a blessing in disguise!!
Lols ,good old Ken with his deflection.
There are a handful of clubs that survive on the profligacy of the few at the top of the pile
Such as Brighton, Brentford and of late, Bournemouth which is well run by Iraola. They need the big transfers to rebuild on a regular basis – a rolling situation
Some at the top are historically able financially to get rid of valuable players but it’s few and far between
Arsenal have an appalling record and have done for years
Well said Sue.. “Trading” Clubs such as Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth are well managed on and off the pitch whereas the “big boys” including Arsenal and in particular Man Utd have been far from sensible in their recruitment in recent years.
It’s a problem, but financially we’re very healthy. It just looks bad on some Skysports graphics. Not really bothered and something that is going to take time to change our reputation on. When we bring in risky signings we have to offer lower wages is the main takeaway. Nelson on 100k was criticized heavily here at the time because we all knew the club just made him impossible to sell and he’s an injury prone player. Bonehead decision by the club. Lokonga, Vieira, we failed to make them attractive to mid-table clubs which is the market they fit best in. But their wages do not. Of course it’s difficult because there is an expectation of higher than normal wages at English clubs, but if other teams are able to sort it out, Arsenal need to as well. Zinchenko it’s disappointing he is leaving for free, but tbh nothing could be done about that and he was actually a worthwhile investment. Some of the best attacking football under Arteta was with him in the team.
I believe this was the reason we were quick to sell nketiah and smith at the beginning of last season. The problem is not so much in the difficulty and near impossibility of selling the players , we should also look at the purchasing of such players regarded or projected to become talents, which is merely a hope, a hope that never materialised.
Vierra, marqinhous, sambi lokonga were all touted as the next great stars but non of them have come good. Nelson is home grown so I will excuse him , then theres the guys bought with outrageous amounts of money and even given huge wages. Look at Jesus and if Havertz injury becomes malignant and protracted , it would be near impossible to offload him with that salary he is recieving. I see him and Jesus running down Thier contracts.
We need to do better in the recruitment office and have better negotiators .
We lose even during transfer windows 🙁… oh poor Arsenal. Imagine rejecting a £20M bid for Maitland-Niles, only to end up begging clubs to take him on loan later. Same story with Reiss Nelson—kept around just because of one big goal. Arteta and Edu acting all sentimental instead of just being ruthless and logical.
Then there’s Fábio Vieira—£35M and decent wages, only to drop him the second he dipped in form. Meanwhile Havertz, Ødegaard, Martinelli… they can play badly for weeks and still walk straight into the lineup. If the so-called “fringe players” were trusted and given the same patience, half of them would’ve either come good or at least had decent resale value.
And honestly? We should’ve cashed in on Martinelli this window if that £40M bid was real. But no, here we are again, holding players like they’re priceless antiques. Same old Arsenal🙁🙁
We have always been rubbish at selling on players, this is nothing new. In this summer transfer window we had a NET spend of £257 million the highest in the PL, Liverpool having splurged close to half a billion pounds end up with a net spend of £218 million and City £90 million. These are figures reported by Sky who show incomings of just £10m for us during this window. Apparently MA has now spent over £1 billion over the 5+ years he has been here. I used to be one of those bemoaning the lack of funds provided by the Kroenkes – not now!!
Some terrible signings Arteta and Edu have made over the last few years, Nelson should have never been given a new deal in the first place, same as Nketiah when they gave him a new deal only to sell him to Palace a year later, Arsenal were lucky Palace were daft enough to take him off our hands, both are championship level players, Nketiah has been rubbish at Palace and also when he was on loan at Leeds.
Dave, regarding Nketiah, if he hadn’t have been given a new contract we would’ve had to pay out for a new striker that would’ve cost a lot more than the £5,2m wage. We sold him for £30m iirc, so all in all, that was a good deal
The loaning out of our players, and then letting them leave for peanuts or giving them away has been going on for at least a decade, it really does need to stop.
Herr Drier,
Couldn’t have put it better myself.