Arsenal have made proposals to ‘very attractive’ players: Ornstein
David Ornstein has told Sky Sports that Arsenal are selling an exciting project to potential signings.
It is believed that the Gunners are trying to put behind a dismal season with strong activity in the transfer market this summer.
Many reports, which was later confirmed by Mikel Arteta himself, already suggested that Arsenal’s plan for the upcoming show window had already been done.
Those plans involved three possibilities: 1) Qualifying for the Champions League via Europa League.
This would have been the easiest and most effective way out for Arsenal’s summer rebuild.
The club would have been able to attract higher profile players due to the charm of Europe’s elite competition. They also would have added finances to make many alterations to the current squad. But it is known to all that Arsenal came short after an insipid defeat to Villarreal in the semis of EL.
2) Qualifying for Europa League via the league.
The North London outfit still would have been able to attract players, but not of the same caliber if they had qualified for Europe’s second tier competition. But being in Europa League would have been better than no continental football at all, in financial terms.
3) Being completely out of Europe was the last possibility and which now looks like the most likely one.
But it is worth pointing out that qualification to the UEFA Conference league would not dramatically increase the North London outfit’s transfer kitty.
Without continental football, it would be extremely difficult to make Arsenal a compelling destination. But if the club has done a good groundwork on their transfer targets, the deficiency of no European football can be covered.
Leicester are a good example of that team. The Foxes gradually improved the quality of the team by selling a project to their prospective players, rather than being an attractive destination who played European football.
Arsenal have no chance but to sell a good project to the players who would have otherwise moved to Champions League clubs. They might also have a slight advantage by being a “big name” across Europe.
Raul Sanllehi, the former Chief Executive of Arsenal, wasn’t exaggerating by any means when he said two years back, “When Arsenal knock on a player’s door, it is a different knock.”
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David Ornstein confirmed that Arsenal are indeed selling ‘an impressive project’ to their transfer targets.
“Edu & Arteta are selling an impressive project to potential recruits but many of those players have ambitions to play in the Champions League or at least the Europa League so they are not considering those proposals at this point,” The Athletic writer Ornstein said.
“I know of a number of players Arsenal have made proposals to, very attractive, and they do have a plan to get back into the big time.”
He continued, “I know with Arsenal they [the transfer plans] have already been submitted by Edu and Mikel Arteta to the board of directors and they are very clear in what they want to do.
“Whether they will be able to do it will depend on the finance which is made available by the owners and whether they will be able to attract players.”
That would be a bit of positive news for the Arsenal faithful after what has been an uninspiring campaign. But the reliable journalist did mention the impact no European football next season might have on their operations.
With the addition of Richard Garlick at the boardroom level, Edu will get added support in terms of the piled up contracts at the Emirates Stadium.
Garlick will be expected to shift from first gear to fifth rather quickly as 20 first-team members are either out on loan or have a contract until 2023. All of their futures needs tending to.
This summer can be make or break of Arteta’s career as an Arsenal manager. If they don’t get it right, the simplest way the club will try to steady the ship would be to sack Arteta as soon as it looks like we are wasting another season.
And he could not have any arguments to make if the club do decide to go that way. Because partly it will be down to him not making the best of the squad that he will inherit from the commencement of next season.