The BBC’s David Ornstein is usually known as the oracle when it comes to inside knowledge of the inner workings at Arsenal, so it is definitely worth listening when he starts talking about possible summer business.
So here is exactly what he said on the BBC this week….
It won’t be the most spectacular window, but the Gunners do have some very important business to conduct. The key question is the size of their budget.
With Europa League football, we’re told it will be as low as around £40m. But with Champions League football, it will be higher. I’ve been led to believe that could mean up to £100m.
The higher figure would require player sales and also need to cover the salaries of signings. There’s also a revenue boost that will come with Adidas taking over as Arsenal’s kit supplier.
The low kitty is mainly explained by Arsenal’s heavy investment in recent transfer windows, a total commitment to their self-sustaining model and the adherence to financial fair play (FFP) rules.
Despite the continued absence of a technical director, the existing recruitment team have identified targets and conversations are under way. They’re looking for experience and youth.
Their priorities are a central defender and box-to-box midfielder.
Jeremy Wilson from The Telegraph mentioned Getafe centre-back Djene Dakonam, who is under contract until 2021 and has a 35m euros release clause.
The midfielder will replace the outgoing Aaron Ramsey.
Arsenal came close to a deal for PSG midfielder Christopher Nkunku in January, while Adrien Rabiot is another they’ve pursued in the past – but I’ve not heard that either are targets this time round.
Another position they would like to fill is a wide forward. In the last window, they tried to sign Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic and were also talking to Yannick Carrasco of Dalian Yifang. I doubt that interest will be reignited.
Other areas in which they will try to add depth are up front – Danny Welbeck is leaving and there is a desire to send Eddie Nketiah on loan – and at full-back.
We mentioned Thomas Tuchal’s admiration of Roberto Firmino – he is also keen on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. But like Liverpool, Arsenal would rebuff any advances.
Decisions will need to be made on whether youngsters such as Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe, Joe Willock and Bukayo Saka are loaned out or integrated into the first team.
Some interesting talking points there. What are your thoughts?
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I predict another season pretty much like the last 5 or so ,scrambling for 4th place ,while all the other teams invest heavy we go about our usual crap in the transfer market ,we all know the outcome ,rinse and repeat .
Not sure what happened with the statement that we can sign any player apart from messi and Ronaldo .
The only transfer I would be happy about is that snake to sell up and p1ss off back over the Atlantic
Exactly, pls guys, don’t put your hopes up that we will compete because we won’t fight for the title for years to come. The core of these team is rubbish, too many average, overpaid and finished players. When the big teams are spending to improve, we will be looking for bargains, accumulating more average players, so we have to be patient for like a decade hoping we get lucky like leicester with our recruitment.
I feel the same, hence it would be better to integrate the youth with the first team, anyways they cannot play more worse that Xhaka, Mustafi, Mhki, Elneny (deliberately keeping Mesut out of this discussion as he is a skilled player). I expect the youth to play with full commitment to prove themselves. GK, CDM and strikers are sorted out, hope Emery plugs the remaining gaps well. Remember we did play some exciting football with the youth during the barren years, (2005-13) with one second place, four times top three, two UCL quarter finals, one semi finals, one runner up. IMO it got worse with the addition of Xhaka, Mustafi, Elneny, hence these players need to be transferred first, Iwobi as a squad player/substitute
Lacazette, Aubameyang, Torreira, Leno, Guendouzi, Sokratis is not exactly crypto me
Crap to me
I mentioned that the issues we had with GK, CDM and strikers are resolved (sorted out) and Emery has to plug the gaps in defense and CAM. Nowhere did I mention the above players are crap, they are the ones that have taken us so far, cheers to them. Happy weekend mate!
The crap reference was to the first post not yours.
From what about seen of saka I believe if he is given a run in the team he could easily contribute 10pl goals to this current team
Please no another small CB like Dakonam and Umtiti, we need a commanding and dominating CB
If they are looking for a box-to-box CM, that could mean no more deep-lying playmaker like Xhaka and Cazorla. We would have only one box-to-box CM, one DM and one CAM, unless they want to use 4-3-3
Aubameyang can leave as he will hit 30 years old in this year, but the price should be no less than 70 M. We could buy two experienced wingers with that money
Aubameyang can leave coz he’s turning 30 what a silly statement, he’s got a few good years yes
I agree. Ridiculous statement. Aubameyang scored 33 goals this season and won golden boot. To judge him and get rid of him solely by his age is CRAZY
I honestly don’t know if Gotanidea’s hatred towards Aubameyang and Lacazette is too be controversial or some other reason but Emery would be crazy to get rid of them. They are two of the best strikers in the Premier League
You lost it @ Aubameyang can leave coz he’s turning 30; but left out and contributing 30+ goals in his first full season. Zero percent logic in your deductive reasoning skills there buddy
40 million is an absolute Joke for a club of Arsenal’s size.. next season it’ll be 10 million the club does not give a toss about the fans, they milk us dry and then come up with BS excuses every season. Might as well just buy a defender and look for loan deals.
I am not defending Kroenke in any way but these figures are what FFP allows Arsenal to spend, not what the club is allowing. Arsenal are being punished by rules that were brought in to stop the likes of PSG, Man City and Chelsea gaining an advantage from endless investment from sources other than their own income as football club.
The same as it has been in recent years. Kroenke could increase that amount by investing some of his own money (very unlikely) but even if he did that amount is limited by FFP and would hardly make a difference.
I would definitely like to see nelson and saka retained for the wings with another decent player brought in aswell
People keep talking about having to have players at CB that are towering but as much as I like that idea we’ve had some pretty decent non lanky players kolo anyone he was a bulldog for us
Anyway we just need a physical leader who reads the game well shows no fear and destroys strikers ??
Auba turning 30 bt still powerful js c hw CR7 n Lionel Messi are doing at 30’s, never sell this guy he’s the real RvP n Thierry Henry
But we were assured that moving into the EMIRATES STADIUM would a make massive difference to our club.
That we would be able to compete with the other clubs.
It is the opposite. We are going for cheap and free agents (Lichtsteiner, Denis Suarez etc).
Last season we had about £50-70 million. This season we have about £40 million?
What a joke our Emirates move has turned out to be.
Smh
Yes we were assured by the snake and liar Gazidis. Surely you have long known that fact so why bring it up now? Gazidis did immense harm to our club and Kroenke is still doing it too. Now we need to get behind the new coach and management regime and support them , rather than moan about those who are, thankfully, gone. Don’t you think?
Agree Jon emery has done pretty well in his first season and could still win us the cup
Lets how we do in the market
Without Sven I don’t have as much confidence in our transfers. Seems a huge loss, but only time will tell. Emery has shown he can do a job for us, winning Europa will cement that.
Doubt Kronke will pony up to build on Emery’s first season; expect more bargin bin players as stop gap measures.
Counting more on Nelson, Saka, and ESR than Kronke bringing in the impact players we need.
Expect plenty of big talk with his small wallet. “Planning to compete,” “returning to CL,” and plenty of top 4 nonsense.
where is kev our “insider” we need transfer rumours updates