There is Proof a limited budget should not stop Arsenal being successful

A lot has been made about the Arsenal transfer budget, some believe the low figures being touted and call it ridiculous, others, like myself, do not accept what is being reported by the media and believe it is higher but whoever is right there is one thing that we can all agree on and that is whatever the budget you have, you have to spend it wisely.

Look at Man Utd, they have spent hundreds of millions over the last three seasons and they are in a worse condition than what we are and then you have a team like Ajax that is very economical with its spending and barely missed out on the Champions League final.

You can have hundreds of millions and still not be guaranteed success if you do not acquire the right type of player and having a limited budget does not have to be a handicap in that quest.

Let’s stick with United and Ajax for a minute, back in 2017 these two fought the Europa League final, two years later the Red Devils are back in the Europa League and Ajax win a domestic double and school Juventus and Real Madrid and the overriding reason for that is how each club respectively conducted their transfer business.

For perspective, Ajax over the last four seasons spent £115 Million in total and Man Utd £560 Million.

Now, let’s look at three teams that some believe are more on our level these days, Wolves, Leicester City and Everton, it is a myth they do not spend significant amounts of money, they do.

Wolves spent £101 Million last season, Leicester spent £103 Million and Everton spent £90 Million. For the record we spent £73 Million and in comparison had a far better season than those three, and of that trio only Wolves qualified for Europe next season.

And of course, Tottenham spent nothing over the last two transfer windows, though they did have a strong base to start with.

Now, there are exceptions, Man City splashed out in excess of £700 Million over the last four seasons and PSG £670 Million though neither have been able to get close to winning Champions League.

The point is simple, money really is secondary when it comes to transfers, the most important aspect is that you can identify top quality players at a bargain price and to do that you need a top team overseeing those transfers, something Arsenal has not had in years.

Even with £40 Million or whatever it is there is no reason why we cannot buy the required quality to challenge for the top-four next season, there is evidence on top of proof mounted on fact that a small budget is not enough to stop you being successful but incompetence is.

29 Comments

  1. it is a shame to say”to challenge for the top four” we want to win the league. Top four is no achievement. Winning the league is the target. And to do that, you need to get a coach with personality. And spend big. The Dutch league Ajax eon can’t be compared to the EPL. Ajax probably won’t get to that stage next season. Identify the players you want and go for them. More trophies bring more revenue. Sign Thomas Partey, Carrasco and Javi Martinez from Bayern. Make no mistake,we can forecast how next season will end up based on our summer business. No rocket science. Learn from Liverpool.

  2. One major aspect you left out is coaching.

    Ajax develops young players, teaches them the club philosophy, and gives young players opportunities when deserved.

    Utd doesn’t coach players, only manages them. One could argue the same for Arsenal in recent years.

    Iwobi still can’t shoot, Xhaka and Mustafi continue with critical mistakes, and Bellerin still is a below average defender.

    If we have limited funds, then FFS coach and develop the players we have!

    I’m hopeful FL was promoted precisely for that purpose. Coach &develop Nelson, Saka, Mavro, ESR, Willock, and other youngsters we will come to depend on because Kronke’s arms can’t reach his wallet.

      1. Durand absolutely spot on as Sue says.

        I remember Mustafi coming out early in the season, saying what a better player he was now that he was being coached properly and Bellerin saying how different it was now that the UE went into every little detail about each and every club they were to play:

        Has mustafi improved?
        Did we improve against the likes of wolves, leicester, palace etc?

        Let’s stop talking and start reacting like a top club..UE has already made one really significent change in demoting Bould (should have got rid of him in my opinion) and promoted Freddie…let’s hope this is the catalyst for real change and not just BS talking from the likes of mustafi.

        1. Can anyone explain to me why the Arsenal board has not approached Dennis Bergkam to rejoin Arsenal? He is available, was an Arsenal legend, a product of the Ajax Academy under Johan Cryff and has been coaching/mentoring young players at Ajax until his philosophical falling out with Marc Overmaars. If Arsenal apparently approached Overmaars, why not Bergkamp? Are people intimidated by him and the fact he doesn’t accept mediocrity or lack of application and hard work?

          1. ozziegunner,
            It is a mystery, but maybe (just maybe) the answer lies with UE?
            His reported reluctance to work with “big named players” might just extend to assistants as well.
            I’m not saying this is the case, just throwing in a possible reason.
            I believe that Bergkamp is seen as the finest player ever to wear our shirt and maybe that kind of Invincible presence might ruffle a few feathers up in the corridors of power as well.

      2. Bellerin would get into other top clubs. Modern day fullback, there’s many players of similar ilk, I’d see Bellerin being on the shortlist of many top clubs. Ramsey was said the same, worse treatment, it’s like some fans can mostly tell you about the good stuff with players when the club is winning top prizes.

    1. I hope you saw what happened when Wenger tried doing that in 2012, 8-2. You don’t go into a season relying on unproven young players. All of them at most should be squad players. People keep talking about Mavro, a player who can’t kick the ball for one month.

      1. Martin,

        I hope you also remember a certain pundit on match of the day whose comment went along the lines…you won’t win anything with youngsters and then up popped the classic team of manure youngsters, all of them part of the definition of squad players you seem to find underwhelming for some reason.

        1. ken, I glad you said Emery’s “reported reluctance to work with “big named” players” because no one has been able to substantiate this with facts and Emery has either arranged or accepted the promotion of Freddie Ljundberg (a member of the Invincibles) as assistant coach.
          I concur with your second point regarding “the corridors of power”; thus my comment on “accepting mediocrity, or lack of application and hard work”.

    2. Freddie has already told Unai that there are some young players that are ready to take a chance with so let’s fix the defence upwards and onwards

      1. Positivity Malcolm Townsend POSITIVITY!!!!!

        I love it and at the moment it is so rare on this site.

        Ozzieguneer, I did choose my words carefully as you suggest and, thinking about your original commment a little more, could it be reluctance by Dennis to even consider a position here, with the internal battles that are seeming to occur nearly every other day?

        It looked as if he was doing an excellent job at Ajax, then fell out with Overmars and found himself out on his ear.
        For a man like Dennis, in my opinion, once bitten twice shy…after all he doesn’t actually have to go to work to bread on the table does he?
        But, like you, I would love to see him back at our club…along with the irresistable Patrick Vieria.

  3. Yeah! Budget shouldn’t be the excuse from getting quality addition to the team. West Ham seem to be targeting quality yet affordable players while we sit down claiming players such as Carrasco and Meunier are too expensive for the club.
    Sometimes, it’s too frustrating being an arsenal fan.

  4. I’m tired of all these limited money,
    limited resources, limited players. There is nothing like limited money or resources at Arsenal. We just decide to limit ourselves. For almost a decade our first marque signing was Ozil(£42.30m) in 2013. Since then our over £30m signings are; Sanchez(£38.25m), Xhaka(£40.50m), Mustafi(£36.90m), Abumeyang(£57.38m) and Lacazette(£47.70m). Aside Sanchez all of these players are still with us. Are we this selfish to believe all these players must come good.

    1. I’m tired of all these limited money,
      limited resources, limited players. There is nothing like limited money or resources at Arsenal. We just decide to limit ourselves. For almost a decade our first major signing was Ozil(£42.30m) in 2013. Since then our over £30m signings are; Sanchez(£38.25m), Xhaka(£40.50m), Mustafi(£36.90m), Abumeyang(£57.38m) and Lacazette(£47.70m). Aside Sanchez all of these players are still with us. Are we this selfish to believe all these players must come good.

  5. The short to medium term future of Arsenal fc is written; Vinai Venkatesham(MD)and Raul Sanllehi(Head of Football) both joint Head of the newly formed “Brain Trust” by Ivan Gazidis(ex CEO); the “Brain Trust” being the “think tank’ made up of many professionals at AFC, ex technical director, Sven Mislintat who together identified “talent” and new signings and according to Vinai Venkatesham(MD) have regular “WhatsApp” conference meetings with Stan & Joe Kroenke(Owner and Son of AFC) And the said Vinai put it in the public domain that Stan Kroenke had directed that he will sanction any marquee signings as he[Kroenke] wanted Arsenal to be in “top 4 EPL” and win trophies to boot. This was said publicly by Vinai Venkatesham(MD) inn January 2019 and repeated to Laura Woods, commentator at Talksport on video.

    We know Arsenal has £45m(£60m – £15m from this years tranche ofAdidas contract) + £31.43m from having reached the final of Europa League Cup + any sales of Players. This is not the transfer budget but the Monies available to spend on transfers on an “Amortised” basis plus the player’s first year salaries; thus a player costing £50m with £100k wages per week (£5m annually) signed on a “5 year contract” will cost Arsenal “Transfer Budget Account” this season – £15m! and on for the next 4 years.

    It is clear that Vinai Venkatesham(MD) is a disingenuous character and if Arsenal fc does not strengthen her defence and the Attacking Midfield and the Wings with Kosher players whom have been identified and linked over the past few weeks then Arsenal fc will struggle to remain in the “top 6 EPL” in the new and subsequent seasons as Aubameyang, Lacaszette and Torreira will leave at the end of next Sumer and Unai Rmery’s contract will not be continued and No top end Manager/Head Coach will touch AFC without proper funding for transfers.

    The upshot of all of this is Stan Kroenke will sell AFC within the next 3-4 years and AFC will be at the “top of the bottom half of EPL” for some years to come. This is my Prediction and get your bets on now.

    1. Hmmm, I wonder why kronkie would let an asset just bought after years of fighting to own, would let said prized asset fall into such disrepair and, in so doing, would lose millions within 3-4 years?
      This multi billionare must have no clue whatsoever when it comes to making money!!!

    2. Well put. I hope Kroenke sells, but the experience of Colorado Rapids in the MSL shows he is not above leaving us to flounder. His record in the states makes you question his humanity. He is not a nice man at all

  6. If no prince is interested in buying Arsenal we’re doomed…let’s be honest,there’s too much work to be done…
    Emery (his away tactics stinks,he still don’t know his best formations and players,he still remind me of Arsene “of the last 10 years”)
    Ozil (even I’m confused…)
    Xhaka (Can we trust him?,I dont see him start but he want to be skipper)
    The DEFENCE (Or whatever you call that,all I know is that Tony Adams is puking when he’s watching them)
    Quality WINGERS (I really can’t watch Iwobi for another season)
    A Reliable assistant GOALKEEPER…

    I can’t see 45m fix all of that,nor do I see any Kroenke helping us fixing it…

    1. Mo,maybe the commonality between Wenger and Emery (one season) is the bulk of the squad and the quality or lack there of in midfield and defense?

  7. We need approx £100 million to spend on new players

    We have £40-50 million budget

    Get the other £50-60 million through selling and swapping if possible

    Loaning players or getting players for free (free agents) are other possibilities. But The only Free Agents I can think of:
    Ramires – 32 – box to box CM
    Marquinhos- 29- CB and Rb

  8. Rebuild;
    Ozil – get his wages & attitude out of the club, ask for £18m and cut our losses. Same with Mhiki for around same price and that’s 350k&200k off the wages, £30+m to buy a replacement. SmithRowe also there for back up.
    Who do we buy?
    MyPick: Maddison (Leicester)

    Xhaka & Elneny same sort of scenario. Sell both, buy a good replacement, move AMN to CM along with Guendouzi for back up. £25m/£10m.
    Who do we buy?
    MyPick: Teilsman (Monaco)

    Alexis Maurice (LW) – £18m
    Saliba (CB) – £19m
    Teirnay (LB) – £20m

    As we know Rambo, Cech, Leich & Welbz are all gone & off the wage bill too.
    Mustafi, Koss & Monreal could all be gone for small fees & wages off the bill.

    Arsenal could well have a missive clear out this summer & wouldn’t blame them at all… wouldn’t be a bad sunner is that did happen. Reiss Nelson back too for the other wing will be a treat with Auba, Laca & Alexis.

  9. Leno (Martinez)
    Bellerin
    Holding (Mavraponas)
    Saliba (Sokratis)
    Teirnay (Kolasnic)
    Torreira (AMN)
    Teilsman (Guendouzi)
    Madisson (SmithRowe)
    Auba (Willok/Baka)
    Laca (Nketiah)
    Alexis or Nelson

    Rb still needed as Bellerin cant do all on his own again. If we have fron the Academy then use them.

  10. Having little cash to spend can sharpen the mind when it comes to bargain hunting.When money is of little object big mistakes can be made as we are finding to our cost.Sean I like the talented young players on your shopping list but until we unload our considerable dead wood we may have to restrict our shopping to Saliba and Tierney in areas where we are so weak.Very impressed with Beilik yesterday.He is superior to Socratis and Mustafi and could say us a lot of money.

  11. Good post AdMart.

    I agree with a few on here that it`s the coaching and talent spotting we need to get right.

    My Missus loves to pop in Marks & Spencers and Waitrose whereas I talent spot a lot of perfect goods in LIDL`s and ALDI.
    I am now training and coaching my wife to an acceptable level in talent spotting fruit and veg bargains, although she is not upto my level of picking and growing my own.
    Arsenal have a few potential organic grow your owns in Nelson, Sak, Amaechi and co.
    Never truer sayings as you are what you eat and you reep what you sow……………..I am and look like a Butternut squash………

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