At the end of what Arsene Wenger described as an ‘average game’ against Fulham in 2011, the Arsenal manager left the pitch at Craven Cottage to chants of ‘spend some f***ing money’.
On the back of a season tinged with the disappointment of a League Cup final defeat, Wenger felt the need to readjust fans’ expectations ahead of the summer window.
“We can’t buy players for £50m,” he declared. “That is a fact.”
The financial landscape at Arsenal has emphatically changed in the subsequent 12 years. Mikel Arteta – who was signed by Wenger in 2011 for considerably less than £50m – has already splurged more than £200m on three players this summer.
Jurrien Timber (£40m) and Declan Rice (£105m), along with Kai Havertz (£65m), have been added to a squad which led the Premier League for 248 days last season only to finish behind Manchester City in May.
Despite the eye-watering outlay, Arsenal’s summer business is not yet completed.
Here’s everything that Arteta and his staff still have to do in their bid to end next season above City (and everyone else).
Arsenal’s performance on the pitch and their parsimony with regard to the wage bill has ensured that the club’s extravagant spending is within the limits of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. But it wouldn’t hurt the bank balance to bring in some funds via player sales.
Thomas Partey is the most obvious figure that Arsenal could afford to jettison. The club have given Partey permission to seek a move elsewhere and are optimistic that they could even make a profit on the midfielder that was signed for £45m from Atletico Madrid in 2020. The club did well to extract more than £20m from Bayer Leverkusen for fellow midfielder Granit Xhaka earlier this summer.
While Partey has been linked with the Saudi Pro League and Juventus, Newcastle United have been long-term admirers of Arsenal’s left-back Kieran Tierney.
Stripped of the touchline as a reference point, Tierney looked desperately awkward in the hybrid role Arteta now demands of his full-backs – especially when compared to first-choice option Oleksandr Zinchenko.
If Arsenal were to let Tierney depart, they could keep their search for a replacement in-house; either by shifting Jakub Kiwior wide from centre-back or reintegrating Nuno Tavares after his return from a loan spell with Marseille.
Arteta goes into pre-season with a headache every Premier League manager would love to have; three fully fit centre-forwards at his disposal – Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and Folarin Balogun.
Jesus was Arsenal’s marquee signing last summer as Arteta’s man from Man City. The 26-year-old is the most experienced member of the trio and is unquestionably the best out of possession but may well be the least reliable finisher.
Balogun proved his scoring credentials with a prolific season in Ligue 1 on loan at Reims last term. By ignoring interest from England to pledge his international future at senior level to the US, Balogun underscored his impatience for first-team football. Unless Arteta is prepared to dislodge Jesus, the best option may be to cash in on Balogun while his stock is at an all-time high. A glut of Premier League clubs are interested in a player Arsenal value at over £30m.
While stepping up in Jesus’ absence through injury, Nketiah suffered the same wastefulness in front of goal as the Brazilian. Unlike Balogun, who is two years younger than his teammate, Nketiah has been prepared to play a supporting role for Arsenal. That trait may not earn him a starting berth but it could see Nketiah stay in north London.
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Arteta’s midfield rebuild is still not complete. Where exactly Havertz fits into the side remains to be seen but if Partey joins Xhaka on the list of departures, Arsenal may still need a bit more steel in midfield.
The much-sought-after Romeo Lavia has been shunted to the top of a shopping list with three items already crossed out. Arsenal have held talks with Southampton over the relegated midfielder but are not alone in their pursuit of a teenager with a £50m asking price; Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle are all sniffing around with intent.
Arsenal have not played a Premier League match without Bukayo Saka involved in some form for more than two years. On that day in May 2021, Willian lined up as the club’s right winger.
Saka’s durability and unwavering consistency is one of his greatest assets but Arsenal simply cannot afford to rely so heavily upon their 21-year-old.
Bayer Leverkusen’s fleet-footed right winger Moussa Diaby has been a long-standing target for Arsenal. While any talk of a January move for the left-footer fizzled out before everyone had forgotten their new year’s resolutions, 90min understands that Leverkusen could be persuaded to part ways with Diaby for £43m this summer.
Aston Villa have lodged their interest with an opening bid of £30m. Diaby may be behind Saka in the pecking order at Arsenal, but the Gunners have the allure of Champions League football to offer.
On this week’s edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Toby Cudworth and Graeme Bailey discuss Bayern Munich meeting Tottenham over Harry Kane, Jordan Henderson considering leaving Liverpool for the riches of the Saudi Pro League, Levi Colwill’s latest Chelsea dilemma, Aston Villa’s interest in Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby & more!
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