Much has been made of the fact that Arsenal are yet to sign any top class talents. Yes, Yaya Sanogo has waltzed through the Emirates’ doors, but I’m not sure he’s exactly who Arsenal fans had in mind.
He’s a young, injury-prone, French centre-forward. These qualities make him sound like the punchline to an Arsene Wenger transfer joke.
It’s hard to blame Arsenal fans for getting fidgety. The Gunners were well under-par last season (and have been for the last half-decade). The lack of success has clearly got to everyone surrounding the club and it’s beginning to look like it’s ‘make or break’ for Arsene Wenger’s reputation.
The talk of Arsenal’s financials hasn’t helped. Following a few big commercial deals and the shipping out of dead wood like Andrei Arshavin, Sebastien Squillaci and Denilson, it’s clear that the Gunners have money to spend. It’s equally clear to fans that the club aren’t spending it quick enough.
But it strikes me that Arsenal aren’t accustomed to playing the transfer game at this level. They’ve never really competed for players with £20m+ price-tags before and it’s a whole different playing field.
Arsene Wenger has always been cautious and deliberate in the transfer market. I don’t expect this to change just because the club is suddenly ‘flush’ with cash. He’ll still be driving a hard bargain, even if the player is a proven world-beater.
For this reason, it’s important to stay patient. If we reach the end of August and the club is still in the same situation, then the worrying can begin.
As it is, however, Arsenal are getting linked to some big players. It’s exciting to see the Gunners get mentioned in conjunction with players like Gonzalo Higuain (this one has been bubbling under for a while), Marouane Fellaini (who would be a perfect fit for Arsenal) and Cesc Fabregas (Goal.com linked him, but it does seem a little unlikely).
Deals for players like these can’t be done in a day (unless the interested party is willing to pay above the odds). The fact that Arsenal are getting linked so strongly to these players is a good sign. It bodes well for the club’s future.
Of course the next step is converting this interest into signings. That’s what Arsenal need if they’re going to kick it up another level next season. Fingers crossed.
What’s your take? Is the future bright for this Arsenal side?
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Wenger had no intention of buying big. It is a ruse to placate the supporters. He will say ‘I tried’ and will buy cheap options like Mbya. There is no other team that has had so many second rate players on so high a wage who were so unplayable. Bendtner, Squillaci, Denison, Arshavin, Chamakh, Djourou, Santos. In a real world business Wenger would have been given the Bullet. In this mad club he is treated like a hero. He has OCD over money and CANNOT spend it. Mind you he likes his £7, 000, 000 a year. Wait and see the rubbish players he buys again. Freebies like Chamakh. At least the Spuds have bought Paulinho arguably the best player in the Confederations Cup. We will not buy Fellaini or Capoue. He’s too mean. This club has Rigid Mortis
Rigid Mortis? who’s he signed from? haha
You have clearly been swallowed up by the red tops, brainwashed and spat back out. I get the feeling you know nothing of real world business.
Did you really just say Paulinho was the best player of the Confed Cup?? Well, we’ll ignore Oscar, Fred and Neymar then. As for the spuds – you are looking the wrong way. Look up not down. Last season we finished with 26points from 30. Add Higuian + Bender/Fellaini then i can only see improvement.
You obviously have eyesight problems. I said ‘arguably’ the best player. Dopes like you are exactly the reason the club gets away with it’s cheap policies. You are happy all the time with second best.
I like how everyone has an opinion even though very few have run a business.
Wenger will have the players he wants and needs this year.These deals don’t happen over night as long as Rooney isn’t one of them. I don’t want that whiny little piss ant anywhere near this club.
Typical AWB bollox. You have nothing to back up a claim we wont pay 20m +
in reply to silentstan
And you also have nothing to make a claim that the damn stan’s economist will buy 20+.. He has always brought a lot of bullshit like Chamack, denilson, djourou, squillaci, santos, park etc and claimed a title challenge with them. LIAR, LIAR,LIAR.
You seem very happy to believe in the lies of a liar.
Wenger and the Board are dithering again. What a load of cobblers about not signing big players in the past, Cazorla and Podolski were hardly nobodies!
Spurs are off the mark with Paulinho, but Arsenal just want to bag a cheap bargain instead of getting the right players in. If I was a player and saw my future employers pratting about, I’d think twice.
Arsenal need three of four top players, they have admitted it, why weren’t the deals ready to go at the start of July?
You need to crawl off down the lane
And what have you you achieved with podolski? Can he and Giroud replace Van Persie?
Pdolski is just a player that has not shown any progress since the last world cup where he was often left on the bench. He was nowhere to be found against the top teams.
I never suggested Podolski was any good, just that he was a big name signing. Truth be told, he was bought to replace RVP but isn’t anywhere near his quality. He can’t even play 70 mins!
How gullible we are as Arsenal supporters.Not a transfer window goes by without us scouring every news source for a glimmer of hope having been assured by the club that there is money just burning a hole in Wengers pocket.We thought that this time it might be different as the message seemed to be that he was anxious to get business done early and certainly prior to the overseas trip.Whilst every other club (and certainly the big ones)have made signings we are left hanging on anxiously to every bit of (probably fabricated)rumour in the media and watching Sky sports more than is healthy for us just hoping to see the breaking news strap suddenly announcing that Arsenal have made a big signing or three.This for me has to be the defining transfer window and if we are left with the usual frustration and disappointment I for one will have to finally give in and detach myself from the obsession I have with all things Arsenal.
Your comment really cracked me up..”watching skysports more than is healthy”.Lol
I think you will find 3 or 4 deals are already in place we just have to clear some players out before announcing whos coming in. Have faith in the Professor!!
Arsenal fans ve been patient for far too long with the excuse that the club was not financially sound.Now its a different story but still AW can’t buy.He knows very well that he needs to add quality,and in good time, to the side.He needs the new boys to gel with others
To all arsenl fans pls and pls dont thing or dreams that arsenal will sing any player,they are just wasting the fans time and money,i wish no any arsenal fan to go for there games
plse gooners lets not start blaming Mr Arsene Wenger for buying cheap players who are even not Arsenal standard. Depending on the plyers we are being linked to the likes of Higuain, Fellain, bender and Julio c, that shows that fnally the club is starting to realise that in order to win atrophy you must atleast have two to three world class players in your squad. So fellow gooners, lets wait untill the transfer window closes. if by then arsene wenger has not sighned any world class player then we shd worry.
Don’t be surprised no big names will be bought. Instead Wenger will go for bargains ie those discarded by other clubs and his youth players. If he sticks to his philosophy and the gunners can’t challenge much time will be wasted.
Sacking him will be the only way to get the club forward then.
I will be at every match this season but I can guarantee you that it will be the same starting eleven as it was last year. We ain’t getting no big names cos AW is too tight to spend money and too tight to pay wages and we should have got Martinez while we had the chance
Seriously if you think we would be any better off without wenger you are off your head .
For the past 8 years he has had such restraints put on him by the board it’s a miracle we have managed to stay top four .
I know lets just bend over and pay whatever clubs want us to pay for there players that would be great yeah ? .
Be patient gooners !!!!
Wenger know if he spends money,then every fan and pundit would be expecting him to win trophies and he’s kinda scared that wont be the case or he’s probabaly lost confidence in his ability to win things again.So he will stick to average players which gives him the opportunity to defend himself when they come 4th at the end of the season by saying we havent spent loads of money like other teams and the team is growing..blah blah blah..
I am not sure how much 3 or 4 top class signings will do to be honest, even if we got Higuain and a couple of others, the squad may not be that much better compared to chelsea, man city or united. with those 3 are still miles ahead of us even if we made purchases. which i am skeptical of, i struggle to see a finish above fourth again in reality as the others will buy and we must buy in order to stand still. a total change of philosophy is required to achieve success, we do not need more mediocre signings.
That man called wenger is a hoarder.The most stingiest man in the planet,and the arsenal owners are just a bunch of fools,i wonder if they are blind and dumb.I pray that another man comes up to buy this club.Maybe abramovichs wife.Fools at 60s
Ian i too will be at every match but i would not want Martinez instead of Wenger. Wenger drives me up the wall at times but you need someone better if you want him out. He will get Higuin and another big player plus another unknown. Can’t be held to ransom by teams that know we have money to spend. Fellani 24M? Not for me even though i rate him.
aw has guttin away with so many situation like this, i believe the arsenal bord has put him on a trap now, if he buys top class and flop off in the league or if he goes with the chips and end up like last season, i think the gun will be pointed at he, dont you think? I respect him only because he is the manager of my belove club, i fail to get bord because aw met me at arsenal and am prity sure he will leave me there so long its not his family enheritance.