Arsenal fans are quite rightly in uproar after a woeful start to the Gunners’ 2013/2014 Premier League campaign.
The North London club suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend, and the surprise result amplified supporters’ concerns over a disturbing lack of summer spending at the Emirates, despite both Arsene Wenger and Director of Football Ivan Gazidis claiming a £70million war chest earlier in the season, and the latter boasting ‘an escalation in [Arsenal’s] financial firepower’ during a Q&A session in June that conveniently coincided with the Arsenal’s season tickets going on sale.
So far this summer, the average Arsenal fan has spent more money to watch their club than Wenger or Gazidis have spent on transfers. Whether a Gunner has paid good money to watch their side put in stale performances at the Emirates Cup, forked out £1,000 for a season ticket, attended the first game of the season, or simply renewed their Sky Sports subscription, they’ve still coughed up considerably more than the North London have for new players, with the Emirates summer spending total currently standing at precisely £0, barring any signing-on fee involved in 20 year old Yaya Sanogo’s bosman move from Ligue 2 side Auxerre.
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But what were Arsenal fans expecting this summer? Were they expecting a manager who was happy to let Sylvain Wiltord’s £13million move to North London in 2000 remain the club’s record transfer fee for the next eight and a half years break the habit of a life time and bid £50million for Radamel Falcao? Were they expecting a gaffer so determined to keep mega earners off the wage bill that Theo Walcott had to threaten leaving for free to secure a £100k per week wage package to suddenly change his entire financial philosophy and go after players who are already on £200k-per-week deals at major European clubs?
Arsene Wenger has always compromised between his own transfer ethos and the ambitions of the fans, and this summer has been no different. Twelve months ago the Frenchman promised a high-quality replacement for the departing Robin Van Persie, and despite the £24million at his disposal from the Dutch international’s transfer to Manchester United, sourced the unmistakably average Olivier Giroud from his favoured recruitment pool, the French top flight, for just £10million.
Again at Christmas, Wenger made the same promise of a new front man as pressure grew on the Gunners boss following a lukewarm start to their 2012/2013 campaign, but eventually brought in occasional Spain left-back Nacho Monreal instead, who so far has contributed just once to Arsenal’s goal tally, unsurprisingly.
And now, whether by fate, incompetence or design, the Gunners boss will once again have to find a compromise that will balance out the concerns and ambitions of the Emirates fan base with his own views on the modern transfer market.
He’s already made it clear this summer that he’s more than happy to undergo next season without a single addition in playing personnel, despite ten players leaving the club already, and the Frenchman’s wish is fast becoming a reality following a string of failed transfer pursuits.
Earlier in the summer, the Gunners were on the verge of signing Gonzalo Higuain, but Napoli’s late arrival with a £35million bid was enough to end Arsenal’s interest. Then came the £40million plus a quid bid for Luis Suarez, activating the most pointless transfer clause of all time, but once again, John W Henry’s twitter reply of ‘What are they smoking at the Emirates’ stopped Wenger in his tracks, and with a matter of days to go until transfer deadline day, the Gunners are yet to make a follow-up bid.
Most recently, the North Londoners were linked with highly-rated Bayern Munich midfielder Luiz Gustavo, available for a fair price of £17million, but the tenacious Brazilian somehow ended up in the hands of Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg, who didn’t even qualify for the Europa League last term.
At the heart of all of Arsenal’s failed attempts to secure marquee signings this summer has been Wenger’s misguided valuations. With Radamel Falcao moving to Monaco for £51million, Edinson Cavani joining PSG for a similar fee and Real Madrid offering £86million for Gareth Bale, even the Gunners’ club record £40million and £1 bid for Suarez is already looking horrendously outdated.
Wenger’s spendophobia has lead to the same effect on two fronts; with it being so late in the transfer window, the chances of the Arsenal gaffer sourcing a marquee signing this summer has declined from slim to none, whilst the fans, once seemingly immovable on their demands for at least one addition that could move the club a step forward in terms of quality, are now resigned to the reduced stipulation that almost any new player with a proven track record will do.
Had it not been for the weekend’s substandard performance and the adverse reaction from the Emirates faithful, Wenger would have most likely maintained that his current roster are good enough for the coming season.
But now, the manager and the fans will once again reach a compromise on the issue on transfers, as they did in January and the summer previous, with the North London outfit and their supporters now looking at a string of £10million signings, such as Newcastle’s Yohan Cabaye and Swansea’s Ashley Williams, that may provide added depth and allow the Gunners to preserve their Champions League status this term, but won’t be taking the club league table any time soon.
And once again, Arsene Wenger reaffirms himself as the reigning king of transfer compromise. The fans want silverware; he aims for Champions League football. The supporters want £50million stars; Wenger balks at the first sign of a £30million valuation, before setting his sights on regular £10million acquisitions. The Emirates faithful wants to move forward; the Frenchman is happy standing still, waiting for the Financial Fair Play laws to save him.
Will Wenger ever adhere to the fans’ demands or always seek to compromise?
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