The statement that caused mass outcry at the beginning of the transfer window.
The media were quick to add salt into the wounds by questioning how can a club like Arsenal not be able to afford to make signings.
Then, on deadline day, if you look at the transfers that have actually taken place this window - Loan, loan, loan, loan and more loans.
The only big money transfers (Pulisic, de Jong, Pavard) are all actually really happening in the summer. Newcastles signing of Almiron is the only other notable transfer fee, while Wolves made the loan of Jonny permanent.
It is all just part of playing the game to fit into FFP rules. It isn't indicative of an Arsenal problem. Just like when the media says we only have £50m to spend when the average net spend of non-Manchester clubs and Chelsea is nowhere near that £50m (plus we also spent more than £50m net anyway... ... ) it isn't a sign we have no money - we have more than most to spend.
Sometimes people need to look at the bigger picture, and try and gain a better understanding before falling into the trap of believing we are in crisis. The money put into transfers and wages is certainly not noncompetitive.
"We can only do loans".
posted on 31/1/19
Some of the best players we’ve signed were in January
posted on 31/1/19
Jan signings in the past decade or so are panic signings. If you have planned your summer there shouldn't be a need to sign players in Jan. And I do include Aubameyang's signing because Lacazette was injured and not as prolific. So teams ask for more and players ask for higher wages.
One of our problems has been running a wage budget of a team that always reaches the latter stages of the Champions League. So how can you sign players that are now duplicated in the squad? You cannot quibble about an unbalanced squad and do things to make it unbalanced for years to come.
posted on 31/1/19
comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 52 minutes ago
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 39 minutes ago
January isnt the market to buy players. Players are under contract and clubs hesitating on letting players go.
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Arsenal have signed plenty of players during January in the past
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I havent said it isnt possible. The player we bought in January were expansive as well and not in the bracket DJ talked about.
posted on 31/1/19
Arshavin and Auba were both club record signings made in January.
We’ve spent decent money on the likes of Nacho, Gabriel even Walcott in January
The January market has usually been good for us so let’s hope this Suarez guy turns out a good signing but I really don’t know why we don’t just pay that facking money for Carrasco when it’s clear to everyone how desperate we are for a wide player
posted on 31/1/19
Its different now Bats. The deals are not out there. Asking prices are ridiculous and wages are worst.
Chelsea apparently agreed a loan fee with West Ham and Betis for Batshuayi. Then the clubs talked to the player. His demands? £160k a week.
posted on 31/1/19
Which is why I am very positive for the work Raul Sanllehi has done. Amazing to have got the DSuarez deal across. Still hoping for a winger surprise.
posted on 31/1/19
Our January business is done ffs.
posted on 31/1/19
Orstein:
"Arsenal’s final target of the January transfer window was Paris St-Germain midfielder Christopher Nkunku, but their attempts to recruit the 21-year-old look set to end in disappointment.
The Gunners stepped up their interest over the past week or so, yet coming into deadline day without any sign of an agreement between the clubs meant this deal was always unlikely to materialise.
It was complicated by a number of a factors. PSG insisted Nkunku agree a contract extension to protect his value before allowing him to leave on loan with an option to buy, but that agreement was not reached. I’m also told that PSG coach Thomas Tuchal ultimately opposed the move because no replacement had been secured and so he wanted the player at his disposal for the rest of the season.
It is worth remembering that Tuchel fell out with Arsenal’s (outgoing) head of recruitment Sven Mislintat when they worked together at Dortmund and, with Mislintat among those involved in Arsenal’s pursuit of Nkunku, it is not inconceivable that PGS’s reluctance to do business was in part politically motivated.
Arsenal kept trying - they did not have representatives in Paris but conducted various negotiations via video conference - however even if all of the above had been overcome they would have needed to find common ground with PSG on a loan fee and optional purchase amount, neither of which would have been easy. It is, of course, something they may look to revisit in the summer."
posted on 31/1/19
*Ornstein
posted on 1/2/19
January should be a very valuable window to a new manager like ours. He's now had time to asses his team in several months of competitive games.
The reason Arsenal have no money to spend is down to blatant mismanagement that most fans saw happening years before the club acted, they have every right to feel aggrieved.
That said it won't matter if we do shift a large chunk of our dead weight in summer and do plenty of business then. What I fear (and perhaps others do), is that this poverty card might be here for a few seasons.