Wenger will receive funds for summer spending spree
Published:After a disastrous week for Arsenal which saw their Champions League hopes fade and their FA Cup ambitions end, sections of disgruntled supporters were once again outlining the belief that Arsene Wenger had taken the club as far as he possibly can.
In the aftermath of the 4-0 loss at AC Milan, and the 2-0 defeat at the hands of Sunderland however, Arsenal’s majority shareholder Stan Kroenke and the other members of the board appear to have given the Frenchman their 100% backing, reportedly assuring him of a transfer budget in the region of £55million this summer.
Now Wenger, bolstered by the fact he will receive such backing, will focus his attentions entirely on securing a top-four finish that would guarantee Champions League football next season, thus enhancing his chances keeping captain Robin Van Persie at the Emirates.
Top of Wenger’s summer shopping list are believed to be Dortmund’s highly-rated youngster Mario Goetze, along with Lille winger Eden Hazard, Anderlecht attacker Matias Suarez and German international forward Lukas Podolski.
Bringing in the likes of these players would indicate that Wenger is willing to sign some more established talent with first-team experience, which would appease fans who share the opinion of former Gunners boss George Graham, who said, “Nowadays you’ve got to introduce youngsters coming through like Sir Alex Ferguson does. But at the same time he’ll sign the ready-made player who costs £25million because they’re not afraid to do it.”
“I think Arsene has overdone the youth policy and the players coming in are not as good as the ones that have left.”
He would face stiff competition for the signatures of each of the aforementioned players, but must realistically achieve Champions League qualification to have any real chance of attracting such talent to the club.
