The
amount of money Arsene Wenger's successor at Arsenal will have as to
spend on transfers this summer has been revealed, as The Gunners are
seeking to bring in a manager to shake the club out of its malaise.
Arsene Wenger
Arsène Wenger’s successor as Arsenal manager will have to work with
a restricted summer budget of around £50 million following two
club-record transfers and three major new contracts in the last 12
months, New Telegraph reports.
Unlike new managers over recent seasons at the two Manchester
clubs, Arsenal’s new appointment will not be able to transform the squad
with a large spending spree without first making big-money sales
himself.
Arsenal have begun sounding out some of Wenger’s potential
replacements, with former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique emerging as a
strong candidate and understood to be keen, but chief executive Ivan
Gazidis is committed to a thorough process. Max Allegri, Mikel Arteta,
Leonardo Jardim, Julian Nagelsmann and Joachim Löw are among the other
leading options.
As well as a manager who will continue to play attacking football
and give young players their chance, Arsenal also want high standards of
discipline. One criticism of Wenger has been that he has been too
easy-going with his squad, although a strength also in his style is how
he allows young players to grow and make mistakes.
Arsenal have spent more than £100 million on Alexandre Lacazette
and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the past two transfer windows
alone, but, also hugely significant, is how they committed themselves to
three huge contracts in January for Aubameyang, Mesut Özil and Henrikh
Mkhitaryan.
The summer before, in 2016, was also the biggest total spend in
Arsenal’s history following the signings of Shkodran Mustafi, Granit
Xhaka, Rob Holding and Lucas Perez.
It suggests that, although the new manager should be able to make
one major signing this summer, other significant additions are likely to
come down to a choice between sales or working to improve the existing
group.
Wenger himself certainly saw no need this summer for attacking
additions and the recruitment team, headed by Sven Mislintat, will
continue their focus on the centre-back and central-midfield positions
even before a new managerial appointment is made.
Arsenal were interested in West Bromwich Albion defender Jonny
Evans, who has a £3m release clause, but have been closely watching
Mainz centre-back Abdou Diallo.The new manager will be less all-powerful
than Wenger in the transfer market and player negotiations, although
they will retain a strong influence.
It means that meaningful recruitment work can continue alongside
the managerial search, even if a series of key contract negotiations
will depend heavily on the identity of the new man.
Aaron Ramsey, Petr Cech and Danny Welbeck are all out of contract
in 2019 and are expected to wait until the manager is appointed before
making any final decision on potentially extending their deals. Jack
Wilshere is out of contract in June and has so far refused the offer of a
new deal.
Héctor Bellerín was wanted last summer by Barcelona and, although
he is on a contract until 2023, is a player who would certainly command a
high incoming fee and could be used to generate funds for other
positions.
Arsenal’s transfer budget has been reduced after missing the
Champions League this season and that would again be a factor in 2019 if
they do not qualify by winning the Europa League.
What will boost finances from 2019, however, is a new shirt
sponsorship deal with Emirates and a kit deal that is currently being
neogotiated.
The new Emirates deal, alongside a separate sleeve sponsor, should
alone bring in around £20m more annually. There will be other off-field
changes, with fitness coach Tony Colbert, first-team coach Boro Primorac
and goalkeeping coach Gerry Peyton also expected to leave.
Club captain Per Mertesacker will head up the club’s academy and
has said that the players must also take responsibility for Wenger’s
departure.
He has also urged his team-mates to deliver what he says would be
“the best” leaving present by winning the Europa League in Lyon next
month. Arsenal play Atlético Madrid in Thursday’s semi-final first leg
when they will be without Mohamed Elneny, who is facing three weeks out
after injuring ankle ligaments in the 4-1 win against West Ham United.
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