Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis has given fans a real boost by announcing that the club has not finished its business in the summer transfer window. He expects Arsène to add to the purchases of Carl Jenkinson and Gervinho, indicating that our manager has plenty of funds at his disposal. He also makes it clear that Arsenal likes to conduct any potential deals in private, but that doesn’t explain why every Gooner knew that we would buy Jenkinson and Gervinho, and why many of our transfer deals take so long to complete!
“We still will be active in this window. We haven’t finished our business at all. We’re just not conducting it publicly; we’re working hard privately.
“I’m was out in Asia because I could be with Arsène for an extended period of time and think very, very carefully about strategy and targets.”
Hopefully these quotes are true and not just a PR stunt to keep the fans off Wenger’s back. Ivan is a good speaker – as we saw at the AST. Wenger is not known for splashing the cash, although he will spend significant money if he believes the player will be very beneficial for the team. For example, he has spent in the region of £10 million (including add-ons) plenty of times in the last few years – Nasri, Arshavin, Walcott, Vermaelen, Sagna, Gervinho. However, the question comes when the fee for a player is a lot higher. Will Arsenal break the £20 million barrier this summer? As Robin van Persie said, sometimes you need to spend money to get good quality players.
Ivan also said:
“We understand where the weaknesses have been. Financially we’re in a strong position, we have resources to spend. We’re certainly not sitting there saying ‘let’s hold back on our resources’ for some reason, why would we?
“The resources are there. We’ve got a substantial amount of money that we can invest. The important thing for us, which can be frustrating, is not doing it only in response to a public clamour but in a way that can positively impact our performance next year. That’s the focus now.”
So we have the money. The board have said it for years. But Gazidis also says this summer is not finished. So who will we buy? I can’t see Wenger ignoring the necessities of the team – he has to buy a centre back. However, his comments on Gibbs/Traore indicate that a left-back is low on his list of priorities. Which player would you like Wenger to go for, given that ”we still we be active in this window.”
Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis has admitted that the club had a disappointing end to the 2010/11 season, but promised fans that Arsène Wenger will spend the money available to him in order to improve the squad this summer.
Speaking at a Q&A with more than 200 Arsenal fans, Gazidis told the Arsenal Supporters Trust:
“Coming off the end of the season, I share with you a sense of profound disappointment.
“We had a season that promised a great deal and looked like it could turn into a very special one but in the end a familiar story began to tell itself. I understand the feelings that we all felt.
“It is very clear we had some shortcomings and in this close season we are going to see some turnover of players. Some new signings will be coming in and some of our existing squad will be going out. As Arsène has said, it will be a busy close season for the Club.
“But also it is important to recognise that it has not been a disaster. We have a young squad and we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The trick will be identify which parts to keep and which parts to turnover. And we will do that within our financial capabilities.”
Gazidis also insisted that new owner Stan Kroenke will remain very much in the background and is not looking to interfere with the day-to-day running of the club. Kroenke is looking to take complete control of Arsenal Holdings PLC, but Gazidis dismissed speculation that this would affect the financial structure and stability of the club.
“Mr Kroenke is known to the Directors and they have confidence in him. In his track record in sports, and also very importantly his track record with Arsenal, he has used a self-sustainable model and brought success to his sports teams and he wants success for Arsenal.
“He has grown to love Arsenal but he will remain in the background. This is not somebody who steps forward and looks for a public profile.”
In my opinion, Gazidis has only confirmed what most Gooners felt was necessary a long time ago – that Wenger has to spend the money that he is given. At the minimum we need 3 new signings just to replace players that we know are probably leaving (Denilson, Bendtner & Clichy). Add to that the possibility that will will lose one (if not both) of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, and the club has a lot of spending to do. Replacing Fabregas and Nasri will be extremely difficult, so I hope that Wenger already has some world-class midfielders in mind.
In terms of the Kroenke takeover, I am relatively happy to hear that our new owner is not looking to impinge on the daily happenings at the club. At the most, Kroenke may occasionally need to intervene in important financial matters; that’s fair enough as it’s his money. The actual running of the club is best done by those who know what they are doing (mainly because they have been doing it for years).
No, he wont be wearing the red and white of Arsenal, but he will be playing at the Emirates, if only for 90 minutes. This summer, the New York Red Bulls, Henry’s current team, will be taking part in the Emirates cup. Along with the MLS side, Boca Juniors and Paris Saint-Germain will also be taking part. Ivan Gazidis said the following about Henry’s return:
“I’m sure all Arsenal fans will be looking forward to welcoming back Thierry Henry – a true Arsenal legend.”
Of course, this is not the first time Arsenal have welcomed Thierry back to the Emirates. He has often been seen in the stands as a spectator, and has played against Arsenal in the 2-2 Champions League quarter final first leg for Barcelona in 2010.
Henry is looking forward to the competition on the 30th and 31st July. He said the following:
“It will be a good feeling [to play in the Emirates Cup]. To see Arsenal’s people again, the employees who work there, the players, the fans, the boss.
“Arsenal is who my heart belongs to, so it will be an incredible moment, I hope.
“I played seven years at Highbury Stadium, so I can’t say that I even played a full year at the Emirates Stadium because I was injured a lot during my last year at Arsenal.
“So I think I played like 15 games at the Emirates, and with the stadium itself I don’t have too much connection.
“But with the people… it’s different, I love the people, the fans, the people who work there from the chef to the guy who takes care of the field.
“When you play for Arsenal there is always criticism. But I feel like any other fan. I’m like the rest of the team right now, I’m suffering.
“But we have to help and believe in that team. They had the potential to win this season, they’ve always been so close to winning but sometimes fall short.
“I think the team can do it and I hope that the boss [Wenger] stays because he is a very important person right there for that organisation.”
It is clear that his connection to the club is still extremely strong and we will most probably be seeing more of Henry in the future at Arsenal, whether as a coach or perhaps as a replacement for Wenger.
