Arsenal’s big-money announcements backfire as Wenger is priced out of the market

 http://soccerlens.com/arsenals-big-money-announcements-backfire-as-wenger-is-priced-out-of-the-market/113017/

Arsenal’s big-money announcements backfire as Wenger is priced out of the market

 by saikatmandal on August 2, 2013

Arsenal fans surely won’t be buzzing with excitement following latest comments from the Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, who suggested that he doesn’t need to buy players this summer in order to mount a title challenge.

Having failed to land one of their prime targets of the summer Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid, Arsenal look set to suffer defeat in their pursuit of Luis Suarez as well, and it seems like the tone of the Frenchman has mellowed down, and the familiar clichéd logics are being echoed once again.

Wenger said as quoted in the Daily Mirror: “We are still working on improving our squad, but we have a basis of young players who are getting a chance here, who started in the Premier League.

“Wojciech Szczesny, Carl Jenkinson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott. They are all players who started in the Premier League with us. No-one else has done that.”

 What is he trying to prove with that?

Ivan Gazidis in the early month of June claimed boldly that Wenger will be supplied with cash to delve into the market and fans can expect few quality signings.

Media filled with reports of Wenger being handed £70 million transfer war-chest and with several top strikers have been linked, Arsenal have failed to sign a single quality first team player, with just two weeks remaining for the start of brand new campaign. Arsenal have hardly improved the squad by signing an unknown teenager – Yaya Sanogo on a free transfer.

Despite the frustration, it is evident that the club is trying their best to sign marquee names like Luis Suarez of Liverpool. Arsenal have already lodged two bids for the Uruguayan, but both were rebuffed.

Indeed that is frustrating for anyone but to let the fans know that the club will work fine without any new signings is nothing but making a mockery of oneself. What irks most is Wenger is trying to justify his stance, almost contradicting to the earlier notions that the club needs few top players to challenge for the honours, by blubbing the same old stories of youth development and so on.

All the nearest rivals of Arsenal – Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool – have improved their squad considerably. And unless the Gunners bring in a few quality additions, it is virtually impossible for them to challenge for the highest honours next season – even a blind man can see that.

That sort of logic doesn’t cut through the treacle at all. If this is a ploy to push the transfer fees of Luis Suarez down, then it can be seen as a bold move, but really, the situation has gone beyond that ground of experimentation.

What does seem like a logical and reasonable explanation is that Arsenal mouthing off their riches has backfired on them, with the selling clubs now trying to squeeze every last penny out of the Gunners, in turn pricing Wenger’s side out of a move. Whether, Arsenal and Wenger have an ace up their sleeves remains to be seen, but as of now, flaunting their transfer muscle early in the window looks like a costly mistake for the North London outfit.