After the shocking loss in the round of 16 in the Champions League at the hands of Monaco, Arsenal owners are ready to sanction a budget of £50m to manager Arsene Wenger. The message seems to be loud and clear: More signings on the agenda to break into Europe’s elite.
Jeremy Wilson in his column for the Daily Telegraph writes that Arsenal owners want much more from Wenger and that their ambitions no longer remain to finish in the top four of the Premier League or the first knockout stages of the Champions League.
Wilson also states that major Arsenal owners Stan and Josh Kroenke’s faces, when they left the Emirates on Wednesday night, told on what was a collective deflation for the North London side. Over the past decade the Arsenal board has hoped for much more but they have always had to live with the ‘biggest rebuilding phase of the club’s history.’
However, they are right to believe that Wenger’s delivery phase has rightly begun after the Frenchman has spent more than £100m on the squad in the past two years. The acquisition of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez has signalled intent from the Gunners but despite having the club’s three most expensive ever signings in the starting line-up against Monaco, they were humbled by the French side.
Wwnger himself believes that he has his best squad since 2011 and given the opponents were neither Bayern Munich or Barcelona, its time to introspect. Even Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claimed that he was surprised on not to see why this Arsenal side were not challenging for the Premier League title.
Mourinho said, “Arsenal? I don’t understand why they are not where we are with Man City. Look at the players, look at the squad, they have to win because it’s fantastic.”
However the report certainly states that Wenger is under no danger to lose his job. Arsenal have broken in the top three in the Premier League and find themselves in the quarter finals of the FA Cup. Wenger will also be handed a budget of £50m in the summer to spend on signings.
Wilson states that Wenger’s priority should be a central midfielder and £20m move for Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin seems possible. A goalkeeper could also come in with neither Wojciech Szczesny and David Ospina looking convincing under the sticks.
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