Arsenal transfer budget: The club’s official supporters trust has predicted the budget for transfer window in 2019, and the figures aren’t inspiring.
Arsenal has been in sublime form this season. After losing the two opening Premier League games to Man City and Chelsea, the Gunners are yet to drop points in the league. Unai Emery’s side currently sits at 4th in the league, with only two points behind league leaders Manchester City.
The Gunners are also on a nine-match winning streak in all competitions, which include a win in their first round of Carabao Cup over lower-league side Brentford, and two Europa League group matches.
Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have found their goal-scoring boots, as both scored a brace in their last match against Fulham before the international break. Arsenal thumped the newly-promoted side 5-1 at Craven Cottage to take a lead over Tottenham in the table.
However, the news in the transfer market isn’t as delightful for the Gunners. The club’s official supporters trust has revealed the expected transfer budget for Arsenal next summer.
Arsenal transfer budget:
Arsenal Supporters’ Trust has estimated that the club will have a budget of £40m to spend in the summer transfer window next year. The trust will write to Sir Chips Keswick, the club chairman, to communicate the estimates in detail.
Jeremy Wilson: The AST have forecast that, after all their spending in 2018, Arsenal will have a transfer budget next summer of around £40 million. The situation will then improve following new shirt sponsorship and kit deals that begin next year.https://t.co/6bWQHdL48G
— Arsènic™ (@MrArsenicTM) October 17, 2018
Usually, Arsenal would have an annual general meeting of all the major shareholders in October. However, after the complete takeover of the club by Stan Kroenke, no such meeting is scheduled to take place.
The AST forecast Arsenal’s transfer budget for next summer at £40m before the new sponsorship and kit deals kick in.
— Gilles (@GrimandiTweets) October 17, 2018
The club’s wage bill is running at an all-time high. Arsenal also went through a minor overhaul this summer as the club signed five first-team players. Unai Emery’s side will aim to avoid missing the Champions League spot for a third-consecutive season.
Neville: “I don’t care who the coach would be – you could bring Pep Guardiola in here. It took Pep Guardiola 3 transfer windows at City – Pep Guardiola, the greatest coach in the world with the biggest budget, it’s going to take him [Emery] more than that” #Arsenal pic.twitter.com/0FnPhJEqK2
— Gurjit (@GurjitAFC) August 12, 2018
The transfer budget would improve significantly from 2020 as Arsenal recently announced a new deal with Adidas.
What next?
The lack of an Annual General Meeting has gone down well with the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust. AST will write to Keswick on various issues, including the complete takeover of Stan Kroenke.
“How can one man take shares that have passed through families for generations?”
Until Kroenke’s takeover, about 800 fans had a slice of Arsenal. Now they have been forced to sell what they saw as treasures and heirlooms.
These are some of their stories. https://t.co/APWIqgXRgR
— Rory Smith (@RorySmith) October 17, 2018
In the absence of AGM, the Arsenal fans are also deprived of a platform for raising questions which concern the running of the club.
