Arsene Wenger To Be Handed £45m War Chest?

Chris Wright

14th, April 2010

36 Comments

By Chris Wright

“Hmm, how many 5’4″ 17-year-old attacking midfielders does £45m get me”

According to an independent study that analyses club’s financial results, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be the most cash-rich Premier League manager during the next transfer window – with an estimated kitty of somewhere between £30-45 million to spend on new players.

So, let’s take a stroll into the world of fantasy and play a little game. If you were Arsene Wenger and you’d just been handed £45 million to spluff, who would you bring in during the summer?

Assuming all players are available for transfer and willing to join, these would be my hypothetical signings (and the price I would be willing to pay for them):

Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Sunderland / £7m)

Defenders: Vincent Kompany (Man City / £6m), Angelo Ogbonna (Torino / £3m)

Midfielders: Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux / £15m),

Forwards: Luis Suarez (Ajax / £14m)

Total: £45 million.

I’ve tried to air slightly on the side of realism, but don’t let that hold you back.

Reckon you could do any better? Let’s hear your suggestions folks…

Posted in Arsenal, Transfers & Rumours

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36 Comments

  1. Jamie says:

    Sergio aguero enough said.

  2. Calum says:

    GK – Adler – £7m
    Df – Sakho – £7m
    Mid – Toulalan – £4m, Hazard – £15m,
    Srike – Briand – £10

    £43m

  3. Chris Redmond says:

    Wenger is highly unlikely to spend that kind of money, whether he has it or not. Chamakh will come in, Eduardo or Vela will go, one or two centre-backs will come in depending on whether or not Gallas leaves, and I think he might sign a ‘keeper or central midfielder. I won’t hold my breath, though.

  4. robert says:

    Chamakh free
    frey 14m
    matudi 10m
    christina zapata 15m

    problably not gonna happen but that is what I really hope to see :P

    Btw gurcuff will probly cost around 20 – 30 million pounds so that is out of the question as long as we have king CESC! :D

  5. cliffeh says:

    Goalkeeper: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow / £6m)

    Defender: Jerome Boateng (Hamburg / £7m)

    Midfielder: Felipe Melo (Juventus / £12m)

    Forward : David Villa (Valencia / £20m)(Only because valencia need the money)

  6. drew10 says:

    I would say

    GK – Akinfeev or Frey – 10M

    DF – No Idea!! – No way would Man City let Kompany leave for 5M. I still like Hangerland. £12

    MF – Stephen Ireland – £15

    F – Chamakh – Free

    Total £37 But I think no way Wenger would spend that much.

  7. craig says:

    goalkeeper: Craig Gordon $8m
    defender: hangaland $8m or christopher samba $6m,
    midfields: felipe melo $9m and hazard $13m
    attack: chamakh free and eduardo coz if we dont get rid of him he’s gonna get back to where he was and start banging them in, up you gooners!

  8. Tillerbear says:

    Manuel Neue £12M. A World Class Goalkeeper should be our main priority. The 22 year old German International has been absolutely oustanding for Schalke over the last two Seasons.

    Christian Zapata/Gary Cahill £15M. Wenger failed with a bid for the 6’3 Columbian Centre back last Summer. I think we’ll be back in for him.
    Cahill would also be well worth considering, He’s powerful, English and has proven himself in the Premierleague.

    Mario Balotelli. Didier Drogba meets Christiano Ronaldo, he may be arrogant but he’s incrediblty talented. The 19 Year old has repeatedly fallen out with Mourinho.
    Would not come cheap. £20 M for an inexperienced striker sounds like alot but the guy will be one of the best players in World Football and should be snapped up before Real or Barca come calling.

    Would love Gourcuff but could’nt see him coming unless Fabregas was sold.

    ————M.Neue
    Sagna–Cahill–Vermaelen–Clichy
    —Fabregas—Song—Diaby—
    –Balotelli—RVP—Arshavin–

  9. gunner17 says:

    almunia, campbell, gallas, silvestre, senderos, traore and merida will go this summer.

    wenger will bring in:
    1) a cheap, experienced 30yo+ goalkeeper, maybe sorensen?
    2) a quality central defender to partner verma, maybe sakho, zapata, bonucci? only wenger knows who. he doesn’t let on.
    3) chamakh
    and that’s all.

    he’ll promote nortveidt to be cover for verma. remember we’ll have djorou back too. so 4 decent central defenders for us next year.

    we’ll have a pretty balanced squad next year i think.

  10. gunner17 says:

    wenger won’t sign any outfield players who are 28 or older. the law says they can unilaterally break a contract after a year or two. wenger won’t expose the club to that kind of risk.

    so hangelaand is out of the question.

  11. gunner17 says:

    it’s interesting to hear wenger mention the possibility of extending campbell’s contract.

    it wouldn’t surprise me if our central defenders next year were just Vermaelen, Djorou, Campbell, Nortveidt. i hope we bring someone in though. really, how can we not?

  12. ben says:

    eduardo and 5 mil for Hugo Lloris

    Sakho – 8 mil –

    Hazard – 12 mil

    Dzeko – 20 mil – or Villa – 20 mil..
    Chamakh – Free

    total 45 mil

    probable spend – 15 mil….
    on 2-3 relatively unknown young players…

  13. TonyM says:

    I think we will definitely sign Hugo Lloris for about 8 to 10 million. i think we will go for hangeland for 12mil and possibly a central defender we dont know of that arsene has been following on the cheap. melo is a possibility in midfield if the price is right but i dont see him touching the midfield. we’ll have chamakh on a free and i think he will do a swap deal for david villa sending eduardo and possibly carlos vela with 12 to 15million cash the other way

    @drew10…15million for stephen ireland?????? no chance!

  14. derek says:

    david villa end of story we need him 2 partner van.the.man……………………but more importand we need 2 get our defence sorted out

  15. Mathew says:

    Realistically a good keeper will cost 15 million but will be worth it if it sorts out the position for 10-15 years.

    Zapata, Kompany, Cahill etc will all cost 10 million minimum and we need 2 centre backs as Gallas n Silvestre are off. Djourou and Campbell can battle injury/fatigue for that 4th place.

    Chamakh is for free which is fine as goalscoring is not our issue, even when we do have 6 of our best players out

  16. Gregor says:

    It’s articles like this that get the weak-minded Gooners hopes up, and then when Wenger doesn’t spend, they wind up calling for his head. Thanks, but no thanks.

  17. Koller says:

    Leave the attacking positions and the attacking midfield. We get Chamack, that’s good enoght for there.
    Focus on the defense and the central line.
    First, new keeper at whatever prize, our blonde guy stinks- just give him away! Adler, Neuer, Akinfeev, Frey… Just someone good and under 35…
    Then, central defenders. And no midgets please! Tall guys with feet. Guys like Piqué. Sakho might be the guy, I don’t know.
    Than get anothter defensive central midfielder. A new Vieira. Tall, strong and with a heart.
    Than noone will be able to stop us..

  18. BigL says:

    I don’t know why sites keep linking us with goal keepers. Wenger has said time and time and time and time again that he rates almunia and he believes fabiański will be world class.

    Wether you agree with him or not he ain’t going to change his mind.

    As for spending 45 million, dream on, if wenger was given 45 billion he still wouldn’t spend it

    Personally I’d like a new keeper and some investment in players but wenger is not going to give it to us.

  19. the cannon says:

    hey koller we already have a world class defensive mid, SONG

  20. Jim says:

    Yawn! The same crap over and over again: Arsene has a war chest, Arsene believes in his young and potential players, Arsene buys one bargain or one old reject, fans are disappointed, then the same next year, and next year the same and the same next year …. Until we all grow old and die, and Arsene still believes in his young and potential players.

  21. OM says:

    ——— Lloris (9m)/ Hart (7m) ———–

    –Sagna—Vermaelen—Sakho (8m)—Clichy—

    ——————-Song———————

    ———-Cesc————-Nasri————

    –Walcott——Van Persie——Chamakh (free)

    Squad = Schezny (GK), Bendtner, Rosicky, Djorou, Nortviedt (sp?)
    Eboue, Hazard (maybe vs Walcott), Wilshere, Ramsey, Diaby, Gibbs.

    To go –> Gallas (free), Silvestre (free), Denilson (5m),
    Campbell (free), Merida (free).

  22. OM says:

    I dont know many rival club fans that can not say we have been terribly unlucky this season on injuries. We have a good squad. Few small changes as said above. World class keeper, World class big central defender plus Chamakh and perhaps a winger like Hazard and we are on! Oh i forgot…Arshavin…tells me something that I can forget him to be honest….

    As for last night….SOOO dissapointed with Diaby. He looks such a great lpayer that is just terribly lazy. But on a lighter note, VanP IS world class.

  23. silky mc247 says:

    same old arsenal,we have not won nothing for years almunia is rubbish how many mistakes has he made this season. what i would givr to have tony adams and ian wright back in there twentys lol. arsenal forever.

  24. darren says:

    does anyone really beleive even 10m will be spent on a player they are off their heads. we are a premier feeder club……….arsene doesnt have the money to spend.

  25. darren says:

    nice 1 jim lol

  26. Jarred Grimshaw says:

    Gorcuff!!! Cant agree more!!! He is unreal. His free kick deliveries are #@$#@%@# amazing…. Hugo Lloris (yes please) Chamakh (yes please) Hangelaand (I wish) and for good measure sell Almunia, Rosicky. Keep Sol and get rid of Eduardo (Couldnt hit a barn door with a cup of piss) and Silvestre (Please god!!!)

  27. paddy says:

    gk – buffon – £10m / lloris – £10m

    def – sakho – £8m

    mid – melo – £10m

    att – chamakh – free
    maybe balotelli too but i doubt it

  28. Goonerboy says:

    Get rid of some the tat first

    Sagna £8million
    Rosicky – £5million
    Eduardo – £5million
    Eboue – £8million
    Almunia – £4million
    Silvestre – Free

    I would keep Denilson and Abou Diaby, but they certainly wouldnt be first team regulars.

    So players sold £30million in addition to the £45million warchest, these are the players that I would like to see at Arsenal, and give us a real go at all the trophies next season

    Goalkeeper
    Akineev or Lloris – £10Million

    Right Defender
    I would like to see Gibbs work on his right foot and have him as right back – with Graig Eastmond as back up
    Left Defender – we have Traore as back up

    Central Defender
    Lucio – £15million – look at an exchange with any of the above players
    Zapate – £10million
    Sakho – £8 million

    Central Mid
    Melo – £12million – again look for part ex.
    Veluso – £6million – creative and hard as nails

    Attack Midfielder/Forward
    Villa – £20million

    Striker
    Chamakh – free

    Job done, wage budget greatly reduced, bring in Wilshire to support the attacking options

    That would put the shitters up the rest of the premier league clubs

  29. gvb says:

    you guys keep rating Villa at 20!???

    No way he’s available for less than 40.

  30. james says:

    Goalkeeper – Joe Hart- £10MILL, young, class and English.
    Defender- Lucio-£15MILL, Solid can play football and kept Drogba quiet which is what our defenders havent done for the last 5 years.
    Midfielder – James Milner- £15 MILL, again young but experienced at the same time, versitaile player who gives 100% effort and we could do with him
    Striker – Chamakh- FREE, Target man up front who finishes well

  31. […] has been reported that Arsenal will have a significant amount of cash to spend during the close season but the Gunner’s boss has said that he will not be […]

  32. pakke says:

    This is what he should do.

    GK: Mark Schwarzer – £2m.
    DF: A fast and athletic covering defender; Boateng/Zapata/Ogbonna? £10m
    MID: Gökhan Inler – £10m Or bring back Mathieu Flamini, that’s the sort of player lacking. Still £10m.
    ST: Chamakh, Free.

    About £20m surplus. Extended contracts for Gallas and Campbell.

    OUT: Almunia, Fabianski, Silvestre, Senderos, Eduardo.

    Then Arsenal will win the lot.

  33. Gilly says:

    Villa to arsenal for £20 million never
    Gourcuff to arsenal for £20 million never
    Arse hole wenger won’t spent a penny
    He even tied to half gallas wages

  34. hayatudeen dangogo says:

    if i were wenger:-
    OUT-almunia,fabianski,gallas,silvestre,campbell,traore,diaby,vela,eduardo.
    this will make 35M

    IN-lloris 15M/neuer 15M GK

    david luiz 25M,hangerland(sub) 8M DF

    gourcuff 30M MF he`ll replace denilson.then denilson 2 sub

    chamakh(sub striking)FREE.

  35. […] MORE: Help Arsene Wenger spend his £45 million war chest. […]

  36. Gill Man says:

    Goucuff £20 M – Diaby out £5 M
    Buffon £12 M – Almunia out £2 M
    Cahill £12 M – Senderos out £0 M
    Kjær £12 M – Silvestre out £0 M
    Chamahk £0 M

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