By Ian Grant
Arsenal md Keith Edelman said Arsene Wenger will be given more cash to bolster the squad, following a £10.2m increase in profits for the six months up to 30 November.
Edelman said at a PA briefing: “We have got £17.4m of cash in the bank at this stage, which is obviously a very healthy position to be in. He (Wenger) will have sufficient transfer funds in the summer, as he did in January, but chose not to spend.
“The stadium is going very well, we have spent £54m on it in the period and it is still on schedule to open for the 2006/2007 season. We have always said that the new stadium would enhance the manager’s budget, not detract from it and we still believe that to be the case.
“Now we have got the funding for the stadium, there will be sufficient funds for his transfer budget.”
“I think we should be one of the top three richest clubs in the world in the long run, on the way that they [Deloitte] calculate it [the Football Money League],” said Edelman.
Comment
The Deloitte figure is based on maintaining broadcast subscription revenues, and the report fails to warn about declining TV audiences (see Observer series where the trend has been identified). More than half Arsenal’s income is from TV.
Unless the footballing authorities act, to address the financial imbalances in the Premiership, then falling TV revenues are inevitable. Indeed, the Observer points out there is a danger of the Premiership turning from a duopoly to a monopoly (in which case subscribers will de-subscribe in the in shed-loads. Talking to one or two other disillusioned fans from other clubs, they probably will anyway, if nothing is seen to be done).
The figure being bandied about that Arsene Wenger can spend is £40m – less than 20% of what Chelsea have spent in the last two seasons. It is more on a par with the average spending of Liverpool, Newcastle and Middlesbrough.
On the plus side, there’s obviously enough cash to keep Ashley Cole and Edu with increased deals, then. Ledley King and Shaun Wright-Philipps would cost that amount (£40m) and do an awful lot of good in the process. But the question is how is the £40m best spent?
Foreigner debate
Meanwhile, Mr Mourinho should be aware, before entering the debate about foreigners, that he has spent more himself at Chelsea on foreign footballers than Arsenal have spent on their entire squad. He hasn’t signed any English players himself. Chelsea as a club have spent nearly £170m on foreign imports in their current squad. They pay more wages to foreign players than Arsenal. And Joe Cole, Wayne Bridge, Glen Johnson and Scott Parker can hardly be called first team regulars. If there was a combined transfer/wage cap of £100m, he’d be forced to play more English players in the first team, along say with Carvalho, Ferriera, Drogba who cost £63m, and shed some others from the £115m wage bill. That would instantly improve England’s international prospects.
Meanwhile, here’s a weekly news review:
PLAYERS
Thierry Henry said: “I would like to stay here, but it is up to the people involved. If it was only up to me, no problem, but we all know how it is in football. If you stop scoring goals, someone young can come along and kick you out. But I have no desire to play abroad. I’m just passionate about the game and my team.”
Sol Campbell said in the Evening Standard: ‘If we get the Olympics in London in 2012, the transformation of east London would be phenomenal. I’m actually from Stratford, which is at the heart of the proposed London 2012 developments and this bid obviously means a lot to me. This is a perfect opportunity to achieve what would be an amazing event for the country.’
Ashley Cole said: “If we get the 2012 Olympic Games, it would be a positive boost not only for London, but for the whole country. I was born and bred in east London and know that the local people will relish the opportunity to show that London can successfully host an event of this size.”
WENGER
David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard lined up in a side managed by Arsene Wenger (and Marcello Lippi) on Tuesday, in the Football for Hope charity match at the Nou Camp. They played in the Andrei Shevchenko XI for the FIFA-organised game, the proceeds of which will go to victims of the Asian tsunami disaster.
Arsene Wenger remains convinced Cole will sign a new deal in the summer and that he can convince Reyes to stay in London as well, saying: “We have more loyalty than people think and loyalty still exists in the game. I feel most of our players, even Ashley Cole, are committed and well paid enough here to have a great career and a great life. This is a good opportunity to show how strong we are inside the club.”
Arsene Wenger has chosen Bad Waltersdorf, Austria for the pre-season venue – the fourth year in a row.
Wenger praised Iain Dowie in the Mail: “For me he has made miracles. First to get his team up last year. And then he has them in the situation where they can still stay in the Premiership. He’s a positive character and that’s much needed in this job. If I were to win the League, I will give him the title of Manager of the Year.
He adds: “I’ve been impressed with Andy Johnson, too, because he has scored 15 goals at Crystal Palace and not many strikers would do that.”
TRANSFER TALK
According to The Guardian, Arsenal and Manchester United are watching the £2m rated Belgian goalkeeper Silvio Proto, 21, who plays in Belgium’s for La Louviere, as they explore possible summer signings.
Proto said: “The interest in me doesn’t worry me at all. However, I would sooner join a big club in Belgium and play regular first-team football, rather than go to a prestigious foreign side and sit on the bench, but no Belgian clubs have come in for me.”
However, the News of the World reckon the clubs are ready to battle it out for keeper Jan Lastuvka. Lastuvka, 22 who plays for Shakhtar Donetsk and valued at Pounds £3m, is being groomed by the Czech Republic as understudy to Petr Cech.
According to Teamtalk, Newcastle could fight Arsenal for Michael Owen.
The People says Glenn Hoddle wants 20-year-old defender Justin Hoyte for the rest of the season, but Wenger wants him as cover for Sol Campbell and Lauren.
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
UEFA research shows that since the Bosman ruling came into effect in 1995 the number of locally trained players featuring in Europe’s top flights has declined by 30 per cent.
Liam Brady, Arsenal’s head of youth development, said in The Guardian: “Our vice-chairman David Dein has said it would be a restraint of trade. It is trying to make a level playing field when football has never been like that. We would not have a problem at this club in the first year but do not feel it is the right way to go.”
And added: “We are very committed to youth development for all our young players whether they are from here or abroad. If anyone wants to question whether Arsenal’s youth policy is working they should have a look at the results our young players produced in the Carling Cup at Everton and Manchester City.”
Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association however said: “I think it is damaging for the England team and we have to give our players a chance. It is a shame there is such a scarcity of players for the national team manager to consider at one of our top clubs.
And added: “Even when everyone is fit at Arsenal, on merit there would be just two Englishmen. Nobody can say Wenger does not do a good job for his club but it is disappointing when Dein, a leading figure in English football, has spoken out against Uefa’s proposals.”
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Sheffield United’s Paddy Kenny said prior to the FA Cup showdown: “It’s not frightening – it’s fantastic. You’ve got to want to play against fantastic players like them on the big stage, in front of big crowds,” said Kenny. It’ll be a great day out for everyone. They are a world-class team still and for us to be playing them again is like a dream.
And added: “I’ve never played at Highbury and it’ll be great to play at the famous old stadium before they knock it down. The biggest game I’ve played in was the play-off final and that was disappointing, but this is another massive game which will give us all a lift.”
Neil Warnock’s plea for a Football League referee to take charge of the tie tomorrow has failed as Premiership referee Neale Barry has been appointed for the televised showdown, with Barry Knight, as fourth official.
RULES AND REGS
The Times reports on a potential offside rule change: Sepp Blatter said: “Abolishing the passive offside rule would benefit attacking football. It would simplify matters if the person receiving the pass was the only player who could be flagged offside.”
He added “They [Milan Baros and Jan Koller] think it is a good idea and it would be useful for referee’s assistants.”
MISCELLANEOUS
Sir Steve Redgrave was guest of honour at Highbury to mark Arsenal becoming an Official Supporter of the London 2012 Olympic bid.