Quote:
Wenger hemorrhaging AFC cash, the number is quite unbelievable
Everyone loves a big number to keep focus on what’s going on at Arsenal. I don’t mean to pile pressure onto our faltering manager, but I think a few myths need to be busted about what he’s offering to the club these days, because his ability to turn a profit has diminished at quite a alarming pace. This post aims to showcase just what a state we’re in.
Prizes:
Firstly, let’s look at the Champions League. A competition which Wenger has often claimed the mere qualification is a trophy. Well, that trophy isn’t on offer this year. Instead, we’re suffering the indignity of Spursday Night Europa League. The difference in prize money is quite large. If we make it to the last 16 on 4 wins and 2 draws, we’ll earn £5.6m.
Prize Money for achieving last 16 of UCL: £36m
Prize Money for hitting same height in Europa: £5.6m
Net Loss: -£30.4m
Players:
Next up, let’s look at the players we have that are currently leaving on free transfers, based on the big man’s say so. I’ll be straight up, we’re not getting anything for Per or Santi. We should be getting something for Jack (£20m), Chambo (£30m), Sanchez (£60m) and Ozil (£40m).
Total Loss: -£150m (as of Wenger’s stance that they’re all staying)
Deadwood Wages:
Now let’s take a look at the problem Alfred called out in the podcast, surplus wages. We have, what, 33 players in our squad? Many of them overpaid to the point they can’t be moved on. We saw Jenkinson move to play with Harry Redknapp because his deal is simply too rich to handle for Premier League clubs. Worth remembering we were in EXACTLY the same position in 2011 after project youth. I have 9 players that class as deadwood. The two richest would be
Worth remembering we were in EXACTLY the same position in 2011 after project youth. I have 9 players that I class as deadwood. The two richest would be Santi, because he’s broken, and Theo because when one of your highest paid players is a bench merchant, you’d clearly rather not have him around. Others that made the cut were Joel Campbell who is back again, Kieran Gibbs who I was told earns more than the £65k a week I have him on (£80k), along with Ospina, Debuchy, Perez, and Wilshere. Total wage expenditure there is £625k a week, I’ve left Jenks in there because I have my doubts Birmingham are paying full whack.
Total cost: £32.5m
All of that money, added together in my clever little spreadsheet takes Arsenal’s potential losses for the year to a whopping £212,885,227.
Now, you can split hairs on my numbers, but what you can’t do is tell me that there is anyway you can look at those figures and not be absolutely shocked at how badly run we are under Arsene Wenger, Director Of Football.
I didn’t even get into the figures of what we’re losing on players who’d have become better players under better managers. Let’s be real here, a contracted Alexis is a £100m player in this market. Jack Wilshere is a £50m player if he progresses. Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott… would all be worth a lot more under better management.
We are not only a shambles on the pitch, we’re the same off it. Arsenal are in the process of overseeing one of the least effective summers of all time, and what makes it worse, is next year, we’re going to lose 6 players on free transfers.
Right, as I did all this lovely math for you, jump on The Arsenal Opinion podcast, subscribe, and leave a nice 5 star rating.
We talk about Ozil and his negative press, we pick through the summer, and we discuss how trouble is brewing strong for AFC.
