Arsenal already know brutal transfer truth after £46.3m Stan Kroenke promise for summer window

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta appear firmly aware that a decisive summer transfer window awaits. The Gunners have invested heavily into the playing squad since the arrival of Arteta but the last two trading periods have been far less fruitful with the club now seemingly paying the price.

Despite injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka, Arsenal opted against signing an attacker in January even with great market opportunities on the table. Randal Kolo Muani at Juventus, alongside Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio with Aston Villa, have all made immediate impacts after sealing winter window moves.

Losing both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli in addition to that was obviously not something that could have been forecasted, but the warning signs were certainly there given how both were required more often since early January when Jesus joined Saka on the list of absentees.

Even prior to those four injuries, Arsenal needed an attacking addition but instead midfielder Mikel Merino and defender Riccardo Calafiori were acquired ahead of the 2024/25 season.

While both have impressed, 18-year-old Myles Lewis Skelly is ahead of Calafiori in the pecking order despite being a midfielder and Merino has just played 90 minutes as striker having failed to break into the midfield three which is rather telling. The Gunners parted ways with a combined £75million to bring them in.

That spending was more or less equalled out by permanent departures for Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe, Arsenal put themselves in a strong financial position.

It was no surprise therefore to see that the club's overall loss dropped from £52.1million to £17.7million from 2023 to 2024. However, it is worth noting, that despite the improved financial freedom, Arsenal intend to operate sustainably in the market while trying to improve the squad, football.london understands.

Incomings are still of course expected and Arsenal look to have revealed how they plan on spending, courtesy of a section in their full accounts breakdown. "The Board's long term strategy is to continue to develop Arsenal Football Club (the Club) as a leading club on both the domestic and global stages," it read.

"The board are committed to a business model which invests the funds generated by the business back into the Club with the aim of achieving an increased level of on-field success with the ultimate goal of winning trophies and using that on-field success to increase and further engage the Club's worldwide fan base."

While the Gunners have struggled at points, strong outings in the Champions League thus far has already seen them take in just £46.3million, as per Reach PLC's Business of Football Writer Dave Powell.

“As for this season, with a record of five wins, one draw and one defeat, regardless of what happened in Girona, Arsenal had already bagged £9.6m in prize money from just the results alone," he admitted in January prior to the league stage phase ending.

"Add to that the £16m for qualification for the league stage, and in progressing through to the knockout stages which delivers £9.4m, and the £1.7m bonus for finishing in the top eight, and things start to add up.

“There is also another boost of around £7.9million from finishing third through the new revenue distribution model. Referred to as 'shares', the higher the finishing place the more 'shares' a club will receive.

"One share is £236,000, therefore, the 36th-placed side would take home one share that sum from the league system, while the team that finishes top wins 36 shares, a sum of £8.5m." As stated officially by the club, the onus is now on Stan Kroenke to invest those funds and the prize money still to arrive, back into the club.

Last summer, Arsenal were able to offset new signings with marquee departures, but that is not something they can repeat. The players likely to depart Arsenal are not expected to command sizeable fees with Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko struggling for minutes which has seen their value diminish.

Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Jesus could have also been on the chopping block, but long-term injury issues makes it very unlikely either are moved on this summer. Finally, Thomas Partey and Jorginho are both out of contract at the conclusion of the 2024/25 season which means two senior players could leave for nothing.

Regardless of that, a big summer undoubtedly awaits for Arsenal and Arteta with many expecting some marquee arrivals due to prize money obtained, the club's improved financial position and the problems that have been exposed in the last few months.

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