Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is not known to spend too much money on transfers, but the club hierarchy have told him that they will give the Frenchman whatever he needs in order to sign his top targets this summer.
The Gunners have had a quiet transfer window, with their only major signing being Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach for £30 million. However that could change very soon with the club management pledging more funds to Wenger for transfer spending, according to The Times.
The publication claims that Arsenal had planned to limit their summer spending to a total of £100 million, but have now taken into account the massive inflation in player transfer fees. With £30 million already spent on Xhaka, the club are now willing to go beyond their remaining £70 million budget in order to make new signings.
Wenger himself has dropped hints that he could be making a late signing, as well as identifying the need for a central defender after the injury to veteran center-back Per Mertesacker. However the main priority for the club this summer is to sign a top quality striker to compete with Frenchman Olivier Giroud.
Arsenal have been linked with a host of players since the transfer window opened, with an attempt to prise away star striker Jamie Vardy being foiled by Leicester City back in the beginning of June. Since then the London club have turned their attentions to another Leicester hero in Riyad Mahrez. The Algerian winger is said to be distracted by the Gunners interest, even though manager Claudio Ranieri firmly believes that he will stay at the club for at least another season.
After failing to land Vardy, Arsenal looked to Ligue 1 in France to provide the goalscorer that they so desperately need. Olympique Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette has been relentlessly pursued by the Gunners, but they have seen their offer of £29 million rejected as the French club are believed to be holding out for a fee of at least £40 million.
The club’s third transfer priority is German center-back Shkodran Mustafi from La Liga club Valencia. The status of their pursuit of the 24-year-old defender is similar to the Lacazette situation. Los Che have rejected a £15 million offer by Arsenal for Mustafi and want £21 to £26 million if they are to let go of their first-choice defender. If the club hierarchy does follow throw on their promise of funds, then Wenger may land all three of the aforementioned players in a spectacular summer of transfers for Arsenal.
