Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic would reportedly join Arsenal over Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers – but why?
If you asked almost any player a few years ago about who they would rather join, Arsenal or Wolves, you would have received an almost unanimous response.
Arsenal, though no longer Premier League title favourites, were still one of the game’s established giants and a regular in the Champions League. Wolves, meanwhile, were milling around in the lower reaches of England’s second tier.
Fast forward to the summer of 2019, however, and things have changed rather dramatically.
Yes, Arsenal still accumulated 13 more Premier League points than Wolves last season. But, while the North London giants are on the decline with money tight and the future of star players very much uncertain, Wolves have one of the most talented, youthful and settled squads in English football.
Their billionaire owners, meanwhile, are willing to break the bank to bring glory to Molineux. Arsenal, in stark contrast, have just £45 million to spend on new players this summer, having missed out on the Champions League for the third year running (Goal). Wolves have already splashed out more signing Raul Jimenez and Jonny Otto on permanent deals.
So Ivan Perisic appears to be living in the past, or at the very least a narrow-minded version of the present, with the Croatian snubbing a potential £31 million switch to Wolves in an attempt to force through a move to join Emery’s ailing squad instead, according to FC Inter News.
In truth, it would be no real surprise if Wolves forced Arsenal out of the Premier League top six next season, with or without Perisic – especially if Lucas Torreira or Alexandre Lacazette force their way out of the Emirates.
One team looks like a fading force while the other is only a fraction of the way towards completing it’s potential. Maybe Perisic should ignore the history and look at the future instead.
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