Ian Wright has claimed that Arsenal don’t have the money to sign the players they ‘really want’, whilst Daniel Levy backed Antonio Conte at Tottenham ‘when he wanted it’.
Arsenal ended the 2021/22 Premier League campaign in fifth place and securing Europa League football, whilst Spurs surprised many by earning a Champions League spot.
In January, whilst Arsenal allowed a number of players to go, including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Tottenham added Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski to their ranks.
The Juventus duo transformed Conte’s side and elevated them even further, including providing that cutting edge over Arsenal in the race for fourth spot.
Nonetheless, when talking about Arsenal’s owners, their spending compared to Tottenham’s, Wright told the Premier League Season Review on PLP (24/05/22 at 4:00 pm) that Conte got what he wanted.
“He (Arteta) has restored the culture of the club,” said Wright. “You aren’t hearing too much noise with the fans and the owners, at the moment.
“That’s when you are starting to progress. I think they are progressing. They have made some good signings – in Ramsdale, Partey, Tomiyasu and Odegaard. They have done very well.
“It’s a project that’s going to take time because we haven’t got the money. We haven’t got the money to get the players that we really want.
“Listing to Tim (Sherwood) saying that Levy has backed him (Conte). And he has spent money. But it’s a time when the manager wanted it. It’s the timing of it. Otherwise, Pochettino would probably still be at Tottenham.
“We didn’t get Champions League football, unfortunately. But if he continues to progress, then he will get the backing.”
ARSENAL DID SPEND IN THE SUMMER
In January, Arsenal did make the mistake of not adding another midfielder and striker to their ranks because it was needed.
But, someone like Mikel Arteta can’t moan because he has been backed, especially in the summer and before.
The likes of Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyas, Nuno Tavares and Martin Odegaard didn’t come cheap.
Added with that, they have also previously brought in the likes of Thomas Partey and Gabriel, so surely that can’t be an excuse for the club’s recent collapse in missing out on Champions League football.
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