Playing in the Champions League has been something that Arsenal fans have become accustomed to over the years and was once again vitally important to the club both financially and in terms of maintaining their status as one of the biggest clubs in Europe. So the win over Udinese earlier this week that booked Arsenal’s place in the group stages gave Arsene Wenger a chance to revive Arsenal’s season.
Apart from beating the Italian side over two legs, everything that could go wrong for Wenger’s men has so far this season. His squad has been hit by key departures, injuries and suspensions meaning the need for bringing in new players has only increased in recent weeks. Whether Wenger is willing to break that bad habit and finally spend big on established stars remains to be seen but being in the Champions League will have a massive effect on Arsenal’s transfers during the rest of the window.
Replacing stars like Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri would never be an easy task but one of the key factors to attracting the big names across the world is the status of playing in the Champions League. As well as the obvious financial boost it gives, Champions League football against the best teams in Europe is often a deciding factor for many players as they want to continue to test themselves against the best. Arsenal now also have the benefit of not only the money from outgoing transfers but also the healthy bonus a place in the Champions League provides, money that will hopefully be spent at least partly on new players.
The pulling power of Europe’s elite competition will often see players demanding moves. Arsenal’s rivals Tottenham are currently paying the cost for not making the competition this year as star midfielder Luka Modric looks to move to Chelsea, with one of the factors being that he can play in the Champions League.
There are of course some transfers that Wenger could have completed whatever happened in Italy. His transfer policy within this country would not have been too affected by the result as Arsenal’s increased bank balance should still facilitate possible moves for players like Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka or Chris Samba. All three would arguably still join the Gunners because, despite their recent troubles, they remain an established name in English football.
But I suspect only buying good players from within the Premier League would not be enough for Wenger. The Frenchman desperately needs to replace the creative void left by Fabregas and Nasri. Two of the many names linked to the club are exciting young prospects Eden Hazard and Yann M’Vila. Both currently ply their trade in Ligue 1 and whilst deals for both could still be agreed if Arsenal had lost, being in the group stage of the Champions League would significantly increase their chances of completing both deals. Whilst a deal looks unlikely, Arsenal’s reported interest in Brazilian superstar Kaka may not have come about without the lure of top European football at Arsenal.
As we also move closer to the end of the transfer window the frenzy to complete late deals increases. Top teams across Europe will go head-to-head for some of the best names and Arsenal can now better compete in the market as they can match the Champions League statuses of their rivals.
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Being in the Champions League is also an extra incentive to keep existing players. Would Robin van Persie, Thomas Vermaelen and Bacary Sagna’s futures have been called into doubt if they had missed out on the Champions League?
Qualifying for the top club competition in the world will always be vital for Arsenal but this season it has given the club an extra boost during a very difficult period. But in the short term Wenger’s moves in the transfer market could suddenly look a lot more profitable for Arsenal as he can once again say that the Gunners will be battling amongst Europe’s elite this season.
How much do you think having Champions League football will affect Arsenal’s transfers? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5
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