Arsenal news as the team increases the likelihood that they will make a move in January and stays out of trouble with the FA

Stan Kroenke is getting the rewards of his recent Arsenal investment (Image: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

After changing their transfer policy in 2020 to support Mikel Arteta’s goal of assembling one of the world’s best young teams, Arsenal has spent more than £610 million ($771 million) on new players. They also paid a high price to sign teenage prodigy William Saliba the summer before.

However, the real shift was represented by the 2021 window. It was the most the club had ever spent in a single window at the time, but by the summer of 2022 and then again in 2023, it would be surpassed. The dial of Stan Kroenke moved. A reaction sparked in part by the collapse of the European Super League in April of that year, but also by the ineptitude of more seasoned players.

More than anything, the kind of player being signed made this direction change audible. It included players from Bournemouth, Sheffield United, Peterborough, Leeds, Brighton, Bologna, Benfica, and Anderlecht, excluding Martin Odegaard’s loan from Real Madrid.

Although Arteta almost lost his job as a result of the poor start to the 2021–2022 season, the benefits of investing so much in a young team weren’t immediately apparent. Because these players had come from almost nothing, there wasn’t a lot of evidence to suggest that things would improve, and the atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium was as toxic and frequently mutinous as ever.

There was also little sales data to show for the expenditure. Just £122 million ($155 million) went the other way during that time, leaving a sizable net expenditure with little more than the occasional FA Cup run to show for it.

At this point, Josh Kroenke, Edu Gaspar, Arteta, and Kroenke are all benefiting. All but three of the eleven players who began Wednesday’s 6-0 thumping of Lens in the Champions League group stage had signed contracts during this three-year period. Bukayo Saka entered the program through the academy, and Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli were purchases in 2020.

See also: Live updates on Arsenal’s transfers and news: major injury update, Lens match, Victor Osimhen deal, Ramsdale departure

READ MORE: Arsenal’s potential opponents in the Champions League last-16 include Barcelona, PSG, and Atletico Madrid

Aside from being one of the greatest, most destructive nights in recent European football history, it was proof that the plan was working as intended and brought with it financial advantages. They won the game and took home a cool £2.4 million ($3 million), a total they have already earned four times this season.

The only setback was the loss away to Lens, but earning a spot in the group stage alone brought in £13.3 million ($16.8 million). This resulted from finishing in second place in the league the previous year, which brought in prize money of £159 million ($200 million). Arsenal effectively made more money from prize money last season than they have from player sales over the previous three years, even though that is not how it operates.

The Champions League presents a lucrative opportunity, and Kroenke’s more sustainable model appears to be working well. For simply participating in the upcoming round, the Gunners will earn £8.29 million ($10.4 million). Even though Arteta’s team is probably the favorite, there is still a chance for some difficult draws in the round of sixteen.

If they advance to the quarterfinals, they will receive an additional £9.1 million ($11.5 million). The losing team will receive a minimum of £13.3 million ($16.8m) for just making it to the final at Wembley next summer, while the final four will receive an additional £10.8 million ($13.6m).

Should Arteta’s team win the entire tournament and become the first-ever European champions, they will not only earn £17.1 million ($21.6 million) for the club but also go down in history. Additionally, a sizable broadcast purse will be divided by each club after being paid out based on the results of the games each league’s teams play.

However, as of right now, the club has made £31.1 million ($39 million) from participating in the competition; if they defeat PSV in the final group match, they could increase that amount to £35 million ($44.2 million). There is a noticeable difference between that and the payout from the Europa League.

Even though Arsenal only received £6.8 million ($8.6 million) for the entire campaign, the rewards they currently receive for winning on the continent far outweigh the prize money that would have been expected of a team with higher goals. Regarding the subsequent allocation of funds, Arsenal might consider allocating a portion of it, essentially, during the January transfer window.

In addition to having midfield injuries, the Gunners are rumored to be interested in signing a new striker, with Ivan Toney being the most likely candidate. Toney would typically be off the radar by mid-season and could cost as much as £65 million ($82 million). Less than that was spent by Arsenal on Leandro Trossard, Jorginho, and Jakub Kiwior combined last year.

Although they have more money available this time, they will still need to spend a significant amount of their budget. Nonetheless, there has never been a better moment to sail close to the wind, given the demands of Europe, Gabriel Jesus’s health concerns, and the sincere hope for another title push.

Conversely, Kroenke might view this as a means of fortifying the finances and avoiding any future financial problems. The Gunners are not abiding by profit and sustainability regulations, but they do need to exercise caution given their poor track record in player sales, particularly in light of the Premier League’s apparent precedent for transgressions given their handling of Everton.

In any case, Arsenal has never had more opportunities than the Champions League, and in addition to paying for the current group of players, it might also be the catalyst for the next wave of talent to arrive.