Arsène Wenger’s successor as Arsenal manager will have to work with a restricted summer budget of around £50 million following two club-record transfers and three major new contracts in the last 12 months.
Unlike new managers over recent seasons at the two Manchester clubs, Arsenal’s new appointment will not be able to transform the squad with a large spending spree without first making big-money sales himself.
Arsenal have begun sounding out some of Wenger’s potential replacements, with former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique emerging as a strong candidate and understood to be keen, but chief executive Ivan Gazidis is committed to a thorough process. Max Allegri, Mikel Arteta, Leonardo Jardim, Julian Nagelsmann and Joachim Löw are among the other leading options.
As well as a manager who will continue to play attacking football and give young players their chance, Arsenal also want high standards of discipline. One criticism of Wenger has been that he has been too easy-going with his squad, although a strength also in his style is how he allows young players to grow and make mistakes.
Arsenal have spent more than £100 million on Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the past two transfer windows alone, but, also hugely significant, is how they committed themselves to three huge contracts in January for Aubameyang, Mesut Özil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The summer before, in 2016, was also the biggest total spend in Arsenal’s history following the signings of Shkodran Mustafi, Granit Xhaka, Rob Holding and Lucas Perez.
Arsenal’s transfer budget has been reduced after missing the Champions League this season and that would again be a factor in 2019 if they do not qualify by winning the Europa League.
What will boost finances from 2019, however, is a new shirt sponsorship deal with Emirates and a kit deal that is currently being neogotiated.
The new Emirates deal, alongside a separate sleeve sponsor, should alone bring in around £20m more annually. There will be other off-field changes, with fitness coach Tony Colbert, first-team coach Boro Primorac and goalkeeping coach Gerry Peyton also expected to leave. Club captain Per Mertesacker will head up the club’s academy and has said that the players must also take responsibility for Wenger’s departure.
He has also urged his team-mates to deliver what he says would be “the best” leaving present by winning the Europa League in Lyon next month. Arsenal play Atlético Madrid in Thursday’s semi-final first leg when they will be without Mohamed Elneny, who is facing three weeks out after injuring ankle ligaments in the 4-1 win against West Ham United.