The Arsenal Supporters Trust (AST) have slammed the club for failing to use their significant financial resources to beef up their squad this summer.
After a positive end to last season, the Arsenal faithful were hoping that Arsenal Wenger would add significant new players to take his team to the next level this time around and push for the Premier League title, along with being contenders for the Champions League.
However, the summer transfer window has come and gone and Petr Cech’s arrival from Chelsea remains their only significant addition to a squad that finished third in the league last term.
Many felt that adding a defensive midfielder and top class striker was necessary to turn Arsenal into genuine title contenders, while the absence of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker against Liverpool exposed a lack of defensive depth. But Wenger failed to act while other clubs spent huge sums of money to strengthen their respective squads.
The AST have been scathing in their criticism of their club’s transfer policy and said that if they are not using their significant financial resources to make the squad better, they should lower the ticket prices at the Emirates for benefit of their fans.
relatedNewsStory
Tim Payton, a representative of AST, told the BBC: "So another frustrating transfer window shuts with Arsenal sitting on huge financial resources despite there being a widely held view squad additions were needed.
“The AST would like the club to review its scouting and playing purchasing arrangements. If they believe all is well they should reflect on what the point is of a football club.
“If Arsenal run for the benefit of supporters – why does the Club sit on huge cash piles year after year? Whether it needs to be spent on the team is a matter of opinion. If the opinion of the manager is that it doesn't, and the board back him, so be it.
“However, give the money back to the supporters in lower ticket prices and other benefits.”
