Former Gunner, John Hartson, reckons that if Arsene Wenger buys in some big name players for Arsenal this summer, the fans will stop protesting.
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With Wenger’s future set to be announced in the coming days and the Frenchman heavily rumoured to be signing a new two-year deal with Arsenal, many are beginning to speculate on how he’s going to change the club in order to make up for this disappointing season.
While Arsenal beat Chelsea to the FA Cup on Saturday, they also finished fifth in the Premier League, missing out on Champions League football next season and running the risk of losing their best players over the summer.
Gooners have been vocal about their frustration over the way the club’s being run for several years. However, this season, fan unrest reached a new level.
If something doesn’t change, there will only be more protests.
Hartson believes that the best way of stopping this from happening is to essentially give the fans what they want: big name players.
“I think there will be protests if he stays,” the pundit told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“I think a lot of the supporters want to see a change at Arsenal.
“That being at the top – the manager.
“But what would appease the supporters is if he brought in some really big names and he makes a statement then by saying, ‘Well, we’ve got a strong enough squad’.
“Say, for instance, Romelu Lukaku becomes available at Everton, £60m, whatever it is.
“Van Dijk for example, £50m.
“Arsene, the fans are saying, ‘Please be in for these players’.
“Don’t be £5m out, blah, blah, blah, whatever it is.”
You can’t argue with Hartson’s logic. If Wenger’s staying, he’s going to need to really turn things around this summer, and signing solid transfer targets is one thing he can do to prove that he wants to.