Only Manchester United and Manchester City have spent more in the transfer market over the last five years than Arsenal, so why is this not translating on the pitch?

Over the last five years, Arsenal have spent £-209.91m on transfers. Only United (£-509.46m) and City (£-574.59m) have spent more. However, while the Blues have won the Premier League in that time and United are at least challenging, the Gunners appear to be getting worse.

What’s more, Arsenal have failed to make a profit from players. Mesut Ozil, who cost the club £42.5m in 2013 when he signed from Real Madrid, could leave on a free at the end of the season, as could Alexis Sanchez, who set the Gunners back a reported £35m in 2014.

Then there are the players who the club appear to have paid over the odds for: Shkodran Mustafi and Granit Xhaka for a combined £70m seems bizarre a year on.

Arsene Wenger seemed to be fantastic at making a profit when the club needed to make money. However, since funds became available, he’s failed to invest in the right places and, even with superb signings like Ozil, he’s allowed their contracts to whittle down until it’s potentially too late.

With this in mind, it becomes clearer that the Frenchman needs help. A director of football to help sort out contracts before they run into their final year and seek out replacements in advance.

Whatever Wenger’s doing right now isn’t working.