Jamie Carragher lives in la la land.
In his world, Arsenal should sign Petr Cech, Paul Pogba, Diego Godin and ‘Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero or Karim Benzema’ in order to stop being ‘nearly men.’
All very good in theory.
In reality, where Arsenal are a bit more sensible with their money and don’t spend hundreds of millions of pounds in one window, he shows a complete inability to understand what Arsenal have been building over the past ten years and, with one short window, would happily see the club plunge themselves into depth.
“This is the summer when Arsenal must go for it and make the big additions that will stop them being nearly-men,” wrote Carragher in his column in the Daily Mail.
“Wenger still needs to buy a new No 1 if they are to be title challengers. Petr Cech would be an ideal candidate to come in.
“Why doesn’t he go for Paul Pogba? If they needed to sign Ozil two years ago, their need to sign Pogba this summer is even greater. Diego Godin of Atletico Madrid is 29 and at the peak of his powers. He would be ideal at the heart of the defence.
“Imagine what Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero or Karim Benzema could do for Arsenal?”
How much would that quartet cost?
£10m for Cech, £80m+ for Pogba, £30m+ for Benzema (significantly more for the other two) and Godin £20m. That’s a minimum outlay of £140m BEFORE wages are even factored in.
With Arsenal said to have a reported transfer budget of £50m for the summer, which will no doubt include wages as well, the Gunners could very well land one marquee player and possibly another addition.
It won’t be a big spending summer and it doesn’t need to be either as Arsenal have already shown – with all the players already at the club available because they are no longer injured they are the best side in the country.
Buy, buy, buy is not always the answer.