John Cross is responsible for the rumour that Arsenal only had £40m to spend this summer but David Ornstein claimed back in February it could be as much as £100m.

Lille forward Nicolas Pepe arrives to take part in a TV show on May 19, 2019 in Paris, as part of the 28th edition of the UNFP (French National Professional Football players Union) trophy ceremony. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Lille forward Nicolas Pepe arrives to take part in a TV show on May 19, 2019 in Paris, as part of the 28th edition of the UNFP (French National Professional Football players Union) trophy ceremony. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Arsenal fans were left shocked on Saturday morning when David ‘Ornacle’ Ornstein confirmed that Arsenal had indeed agreed an €80m deal for winger Nicolas Pepe.

How could that be if they only had £40m to spend?

Well, seems they have good bit more and the £40m figure isn’t accurate at all.

Speaking at a fans Q&A, on Friday night Vinai Venkatesham said, “I don’t recognise this £40m figure.

“I have read it a lot. That doesn’t come from us, that doesn’t come from the club. The numbers never come from us. We never ever, ever, ever talk about how much money we have to spend because that’s the least helpful thing you can do.”

Well, it looks like it comes from John Cross who wrote in his EXCLUSIVE (although it no longer seems to be marked as such) on 4 February 2019, “Unai Emery will only have £40million to spend this summer.”

john cross daily mirror 40m budget
Mirror website 4 February 2019

Just two days later, David Ornstein was on the Arseblog podcast and he was saying something very different.

“There are some suggestions around the £40m-mark, depending on what competition Arsenal get in (Champions League or Europa League),” Ornstein began. “I’ve been told that it could be around £100m to spend. As we know with Arsenal, that would factor in salaries as well, and we need to see what competition they get in.

“There needs to be intelligent recruitment as well. It’s all well and good having the £100m, or however many hundreds of millions, or less. But how intelligently they do it is going to be the key factor here because it’s not going to be the level of money other clubs will have.”

Jon Cross

There is, of course, a reason that David Ornstein is the most trusted Arsenal pundit around. He doesn’t guess and then dress it up as fact.

He waits, he confirms, then he tweets.

Radical, huh?