Arsenal’s spending analysed in light of Man City CEO’s claims. Are the Gunners really outspending City?

• Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano claimed Arsenal, along with other Premier League rivals, have outspent City in recent years.
• Soriano’s comments failed to consider that Manchester City’s initial substantial outlay since being bought by Sheikh Mansour, and Chelsea’s under Roman Abramovich, have inflated the market, driving other clubs to spend more.
• According to Transfermarkt figures, while Arsenal’s spending has increased, it’s in response to the inflated market conditions set by clubs like City and Chelsea. Arsenal’s larger expenditures in recent years are a result of trying to catch up in this highly competitive financial environment.

Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano has recently sparked controversy with his comments on the spending patterns of Premier League rivals, including Arsenal. Soriano asserted that these clubs, including Arsenal, have outspent City in recent years, a claim that has drawn sceptical reactions from the Gunners camp.

In the midst of a successful season for City, who are on the verge of an ‘impressive’ treble as well as facing 115 Premier League charges over financial breaches, Soriano’s words have diverted attention from the club’s achievements on the pitch, bringing to the forefront an often controversial, but underreported, topic – football expenditure.

Soriano defended his club’s spending by comparing it with Arsenal’s, among others. “Look, you only have to look at the investment in players in England in the last year, three years, five years,” Soriano asserted during his chat with Movistar.

“We are never the club spending the most on players. There are many other clubs investing more money than us – Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal.”

However, Soriano’s comments failed to address the crucial fact that Manchester City’s substantial initial outlay since being bought by Sheikh Mansour, and Chelsea’s under Roman Abramovich (before he was sanctioned by the UK Government due to close links with Vladimir Putin), had set a high benchmark for spending, thus inflating the market and driving other clubs, including Arsenal, to spend more.

Transfermarkt figures indicate that in the last decade, Chelsea and City have spent £1.82 billion and £1.5 billion respectively, while Arsenal has invested £1.04 billion. This points to an undeniable truth: while Arsenal’s spending has increased, it’s in response to the inflated market conditions set by the likes of City and Chelsea.

Moreover, City’s and Chelsea’s initial investments have put them in a position where they don’t need to spend as much currently, having established solid teams earlier on. Arsenal, on the other hand, has been playing catch-up, leading to its higher spending in recent years.

In this light, it becomes clear that Soriano’s claims, while factually correct on the surface, fail to account for the broader context of Premier League spending.

Arsenal’s larger expenditures in recent years are a symptom of the inflated market – a market that was shaped significantly by the likes of Manchester City.

Man City mount legal challenge because barrister is Arsenal fan

In a new twist to the saga, Manchester City have mounted a legal challenge against the Premier League’s 115 charges for alleged rule breaches. The club is disputing the involvement of barrister Murray Rosen KC, who is overseeing the disciplinary process, citing his affiliation as an Arsenal supporter, something we covered at the start of February, as grounds for potential bias.

The Times reveals that City have raised this dispute in relation to recent changes in the Premier League’s rules, arguing that they should not apply to investigations into alleged rule breaches before these changes. This is a notable shift in the club’s approach, and one that will undoubtedly create a stir in the football community.

Moreover, City have taken issue with Rosen, the head of the Premier League’s independent judicial panel, being the one to appoint the chair of the disciplinary commission. Rosen’s website confirms that he is a “member of the MCC and Arsenal FC“. City’s challenge marks a new chapter in this ongoing issue, adding another layer of complexity to the Premier League’s investigation.

In this light, Soriano’s comments on Arsenal’s spending seem even more pointed. It remains to be seen how this legal challenge and the controversy surrounding spending in the Premier League will play out in the coming days and weeks.

For now, it is clear that the dialogue around club spending, and specifically Arsenal’s role in it, is far from over.