Arsenal legend Ian Wright has sounded the alarm over his former club’s looming contract dilemmas, drawing parallels to Liverpool’s situation and urging the Gunners’ hierarchy to splash the cash this summer to avoid a similar predicament. Mikel Arteta’s side suffered a crushing setback in their Premier League title chase, falling 1-0 at home to West Ham on Sunday.
To make matters worse, leaders Liverpool tightened their grip on the top spot with a commanding 2-0 victory over Manchester City, stretching their lead to 11 points. If this trend continues, Arsenal could be staring at a third straight season of playing second fiddle under Arteta, once again falling short of a first league title in 20 years.
Their faltering title challenge has only intensified scrutiny over their transfer dealings – particularly their inability to secure a top-class striker over January. With injuries piling up, Arteta was forced to deploy Mikel Merino as an emergency forward against West Ham, while 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri has been thrust into action to cover for the absent Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka. Wright has expressed his frustration over these shortcomings, warning that some players may look for the exit if the club fails to address its squad depth.
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Wright Encourages Gunners To Spend Big in the Summer
Mikel Arteta has spent over £600m since joining the club
Speaking on the Wrighty’s House podcast, Wright expressed fears Arsenal risk a similar scenario to Liverpool, where Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s contracts have run down and will expire in the summer. He said:
“When you’re talking about renewals with certain players, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel [Magalhaes], [William] Saliba, the way they’re moving now, I bet those renewals are all going to be slow.
“We’re going to have a situation maybe like Liverpool with Trent, Salah and Virgil. If I’m one of these players, and their teams are going to be saying, ‘Let’s wait and see, we’ve got two years left, so let’s wait and see who they get in the summer. I know the manager has signed again but let’s wait and see’. If they’re not going to get the kind of players that take us to the next step, look at Saliba. Real Madrid would take him tomorrow.”
He continued: “Why not wait and see what’s going on in the summer to see the kind of players and calibre of player we’re signing. This is what the people upstairs need to be careful of. I’m sure Mikel will have told them that because he’s probably got the same kind of ambition: if you’re not going to give me the kind of players I need, I’m not going to be able to keep the players I’ve got here that are our best players, who are now running down their contracts.
“We haven’t even got into that conversation yet about these players. This summer and who comes is f***ing vitally important to these players. There’s a lot going on right now that needs to be unpacked by these people upstairs and they better get it right. They better get it right.”
Wright’s concerns come with Saka, Saliba and Gabriel’s contracts expiring in 2027, meaning the trio have entered the final two years of their respective deals. If the club wants to move forward and nip the bud in their trophy drought, those upstairs must be just as ambitious as those on the pitch if they are to consolidate on their current project.
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