A glance at the substitutes’ bench at the Parc des Princes these days gives you an insight into the vast ambition of PSG’s owners. The Qataris have bankrolled the club to the tune of more than £1 billion as they seek to win the Champions League, and they now have a terrifying attacking triumvirate. Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe can destroy teams across Europe, but that leaves no room for genuine world class players like Angel Di Maria and Julian Draxler, while the likes of Lucas Moura also cannot get a game. Meanwhile, in-fighting between the stars has seen Cavani grow isolated in the squad, as the intense competition for places has fostered a ferocious and perhaps slightly unhealthy atmosphere.
It could be a perfect opportunity for Arsenal to capitalise and conduct some shrewd business in the January transfer window. Nowadays, we have to accept that Arsenal are not in the same league as Europe’s free-spending elite, and be humble enough to recognise that the Gunners can strengthen by taking the scraps from the top table. After all, that is how they signed Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid, as Los Blancos brought in Gareth Bale and there was no room for him. Ditto Alexis Sanchez, whose place in the Barcelona team was threatened by the arrivals of Neymar and Luis Suarez.
These days PSG and Man City are the biggest spenders around, and Arsenal have been linked with the likes of Raheem Sterling, but that does not look like going anywhere. Instead, Arsenal should turn their attentions to Paris.
It is a World Cup year and the likes of Draxler and Di Maria cannot be happy with their lack of game time. Neither is guaranteed a place for Germany nor Argentina respectively, and they could be seeking a January move to stake a claim for a place on the plane to Russia. Cavani also could be looking to force an exit after he was usurped by Neymar as the main man at the Parc des Princes. He was content to exist in Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s shadow, but now it looks like he will not accept doing the same for Neymar after spending a year in the limelight. Cavani misses a lot of chances but he is still a dangerous striker, with superb movement and a powerful shot. Any of them would improve Arsenal’s squad, and they surely have the money to spend.
The Gunners were one of the only clubs in England to record a profit on their summer transfer dealings and cash reserves are lying untouched. They finished fifth last season, their worst league position in Arsene Wenger’s 21-year reign, and needed serious investment to break back into the top four as all their rivals are improving. Instead they made more money for Stan Kroenke and some of that needs to be ploughed back into the first team. Ozil and Sanchez are highly likely to leave next summer and they will not be easy to replace. Any notions of leaving it to Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck would leave Arsenal well outside the top four. If Arsenal plunder PSG in January and kick on in the second half of the season, Ozil or Sanchez may even be persuaded to stay.
A review of the leading betting sites leads you to bookmakers with competitive odds and you will see that Arsenal are all the way out at 33/1 to win the title this season. Defeats at the hands of Liverpool and Stoke have left the Gunners some way back already, and they do not look in the same class as Man City right about now. Serious investment is needed as Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea are lavishing huge sums on new players and Arsenal cannot compete with their current transfer strategy. Snapping up some bench warmers at PSG would be a great start.