Report: New Arsenal Manager to Have Just £50M for Summer Transfer Window
Arsene Wenger's successor at Arsenal will have just £50m to play with in the summer transfer window after 12 months filled with two club record signings and three major contracts.
The Gunners spent over £100m to sign forwards Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang while Mesut Ozil signed a new deal back in January and will remain with the club until 2021.
While the two Manchester clubs have lead the rest of the Premier League in transfer spending over the past two seasons, the Telegraph believe Arsenal's new manager will not be able to revamp a squad in need of bolstering.
There are still questions marks over the defense, highlighted by £35m man Shkodran Mustafi's wobbly display in the 4-1 win against West Ham, while a new goalkeeper will also need to be recruited for the aging Petr Cech.
Arsenal have started sounding out possible managers before Wenger leaves at the end of the season, with former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique currently a strong candidate, but chief executive Ivan Gazidis remains committed to a thorough process.
Massimiliano Allegri, Mikel Arteta, Leonardo Jardim, Julian Nagelsmann and Joachim Low have also been mentioned as possible incoming managers at the Emirates.
The new boss will likely make one big signing in the summer but other additions to the squad will rely on selling players or promoting youngsters.
Arsenal's recruitment team, lead by Sven Mislintat, have highlighted center back and central midfield as positions in need of strengthening, with the Gunners reportedly interested in Mainz defender Abdou Diallo.
Should the Gunners fail to qualify for the Champions League again their transfer budget could be slashed, but finances should be boosted by the new shirt sponsorship deal with Emirates and a kit deal which is currently being negotiated. That deal would bring in around £20m annually.