Opinion: Arsenal should not be pressured into paying inflated transfer fees

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·21 luglio 2026

Opinion: Arsenal should not be pressured into paying inflated transfer fees

Football supporters are naturally impatient during the transfer window. Every rumour is dissected, every signing is compared and every day without an announcement can feel like a missed opportunity.

But as Dan Smith argues, there is a difference between strengthening a title-winning squad and simply spending money because everyone else is.

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Have you ever known (or been) a child who has birthday or Christmas money burning a hole in their pocket?

They have zero concept of budgeting. They just want to buy something new, usually the first thing they see. As the adult, it’s your job to educate them, especially when you know they’ll be bored of the new toy within days and asking for something else a week later.

Now, I would never call my fellow Gooners childish, but some supporters do seem more frustrated by who Arsenal have not signed than by whether the players available actually represent value.

Like a parent dealing with a child desperate for the latest gadget because their friends have one, a section of our fanbase appears more concerned that our next-door neighbours are spending money than what they are actually spending it on.

At the end of last season, I didn’t hear many Arsenal fans suggesting the Premier League champions should spend close to £100 million on Sandro Tonali or around £85 million on Enzo Fernández.

That’s approaching £200 million on two midfielders who didn’t even feature at the World Cup.

Just say that out loud.

Portugal chose to leave one midfielder at home, while another was relegated with his club, yet those are the kinds of fees now being discussed.

Let’s put that into perspective.

It’s not as though Kylian Mbappé is moving across London.

(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Arsenal don’t have to pay over the odds

It isn’t a weakness if Arsenal refuse to pay inflated prices.

Football is still a business, and the Kroenke family didn’t become billionaires by investing in assets that weren’t worth their market value.

If you’re buying a house, you view the property, assess its condition and then decide whether you agree with the asking price.

You don’t make an offer simply to tick a box.

Arsenal have generated significant revenue over the past 12 months, but that doesn’t mean the club should spend for the sake of spending.

This isn’t me being arrogant, but we are currently the best team in the country having won the Premier League 2025/26.

We’re not in a position where we have to overpay just to improve the squad.

Success should not change sensible decision-making

I’ve heard people say, “Why should we care about money that isn’t ours?”

My answer has always been the same.

If you genuinely love your football club, you should want what’s best for it in every area, including how it spends its money.

I’ve got no issue with Arsenal paying more than £100 million for a footballer if that player dramatically improves our starting eleven.

So far this summer, though, I’m yet to see Andrea Berta lose out on anyone who falls into that category.

Dan Smith

Do you agree with Dan’s view? Should Arsenal remain patient and refuse to pay inflated transfer fees, or is this the summer to spend whatever it takes to stay ahead of the competition? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ADMIN COMMENT

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