For a club like Arsenal to apparently have no money in the kitty to be able to buy players really does bring home how hard Financial Fair Play can bite.
Whilst FFP certainly does level the playing field and, ultimately, that can only be good for the game, it means that any clubs wanting to make big signings are likely going to have to sell before they can buy, thus upsetting the team dynamic and equilibrium.
The Gunners have ever so slightly slipped off the pace in the race for the Premier League title, so a diligent buy or two in the January transfer window could be the difference in terms of getting them over the line at season’s end.
One target that it seems Mikel Arteta would love to acquire is Everton powerhouse, Amadou Onana, however, according to i news, the Toffees are looking for a fee in excess of £60m for the 22-year-old, and that’s not an amount that Arsenal can pay at this point.
The outlet suggest that Everton are basing their valuation on the £58m that Chelsea paid Southampton for Romeo Lavia, and, given their own apparent financial troubles, it’s entirely obvious why they would aim to play hard ball and get a best price for their man.