More than money

Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis plays with pre-schoolers at a Save the Children-run Early Childhood Care and Development Center in Yamenkou Village, Shijingshan District in western suburban Beijing. The center provides disadvantaged children a safe place to play, as well as education for their parents on nutrition and health. Provided to China Daily

Arsenal has avoided Premier League trend of spending vast sums of cash, Sun Xiaochen reports.

Winning soccer titles doesn't come cheap nowadays. This year's English Premier League championship cost about $759 million - the amount Manchester City is estimated to have invested in the player market since 2008.

The prestigious UEFA Champions League cost even more the $953 million or so Chelsea's billionaire Russian owner, Roman Abramovich, is believed to have spent on the club since claiming ownership in 2003.

To a degree, Arsenal is bucking that trend.

The three-time Premier League title winner hasn't claimed a title of note in seven years as clubs like City, Chelsea and omnipresent Manchester United have bought varying degrees of success. Losing key players to its main rivals has also added grist to the mill.

Its caution in the marketplace has upset its fans and made the club's vow to deliver another trophy seem like mere lip service.

Still, Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis is upbeat about the Gunners' long-term prosperity, while stressing the club still plans to avoid any great spending sprees.

"We can say with confidence that we can compete at the top of the game for at least 10 years," Gazidis told China Daily last week during his visit to Beijing to promote the club's China tour next month.

"The reason I can say that is because we have spent a lot on the foundations of the pyramid."

The 47-year-old served as deputy commissioner of Major League Soccer in the United States before joining the north London club in 2009.

"We are operating in a responsible, sustainable way," he said. "We've created the independence of the club. It stands on its own two feet. It doesn't rely on any particular owner."

The promotion of youth training has provided the Gunners with many senior weapons including the England representatives Ashley Cole and Theo Walcott and Spanish playmaker Cesc Fabregas.

This model has seen the side achieve 15 consecutive berths in the Champions League, a feat only equaled by Manchester United and Real Madrid.

However, Arsenal struggled with a thin talent pool this past season with the loss of core pieces Fabregas, French midfielder Samir Nasri and wingman Gael Clichy.

Fans started to criticize its lack of movement during the summer transfer window, in which it only signed German striker Lucas Podolski last month.

Gazidis said the Gunners were not stingy, but prudent in their spending.

"We are active in the market,"he said. "But for us, it's less about the quantity and more about quality. It's not a simply question of spending as much as you can and finding the most expensive players. For us, it's the question of how the pieces fit together."

He also said he has full confidence in longtime manager Arsene Wenger's ability to fill the areas of most need

A primary concern for the club right now is trying to retain Dutch striker Robin van Persie, whose contract will expire in 2013.

Manchester City and Italian Seria A champion Juventus have vowed to bid for the 28-year-old with salaries much higher than his weekly wage of 70,000 pounds ($109,830) in London.

Gazidis is guarded when talking about Van Persie's contract.

"We always want to keep all of our key players. Our fans will see all of our main players next season," Gazidis said.

Van Persie's value to Arsenal is clear.

The Dutchman's 30 league goals almost single-handedly rescued the Gunners from a major tumble down the league standings last season as they fought back from a woeful start to finish third and earn a guaranteed spot in next season's Champions League.

Gazidis also denied the club was planning to restructure its salary system to avoid losing key players.

"There is a slight misconception that there will be some dramatic reshape happening," he said. "This is a process we go through every year. We examine the market and work out the most efficient way to spend our money. When you look at our record against the amount of money we spend, we outperform our expenses every year."

According to The Mail Online, Arsenal earned a net income on player trading of 46 million pounds while enjoying a combined profit of 250 million pounds from ticket sales, TV rights and sponsorships the past season.

Notes

Arsenal set to sign Giroud

Arsenal agreed to a deal to sign Montpellier striker and France international Olivier Giroud for 12 million pounds ($18.8 million), the BBC reported on Monday.

He will undergo a medical examination and the paperwork will be completed after Euro 2012.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger intends to play him alongside fellow new signing Lukas Podolski and Dutch striker Robin van Persie.

The tall forward, who was on the bench for France's 1-1 Euro 2012 draw with England, scored 21 goals in his club's run to the Ligue 1 title.

Giroud is one of only two recognized strikers in the French squad, alongside Karim Benzema. He has six caps for his country and one goal.

(China Daily 06/20/2012 page22)