ARSENAL are ready to launch an £18million bid for Dutch
goal ace Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is lining
up the prolific Ajax striker as a replacement for Emmanuel Adebayor
— if the £30m-rated Togo hitman is sold to Barcelona.
The double deal would net the Gunners a £12m profit. But the
Frenchman insists that sort of business is essential and will stun
every Arsenal fan by admitting: We are now a SELLING club. The £24m
annual mortgage payments on the club’s £360m Emirates Stadium have
become such a burden that Wenger admits he must now flog big-name
players EVERY season.
He declared: “The strategy of the club is to sell every year and
to buy less expensive players.” And he has warned this official
policy could continue for another 17 YEARS!
He added: “We manage at Arsenal to maintain all our football
ambitions — national and European —while having to free up - for 17
more years - an annual surplus of £24m to pay for our stadium. “The
club’s strategy is to favour the policy of youngsters ahead of
stars and to count on the collective quality of our game.”
Under those guidelines, the Huntelaar-Adebayor swap would make
good business sense. Huntelaar, 24, has a staggering scoring record
in club and international football. He has scored 163 goals in 220
matches in Holland and seven times in 12 appearances for the
national team. He is best pals with Arsenal striker and fellow
Dutchman Robin van Persie.
Huntelaar is keen to move to England and Dutch sources claim Van
Persie has told his pal how good life is at Arsenal during Euro
2008. A Dutch insider revealed: “Arsenal are keen on Huntelaar and
he has confirmed he would be keen to discuss a move. “Klaas-Jan is
an out and out goalscorer – just the sort Arsenal have needed for
many seasons. “He might not have the silky skills you associate
with a Wenger team but he has an amazing knack for putting the ball
in the net.”
Adebayor is a £30m target for Spanish giants Barcelona, who are
also eyeing Gunners team-mate Alexander Hleb.
Last summer Wenger also sold the club’s record goalscorer
Thierry Henry to Barcelona, which virtually completed the break-up
of the famous Invincibles side. Wenger’s amazing 'sell' confession
completely contradicts Arsenal chief executive Keith Edelman’s
promise that the Frenchman would get as much as £70m to spend in
this summer’s transfer market.
It also confirms Arsenal can never compete with the likes of
Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea in the buying
stakes. It could also open up the way for Russian billionaire
Alisher Usmanov - backed by former vice-chairman David Dein - to
attempt a takeover.
Arsenal moved to their 60,000 all-seater stadium just up the
road from their former home at Highbury two years ago. And Wenger’s
comments are even more incredible considering the club’s latest
turnover figures smashed the £200m barrier - making Arsenal
Britain’s RICHEST club.
In February, Arsenal announced a massive 55 per cent INCREASE in
half-year pre-tax profits but, poignantly, accredited this to the
£16m sale of Henry to Barcelona. Arsenal earn £3.1m in match income
and pocketed £90.6m in total match income last year. Their annual
financial results to 31 May 2007 showed income soaring 46 per cent
to £200.8m - up from £137.2m a year before.
The figures also showed Arsenal’s operating profits before
player trading and exceptional items was £51.2m - up from £13.7m
the previous year.
