Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis: “It is not just about spending money”
The North London outfit were criticised last summer for making just one signing – goalkeeper Petr Cech from Chelsea for £11m.
In the current transfer window, the Gunners have spent a reported £35m on sealing the signature of Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach.
While Gazidis recognises that money needs to be spent in order to compete with the elite, he believes that “core philosophy and values” are just as important.
In an interview with ESPN, Gazidis said: “This approach, for us, gives us a very, very powerful balance because it’s not just about spending money but about how you spend your money and doing it wisely.
“It’s about having a strong core philosophy and values within the club that players buy into and our fans can be proud of. These are all things that lead to success, and when you look at Arsenal over the last four or five years, there’s no question that the squad has been progressing in strength.
“We’ve got a squad now that we believe is capable of competing to win the premier league. We came in second last year, which was disappointing, but we’re on the right track.”
Arsenal’s opening game of the season will be at home to Liverpool on August 14.
