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When I hear talk of Arsenal not being able to afford a player’s wages I can’t help but feel frustrated. There are too many mediocre players currently on Arsenal’s books who, I have no doubt, would free up some much needed resources for wages. Here are my top 5:

Andrei Arshavin – It’s not very often a player’s time with a club starts so well, then plummets as much as Arshavin’s stay with Arsenal. When the Arshavin deal finally went through on transfer deadline day in February 2009, there was a buzz amongst the Emirates faithful which was only intensified by his electrifying performances on the pitch. It seemed the Russian could do no wrong and after his 4 goal super show against Liverpool, Arsenal rightly thought they had found their next star.

Nowadays though, he barely gets a sniff of the hallowed Emirates turf, and when he does, he cannot seem to string a pass together never mind score a goal. There have been rumours of homesickness over the last couple of years but one thing is for certain, he will be taking home a pretty penny every week – money that could be much better spent elsewhere.

There have been rumours of his former club Zenit wanting him back for a few million and I for one hope Wenger cashes in while he is still worth something to someone.

Santos – With Ashley Cole and Clichy vacating the left back spot and Keiron Gibbs needing more time to adapt to the role, Arsenal purchased a player called Andre Santos for a reported sum of around £7 million. It seemed like a sound purchase at first, after all, he is a Brazilian international so he can’t be that bad, right?

Wrong.

Santos turned out to be a slow, clumsy, liability who now finds himself 3rd choice left back behind Gibbs and newly acquired Nacho Monreal.

Barring injury he is unlikely to see much playing time and is taking up valuable wages that could be better spent elsewhere.

Bendtner – So we come to Nicklas Bendtner. A man who promised so much but delivered so little. He has shown flashes of what he is capable of, but will be better known as a man who is deluded about just how good he actually is.

For the right club he may be able to weigh in with some useful goals, but as he has shown time and again with his wasteful finishing and constant and needless giving away of the football to the opposing team, that will not be Arsenal.

That being said, Arsenal could still get a few million for him from the right team so cash in now Wenger before it’s too late.

Denilson – Also known as the master of the sideways and backward pass. A former Brazilian under 21 captain and a man Wenger once described as having the potential to be as good as Patrick Vieira.

Sadly that didn’t turn out to be the case and there were times you would wonder why Denilson even was on the pitch wasting space.

If anything he was the anti-Vieira. Where Vieira would dominate games, Denilson would have no influence whatsoever. He has been on loan spells recently but he clearly isn’t in Wenger’s plans and needs to be sold. I’m sure someone would spend a million or so on him and it makes sense to take anything Arsenal can get.

Abou Diaby – There comes a time when you have to weigh up the good and bad with a player and when you do that with Diaby, I’m afraid he has to go.

When fit, Diaby shows flashes of brilliance in midfield. He can be the sort of player that can influence a game and something Arsenal sorely need. However, his injury problems rival that of Michael Owen these days and the poor lad can barely stay fit for 2 or 3 games in a row, never mind a whole season.

The time has come to part with him and use his wages elsewhere and add his name to the growing list of unfortunate players whose full talent and ability we will never really know.

Written by Mark U.

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