When you look at that squad, there are very few top quality players.
We have a new manager, new recruiting staff and there should be a least two marquee signings going into the new season.
As a, supposedly, top European club, we should be doing this anyway, because all our rivals will be.
We’ve been out of the top four two seasons in a row, and this is the transfer window where we are going to find out who was responsible for our lack of spending and exactly how ambitious our board are.
Our defence is a shambles.
Mertesacker has retired and Kos looking unlikely to be able to play a whole season, if at all.
Then we have Mustafi, who might stay but needs to up his game.
After those two Chambers and Holding look adequate but are they good enough for a top European club?
So basically we need some serious investment, but going by the rumours, we are looking at defenders that are adequate rather than top quality.
We also need a GK, but that looks unlikely and a CM and a winger.
How many of these positions will be filled and, if they are, what sort of quality will they be?
A lack of investment and a reliance on players that weren’t good enough has got us into this mess.
Do the board want the best for the club and supporters or are they happy drifting around in the Europa League places?
I think that because we are one of the most profitable clubs in Europe, despite our league position, they will do the bare minimum in this window and get maybe one marquee player, just to shut the supporters up, and then let Emery get on with it, while we watch all our rivals invest a lot more and pull even further away.
