Arsenal Transfer News: Supporters' Trust Demands Board Review After Quiet Summer

The Arsenal Supporters' Trust has urged the Gunners board to conduct a review of its operations in the transfer market after the club became the only side in Europe's top five leagues not to sign a single outfield player this summer.

According to the Daily Mail's Adam Smith, Arsenal fans have expressed their anger after a largely disappointing transfer window which saw just one senior player arrive in the form of goalkeeper Petr Cech.

The Supporters' Trust issued the following statement, via Smith:

"

Arsenal are in a very strong financial position thanks and it is of course disappointing that the transfer window has closed with just the signing of Petr Cech. Arsenal have built a strong squad and just one or two more good additions would have strengthened the chances of winning a first title in 11 years.

No one wants Arsenal to buy players just for the sake of it, but we do want to see the money being invested to make the club stronger...

We urge the board to now open a full review into its arrangements for scouting and purchasing players.

A review of this type is a good governance practice and can only help Arsenal to become a stronger club. The AST will be raising this with the Arsenal board.

"

The supporters' frustration is understandable.

After the capture of Cech—which will no doubt prove to be an excellent move—and having won successive FA Cups, there was a real sense of optimism surrounding Arsenal earlier in the summer, and many felt it would finally be the Gunners' year to make a strong title challenge, as the Telegraph did. 

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

However, much of that optimism was predicated on the idea that Cech's signing wouldn't be their only move to strengthen over the summer. A striker and a defensive midfielder would have been strong steps toward real competitiveness in the title race and the Champions League.

The keeper was signed on June 29, and yet with over two months still available to reinforce, Arsenal completely failed to do so, as Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer and football journalist Rafael Hernandez noted:

According to the Guardian, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has defended his inability to land any more recruits, citing a lack of quality players available.

The Gunners were linked with a staggering number of players over the summer, though.

Strikers Karim Benzema, Edinson Cavani and Alexandre Lacazette were just some of the top-class forwards reportedly targeted by Arsenal, while enforcers such as Grzegorz Krychowiak and Lars Bender were among the midfielders rumoured to be on Wenger's wish list.

Francisco Seco/Associated Press

While genuine interest is admittedly a far cry from simply being linked with a player as the rumour mill goes into overdrive, a club of Arsenal's size, stature and wealth's inability to lure even one player to north London is worrying.

That is particularly the case with those who weren't already at top-tier clubs like Benzema at Real Madrid, and with January typically a more difficult window for bigger clubs to add real quality, it's unlikely Arsenal will be able to give their campaign a significant boost midway through.

The Gunners have so far shown very little to suggest they can rival Manchester City for the title this season, and with no new faces arriving, that is unlikely to change.

As for the Champions League, Cech's addition could make Arsenal slightly more competitive when they take on Bayern Munich, but alone he's unlikely to be enough to see the Gunners make a significant run in the knockout stages.

Another domestic trophy is certainly possible once again, and after such a disappointing transfer window, Wenger arguably needs silverware to placate the fans now more than ever.