Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis warns time is up for the Premier League bully boys
Gazidis left to hope that the Gunners' rivals cannot spend their way to the Premier League title before September, with TV mega deals allowing smaller clubs to hold onto stars

IVAN GAZIDIS is clinging to the hope that Arsenal’s big-spending Premier League rivals cannot buy their way to the title.
The Emirates chief executive believes that the new Sky TV deal will mean an end to a handful of super-rich clubs always being able to have their own way.
Ivan Gazidis has does not believe Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will splash the cash
And now he is hoping that the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City will be frustrated in their efforts to snap up all of the game’s biggest stars.
Gazidis said: “The big clubs can no longer bully the smaller clubs financially in the way they used to, so the difference between the teams has become more subtle.
“Now it is about how well you can identify and develop talent, how strong your club philosophy is, how together you are as a club and what your support services are like in the medical, fitness, analytics and psychology fields.”
While those comments might be music to the ears of the frugal Wenger, it is not the news Arsenal fans want to hear.
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And those supporters, who pay the highest ticket prices in Europe, simply want to know if there will be any more new signings after £30million Granit Xhaka and young Bolton defender Rob Holding for £2.5m.
Gazidis (right) made it clear there will be no sudden change of philosophy at the club, despite 12 years without a Premier League title.
He said: “It is not just about spending money but about how wisely you spend.
“It’s about having a strong core philosophy and values within the club that players buy into and fans can be proud of.
“These are all the things that lead to success and when you look at Arsenal over the last four or five years there’s no question the squad has been progressing in strength.
“We’ve now got a squad we believe is capable of competing to win the Premier League.
“We came second last season, which was disappointing. But we are on the right track.”
Many fans, though, believe Arsenal are now further away from winning the title than at any point in Wenger’s 20-year reign.
But Gazidis added: “We are making progress in a fiercely competitive world.”