Former Arsenal Defender Questions Gunners' Ambitions

Sol Campbell, who had earlier said that Robin van Persie would quit Arsenal unless Arsene Wenger spent big this summer, has questioned the Gunners' ambition to win silverware next season. The former English national team defender has urged the Gunners to make use of the forthcoming transfer window to buy some quality players this summer, according to a BBC report.

"You've got to ask yourself, where are Arsenal going? Do they want to actually win anything? You can have players for the future but it is about getting players who can make a difference now," the BBC quoted Campbell as saying.

"Arsenal have great players but with everybody fit I still don't think it's enough. They've got to get a few players who can make the difference," he added.

The Gunners, despite a slow start to the season, will probably qualify for the Champions League next season, fully aware that their goal of winning the competition seems to be receding every year.

"The Champions League is great if you win it. If you don't, you've got to start again next season with no trophies in the cabinet. I know everybody, at the start of the season, wants to win something but you've got to have to personnel, the fire-power and also the edge," he added.

The club's last trophy - the FA Cup - came in 2005.

"They [the fans] are not going to accept being in a fantastic stadium and being a well-oiled machine but not winning anything. Sometimes you've got to make your season, but you can't do that if you haven't got the right players in and around the squad," he explained.

Arsenal were obviously badly hit by the loss of star midfielders Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, to Manchester City and Barcelona, respectively, have since turned their season around, with nine wins in their last 10 league games.

Wenger looked to compensate for the loss of Nasri and Fabregas by rushing out and bringing in a number of players on deadline day, including Mikel Arteta, André Santos, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gervinho. While some of those (Arteta and Oxlade-Chamberlain in particular) have proven to good signings, most of them (Per Mertesacker, Santos and Gervinho) have ranged from average to downright poor.

At one point, following defeat in a London derby to Spurs, Arsenal were actually 15<sup>th in the league. However, the Gunners have made a strong comeback by winning 18 of the next 26 fixtures and are now favourites to earn a Champions League position for next year.

"You've got to push the boat out, swallow your pride and pay a little bit more, put a bit more on the table and get the players in. You need the players who are going to come in for two or three years and make the difference. It's all about the here and now," Campbell said, urging the club to ensure they never suffer so poor a start again.

Campbell, who was a part of the Gunners' "Invincibles" squad in 2004, made a total of 211 appearances for the club after transferring from Tottenham in 2001.