Arsenal transfer news: Gunners cannot make big signings because they cannot compete says Sol Campbell

Sol Campbell says Arsenal lack the ability and the financial power to compete with the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea in the transfer market, to sign a world class player. The Gunners have not signed a single outfield player in the recently concluded summer transfer window.

Real Madrid star striker Karim Benzema was a rumoured target for the north London club. The Daily Mail suggested Arsenal were ready to break their club record by making a £45m ($68.6m) bid in signing the France international.

No deal took shape and failure to land Benzema forced Arsene Wenger to look elsewhere in the market. The Emirates club made a late approach for Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani, according to another Daily Mail report.

The former Arsenal defender has criticised Wenger for leaving it too late in the transfer window. Campbell believes City, who are the big spenders of this summer, are in a different galaxy and the Gunners would struggle in competing with the other top Premier League clubs.

"You can see they're in the market, trying to do a deal but sometimes it's almost too little, too late. That type of deal might need a few more days to get it going," Campbell said, as quoted by Four Four Two.

"You can't compete with them. Manchester United had to spend money [to return to the top of the Premier League] and it's not worth talking about Manchester City because they're in a different type of galaxy.

"It doesn't always bring you success though. The trouble with Arsenal is they've just got to get everyone fit. That's the trouble already - there's a few players out and we haven't got that depth."

The French manager signed Petr Cech from Chelsea earlier in the window, as the goalkeeper is Arsenal's only summer signing. The Czech Republic international saw his side suffer a 2-0 defeat in his first match for the Gunners. Despite that, Campbell has backed the stopper to come good as the season progresses.

"I think the main priority was a goalkeeper, [Wenger has] got an excellent goalkeeper and he will definitely prove his weight in gold throughout the course of the season," the former Arsenal central defender said.