Former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere has blasted the Gunners' reported transfer budget as they aim to add players during the summer window.
Aliadiere was at Arsenal from 2001 to 2007 but never fulfilled his potential before leaving for Middlesbrough.
But the 36-year-old, who is an Arsenal fan, has kept a close eye on matters at the Gunners over the years and has some strong thoughts on the club's current situation.
The Europa League final loss to Chelsea at the end of the 2018/19 campaign cost Arsenal a chance to play in next season's Champions League and led to reports of a £45million budget.
That's something which Aliadiere has labelled 'ridiculous'.
“I’m an Arsenal fan,” Aliadiere told 888sports. “It’s frustrating when you see a club like Leicester, who with all respect to them are a smaller club, spending £75million so far this summer yet Arsenal can’t seemingly afford to spend the money that Leicester can.
"It’s difficult to understand where the money goes. There has been talk that Arsenal want Wilfried Zaha who Crystal Palace supposedly value at £80million and we were reported to have offered them half that.
“If that’s true, it seems a bit ridiculous and could be seen as disrespectful to Crystal Palace."
Aliadiere also offered up his view on high-earner Mesut Ozil, who has long been linked with a move away from the Emirates.
“I can understand that if Emery is not a fan of Ozil he needs to move on so that Arsenal can get somebody else, but that is very difficult to do with the five-year deal,” Aliadiere added.
“It’s a tough one because I feel when Ozil plays he does bring something different to the team and [Alexandre] Lacazette and [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang clearly enjoy playing with him.
“Obviously Emery sees things we don’t see and maybe in training his work-rate is not there and work-rate is really important to Emery."
