Arsenal could afford Rooney according to Ivan Gazidis

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis insists that the club have the finances to bring in top players such as Wayne Rooney.

Gazidis claims that the Gunners have finances at their disposal in order to sign big name players and compete in the financial market with the top clubs in the Premier League. 

Arsenal have maintained a rigid structure in the past which has prevented stars arriving at the Emirates but Gazidis insists they are willing to break the structures in the future to bring big named players in.

"We could do that, we could do more than that. 

"It is going to be the players that Arsene believes in. He is pretty blind to price tags, he looks at what he sees with his eyes and makes judgements based on that, and not on reputations and prices.

"We have a certain amount which we've held in reserve and we also have new revenue streams coming on board. All of these things mean we can do some things which would excite you. We can think about all kinds of things."

Asked directly if the club could afford Rooney, Gazidis added: "I don't know what his fee would be.

"I'm talking about an extra £70m of additional, high-margin revenue - so of course we could do that."

In terms of revenue Arsenal are only trailing Chelsea and Manchester United domestically however Gazidis has stated that fresh commercial deals mean that they are expected to gross more than £300million by 2015.

"This year we are beginning to see something we have been planning for sometime, which is the escalation in our financial firepower," Gazidis said.

"That is going to happen partly into next season, it is part way available now in the summer, but the following season as well.

"It is a progression over the next two seasons and is quite significant for the club. We should (eventually) be able to compete at a level like a club such as Bayern Munich.

"I am not saying we are there by any means, we have a way to go before we can put ourselves on that level, but this whole journey over the past 10 years really has been with that goal in mind."