Arsenal are reportedly among a clutch of up to 20 European clubs being closely watched by UEFA due to a potential breach of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
The governing body for the European game are anticipated to announce sanctions for ten clubs who have already been found guilty of breaching the rules up to the 2020/21 season including Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Inter Milan and AS Roma.
According to The Times, further clubs are also being monitored with regards to their financial situation with suspicion that they could too be set to break the financial rules currently in place. Arsenal are apparently among those clubs who have been placed on a watchlist.
The Gunners have of course spent heavily over the past couple of seasons as boss Mikel Arteta attempts to plot a route back into the Champions League. A total outlay of £150m last season has been followed by another expensive spending spree this summer.
Five new players have arrived at the Emirates Stadium this summer at a total cost of approximately £120m and that could yet be even higher before the transfer window closes - Pedro Neto and Youri Tielemans have both been linked with moves from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City respectively.
That has contributed to a total financial loss of £213m over the past three years - some way above the €30m (£25.4m) losses permitted by UEFA each year.
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Despite that, it still remains to be seen whether Arsenal will join the list of major European players getting sanctioned. The Gunners are yet to submit their final accounts for the 2021/22 financial period to UEFA, meaning their outlook could look completely different as of when they are made public.
The club also insist that all of their finances are in order and they have been complying with UEFA's FFP rules - and will continue to do so, whilst they have also had no contact from the governing body themselves, as reports The Times.
Even if Arsenal are sanctioned, then it appears that they will only be handed a fine - PSG and Marseille having come to the same settlement with UEFA. However, Inter Milan and Roma are expected to have to pay a fine, as well as serve some sort of transfer restriction.
This current season is also set to be the final one under UEFA’s FFP model, with the rules now transitioning to a system where clubs are only allowed to spend a certain percentage of their revenue on player wages, transfers and agents fees.
Arsenal sporting director Edu hinted last month that Arsenal’s summer spending might not yet be finished. Speaking with Sky Sports, the Brazilian said: "I think we have to be prepared for every situation. We still feel the transfer window is open and the most important thing is to be prepared for everything, every scenario, because opportunities can happen.
"Clubs can approach us, players probably want to go on loan, so there's still lots to do, but again, being prepared for me is the most important [thing] and for sure we are very much prepared for almost everything."
