Sunday paper frenzy

The morning after the Champions League final, and we all know that there is only Silly Season now. Well, at least until Boreham Wood and the friendlies start.

And lo and behold, no less than an Arsenal 'spending spree' is afoot. The Sunday Express boldly report that Stan Kroenke now has control of Arsenal, and that Arsène Wenger has been given £50million to spend.

In the Daily Star, an 'insider' says that Wenger never has been "... so ­determined and robust in his pursuit of targets in the transfer market."

But let's chill a little bit, eh?

'Determined and robust' in compared to what? The last summer we really brought in a couple was 2007, with Eduardo, Lukasz Fabianski, Bacary Sagna and Lassana Diarra all joining the first team squad.

You could argue that last summer saw three players signed, but only Laurent Koscielny was a real investment at £10m. Marouane Chamakh was a free transfer, while Sebastien Squillaci was more or less a gamble - an available centre back when the need for backup was obvious to all.

And hasn't the so-called 'war chest' always been tens of millions of pounds that the manager has preferred not to use? There have never been extravagant sums flying around in Wenger's time. Samir Nasri is still our record signing at less than £16m.

We see this every Silly Season, especially early on. Arsenal transfers are national news, the speculations sell papers, the hyperbole can be deafening.

Never count chickens before they hatch, nor footballers before posing with the manager on the Emirates pitch...