Arteta’s planning genius is the real clue to Arsenal’s continuing success

having 25 players in the “older men” category – a number only exceeded by Brighton and Hove who seem to be storing problems up for the future. In rough terms, Tottenham have three times as many old players as Arsenal. Manchester United have four times as many. Obviously, age brings experience, but also more injuries, and lower value on the transfer market if they are considered no longer of value in the squad.

We might also notice that Liverpool have ten times as many such players which explains why they get so many injuries and shows what sort of a job their new manager is going to have in finding and integrating younger players into what is on this measure the 17th oldest squad in the league.having 25 players in the “older men” category – a number only exceeded by Brighton and Hove who seem to be storing problems up for the future. 

 In rough terms, Tottenham have three times as many old players as Arsenal. Manchester United have four times as many. Obviously, age brings experience, but also more injuries, and lower value on the transfer market if they are considered no longer of value in the squad.

We might also notice that Liverpool have ten times as many such players which explains why they get so many injuries and shows what sort of a job their new manager is going to have in finding and integrating younger players into what is on this measure the 17th oldest squad in the league.Finally, there is the issue of long-term contracts. The closer a highly considered player gets to the end of his contract, the less he is worth and the harder it is to sell him, since another year or so can see him walk away on a free to the club of his choosing.

This is where there is a huge variation between the clubs, for clubs that are still building a team will have lots of contracts ending at the end of next season, while those who have a young settled squad that is doing well, will surely have tied their players down on long deals. Especially where money is not a consideration.

Manchester City, Aston Villa and Arsenal also have the smallest numbers of contracted players whose contracts are ending at the end of the coming season. At the other end of the scale, Newcastle have 46 players who are on these longer contracts might have a problem.

However, the biggest problems are surely those of Luton Town (56 such longer-term contract players) and Sheffield United (46) who will both be playing in the 

Championship but paying Premier League wages. If those players are on Premier League style contracts the clubs will be in trouble. Only if those contracts have a clause reducing the players’ salaries in the event of relegation, or they can sell those players, will they possibly be safe from financial disaster.