Dubai: Former Arsenal midfielder Ian Selley says Gunners’ boss Arsene Wenger must spend money in the remaining days of the transfer window, which closes on September 2, in order to appease the fans.

Starting the season with a 3-1 loss to Aston Villa at home last week on the opening day of the new English Premier League campaign, Arsenal, who have had to cope with only 11 fit players, have failed to strengthen the squad despite a reported cash balance of £154 million (Dh879.10 million).

They went on to beat Fulham 3-1 away last Saturday and qualified for the Uefa Champions League for the 16th consecutive season with a 5-0 aggregate play-off win over Turkey’s Fenerbahce on Tuesday.

But injuries to striker Lukas Podolski and light knocks to midfielders Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey have heaped even more pressure on the north London club, who are already without midfielder Mikel Arteta and winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis promised fans it was going to be a “big summer” for signings, but the club sold 17 players and brought in just one in the off season, leaving the club, which hasn’t won any major silverware in eight years since winning the FA Cup, in crisis.

Selley, 39, head coach of Arsenal Soccer Schools in Dubai, who made 60 appearances for the Gunners between 1992 and 1997, told Gulf News: “This will be a make-or-break season for Arsene Wenger. If he doesn’t bring one [a new player] in in the next week he’s got one more transfer window [in January] and it’s going to be so difficult to get players for the right price.

“I don’t know whether they are the sort of club to spend £50 million on a player, but they might have to be to keep up with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.

“I don’t think it’s the Arsenal way, though, as Arsene likes bringing in young players but it depends whether you want to be challenging for the top two or you’re happy to settle for fourth.”

The 1993 League Cup and FA Cup winner who went on to lift the 1994 European Cup Winners’ Cup before a double leg break saw him move down the divisions, added: “I think he’ll buy someone through pressure. Whatever it’s going to cost him, he’ll spend it.

“If he doesn’t buy anybody, he’ll find it difficult because the fans are starting to turn a little bit. Arsenal fans forget what’s happened in the past. Eight years is a long time for a club like Arsenal not to win anything.

“If I was him, I’d bite the bullet and get two players in for £100 million so at least the fans will get off his back. Then he can make the excuse that they need time to settle in and that will give him time. He doesn’t seem to want to spend but he might have to.

“The trouble is he has left it so late that one player is going to cost him twice as much and clubs will hold out knowing that Arsenal are desperate.”