Arsenal’s recently-announced financial results have led to speculation that manager Arsene Wenger will have a considerable transfer budget to spend in this season’s January transfer window.

And with the Gunners trophy-less spell and goalkeeping mini-crisis getting longer by the day, the previously parsimonious Wenger will be under more pressure than ever to “splash the cash” that is reportedly coming his way.

The club’s parent company Arsenal Holdings plc declared increased turnover and profit for the year to 31 May 2010. And the company’s property business is now “debt-free and generating surplus cash for the group” according to its annual report.

 

There was good news on the injury front too, as medium-term injury absentees Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott look set to be back in contention for first-team selection after the forthcoming international break.

The Gunners’ goalkeeping gremlins resurfaced during the home defeat to West Bromwich Albion, with Spanish custodian Manuel Almunia directly at fault for the Baggies’ second goal and sharing the guilt for the third, although he did save a first-half penalty.

Almunia suffered an elbow injury and was replaced by Gunners second-choice Lukasz Fabianski, who did his reputation no harm with an assured display, also including a penalty save, in Arsenal’s 3-1 Champions League victory in Belgrade against Partizan.

But Arsenal’s number one and two keepers were both criticised this week by…Arsenal’s third-choice keeper, young Italian Vito Mannone, who this week told Italian newspaper Gazzetto dello Sport:

“Last year I played nine games and with me, Arsenal never lost. I get annoyed when I don’t play, it’s not as if the other two do that well.”

And reports continue to link Arsenal with Fulham’s Australian international goalkeeper Marc Schwarzer in January, who is said to be keen to “force” a move to the Emirates. The Gunners are reportedly also interested in Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper Gorka Iraizoz.

Fabianski kept goal for the Gunners at Stamford Bridge and became the latest in a long line of Arsenal keepers to fail to keep Chelsea’s Didier Drogba off the scoresheet.

The Pole could do little about Drogba’s deft backheel for Chelsea’s first goal in a 2-0 victory. And he could do nothing whatsoever about Alex’s 35-yard free-kick piledriver which sealed the points late on.

Arsenal are now seven points behind Chelsea in fourth place in the EPL. So they will be delighted to welcome back in-from club captain Cesc Fabregas. Fabregas has recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered at Sunderland on September 18^th and although he will miss Spain’s Euro 2012 qualifiers this coming week, he will be available for Birmingham City’s visit to the Emirates after the international break.

Theo Walcott is expected to have recovered from the sprained ankle he received on England duty last month in time for the following week’s crucial trip to Manchester City.

And Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner has declared himself “in my best shape ever” after his recovery from a long-term groin problem. He hopes to be back “with the first-team in 14 days.”