Arsenal reportedly did not expect to finish in the top four this season – which means their dip in form towards the end of the campaign has not significantly affected their long-term budgeting.
The Gunners were in the driving seat to finish in the final Champions League place at the beginning of the month, leading bitter rivals Spurs by four points with three games remaining.
The gap was then cut to just one point when Antonio Conte's side won a pivotal north London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Spurs convincingly beating the 10-man Gunners 3-0.