Excuse this non-Arsenal-centric beginning, but when everyone’s least favourite shiny-skinned, sulking, diving, uber-talented Madeiran departs this fair isle on a wave of hair gel, acne cream and cash (the origin of which is highly dubious) you can’t just ignore it.

For once, Alex Ferguson has lost a player against his will. Ronaldo’s departure was on his terms rather than his manager’s, and that sets him apart from the Stams, Beckhams and van Nistelroys of this world. The money they have received in return is ridiculous, and we can expect United to have funds of up to £100 million to replace Ronaldo, probably Tevez and maybe even see to the Hargreaves-shaped hole that Barcelona so expertly found in their midfield, but don’t doubt that this is a setback for the man and club. They will not be the force they were.

The problem is that it has come at a time where United’s rivals aren’t best placed to capitalise. As a whole, English clubs are less able to compete on wages now that the Euro is so strong, and you’ll see most of the big names staying on the continent. Apart from United, only City and Chelsea have the clout to make light of the exchange rate. The former has too far to go to challenge, and the latter has appointed a manager whose list of achievements since 2004 is dwarfed by Juande Ramos’, and who threatens to spend Roman’s money on the constituent parts (minus Kaka) of an ageing AC Milan side that patently weren’t good enough in Italy. Liverpool ended the season looking like the team most likely, but are now looking at losing Alonso and possibly Mascherano, two players of equal importance to them as Gerrard and Torres.

So where does that leave our beloved Arsenal? We have reason to feel less gloomy than we did when the rumours of our meagre transfer funds surfaced. City are on the up but none of our main rivals are as strong as they were last month. Clearly this all depends on how much money we actually do have – and I am tempted to say it can’t be too small if our last signing was £15 million and our next one looks like being £10 million plus – and whether we can cash in on Adebayor and, I’m sorry to say, Toure. Get ourselves a little war chest together, snare a tall centre back with Premiership experience (I’m talking about Hangeland, of course) and someone in the Flamini mould (I’m talking about Flamini, of course), and we have a team that will have moved forward significantly over the summer. Will you be able to say the same of United, Chelsea or Liverpool? I just can’t see it.

United could sign Ribery, Robben and Roy of the Rovers, they’d still be a weaker team that last year’s (which wasn’t a patch on the previous year’s). Chelsea are barking up the wrong tree and Liverpool have had a dreadful June. We will still try to pass the ball into the net, and I daresay our injury record will stink again too, but there’s plenty to point at a more competitive season ahead.