Arsenal have called on Premiership rivals to follow their lead after yesterday's announcement of bumper pre-tax profits.

Announcing yesterday their half-year financial results to November 30, 2009, Arsenal revealed that their net debt had been cut from £332.8 million to £203.6 million.

I think it's important that clubs act responsibly with respect to debt," Gunners chief Ivan Gazidis said. "The important things that everybody needs to ask are: Is the debt affordable? Can the repayments be met? And provided clubs act responsibly, then it's not true to say all debt is bad.

"Those clubs that act responsibly, consider their duties as custodians, take care of the fundamentals and think of not just the short term, will be well placed."