Arsenal technical director, Edu has defended the fact that the Gunners were the highest spenders in the just concluded 2021 summer transfer window.
During the era of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, the club’s transfer policy was focused on bringing in youngsters from across the world to compete for titles. The French tactician was relatively successful in grooming football stars and making them world-class footballers.
Until his exit in 2018, the French coach kept Arsenal in the top four and often went beyond the quarter-finals stage of the UEFA Champions League with the team.
But since he exited the club, the eras of Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta have launched Arsenal into the league of high spenders in the Premier League.
In the last summer transfer window, Arsenal spent over £150 million which was the highest amount spent by a single club throughout the transfer window.
Arsenal spent the money on signing Ben White, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Martin Odegaard, Aaron Ramsdale, Nuno Tavares, and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Despite bringing in 6 new players to the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal suffered three successive defeats in the 2021-2022 Premier League season. Arsenal have never had such a terrible start to a new season in 67 years.
Due to the poor start which has seen the Gunners concede 9 goals and score no goal in three Premier League games so far, the club are currently rooted at the bottom of the league table.
With a defeat from newly-promoted Brentford, reigning UEFA Champions League champions, Chelsea, and reigning Premier League champions, pressure is mounting on coach Mikel Arteta to perform.
Amid the poor run of games despite all the signings in the last transfer window, Arsenal’s technical director stressed that Arsenal are building for the future.
Edu also stressed that the club have been building the current Mikel Arteta’s squad since last season, adding that the club decided to sign players that are 23-year-old below because of the plan of the club.
“I think we have to see the wider context than just the money around it,” Edu told Sky Sports.
“We signed six players who are under 23, which means a lot in terms of our planning.
“We started planning this squad a year ago in terms of consolidating the team and trying to get a better foundation. We have to balance the squad better…
“We need a squad to be in a good position at the end of the season because it is not just about the first XI.
“We need a foundation and we need cover.
“Where we needed to spend big money was in the center-back position. This was the one where we needed someone to come here and straight away have an impact on the first team with the right profile for the short, medium, and long term. That was Ben White.”
Arsenal’s next Premier League game is against Norwich City. The match is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 11, 2021, at 15:00.
"To create a good foundation, you need time." ⏰
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 4, 2021
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Arsenal technical director Edu defends the club's transfer policy after their poor start to the season and talks about his own role and that of Mikel Arteta…⬇
