Edu honest on Arsenal struggles as he defends summer transfers

Edu, Mikel Arteta

Arsenal technical director Edu admits the money the Gunners have spent this summer puts his position on the line – but insists each of their transfers had reason after he spoke out over the club’s poor start to the season.

The Gunners were summer 2021’s biggest spenders in the Premier League, investing an estimated £144m on new talent. They brought in the likes of Martin Odegaard, Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale for hefty fees. They then finished deadline day off by securing the signing of Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna.

And while the Gunners offloaded the likes of big earners David Luiz, Willian and Lucas Torreira, their troubles still look apparent with the club propping up the Premier League table after three games.

Indeed, pundit Paul Merson has slated Edu and director of football Richard Garlick for their business this summer. And he reckons he’d have done a better job than the pair of them, even while combining his Soccer Saturday duties.

Edu claims it is unfair for fans or pundits to rush to make judgements based on early results and pointed out that injuries have also been a factor in the matches so far.

The Brazilian told Sky Sports: “We suffered last year because we lost a lot of players and we didn’t really have good back-ups to play games.

Arsenal Transfer Review

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We have a look at Mikel Arteta's activity in this Summer's transfer window.

“I believe we need a squad to win games. We need a squad to be in a good position at the end of the season because it is not only about the first XI. We need a foundation.

“Of course, it has hurt us to be in that situation. We are hurt, I am hurt. I don’t want to see the club there, but I want to see the team playing together. Let’s judge the team when they play together.

“Why are a few clubs around the Premier League just signing one or two players? It’s because they already have the foundation. They already have the team prepared. I’m sorry, but the reality is we don’t.”


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Edu honest on Arsenal struggles

Despite that, Edu does concede the club’s current position is unacceptable.

Arsenal were surprisingly beaten by promoted Brentford in the their opening game before defeats to likely title challengers Chelsea and Manchester City.

He said: “I understand the pressure. I understand the pressure on me, Mikel, the board and the club because the situation we are in now is not acceptable.

“But now is the moment for everybody to be together and I would like to see people step forward in difficult moments and take the responsibility. I am responsible for what we are doing.”

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