Paul Merson has slammed Arsenal’s recruitment after the Gunners started this season with a 2-0 loss to Brentford.
After spending on Ben White and Albert Sambi Lokonga, Gooners had expected that their team would be in top shape from the start of this season.
However, that loss to the newly-promoted Brentford shows that they still have a long way to go.
Mikel Arteta has presided over the signing of the likes of Willian and gave a new deal to David Luiz last season.
Willian remains and is set to become the next Mesut Ozil at the Emirates with his big-money salary proving too much to ship him out in this transfer window.
Merson says since Edu has been in charge of transfers, their recruitment has been lazy.
He claims he isn’t sure how much of a say Mikel Arteta has in signing players, but if managers were to be judged by who they have signed, he has done poorly.
‘It’s worrying at Arsenal,’ he told Sky Sports. You’re still thinking: “Where are they going?” Edu has come in, and the recruitment has been lazy, if I’m being honest. It’s been: ‘Oh, we’ll take Willian on a free… we’ll take David Luiz for cheap.’
‘I remember years ago in football, managers were judged on signings. Sometimes I think Arteta is left behind, and I’m not sure how much of a say he has got in all of this.’