Bacary Sagna has questioned the Arsenal board over their transfer policy, claiming the team is bound to lose more often and have lost their identity in the process.
Arsenal have started their Premier League campaign in the worst possible manner losing their opening two games. While the Brentford loss might have come as a surprise, the defeat to Chelsea was expected as the Blues showed their superiority in every aspect.
However, bigger questions are raised over Mikel Arteta’s style of play and the desire of the players despite the Arsenal board sanctioning a huge outlay on summer transfers. While the club has leaned towards signing players of a younger profile, the signings have so far been uninspiring.
Ben White, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Aaron Ramsdale, Martin Odegaard and Nuno Tavares have all joined on permanent deals, costing more than £125 million in transfer fees. This outlay is the highest among any Premier League sides this summer, and now questions have been raised over the board’s policy not to bring experienced stars.
In reality, those signings have played very little at the top level. When compared to Manchester United, who have signed Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, they bring in tremendous experience. While it seems like a re-build for the future at Arsenal, the short-term future might suffer a lot.
Bacary Sagna hits out at Arsenal's hierarchy for spending over £130m on young players https://t.co/a7DGEblbWv
— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) August 22, 2021
Former Gunners right-back Bacary Sagna said something similar and criticised the Arsenal board’s policy not to spend the money on readymade stars. Sagna claims the club has lost its identity and DNA. The Daily Mail posted quotes from Sagna’s talk with RMC, where he ripped into the club’s current transfer policy and their state of affairs after their latest loss to Chelsea.
Sagna said, “When I watch Arsenal now, honestly, I know that they are going to lose the majority of the time, that something is going to happen, that we are going to concede a stupid goal. How can you spend €150 million and only bring in young players? It might be good for the future, but someone has got to think about the present.
“When I was playing, anyone would be excited to join Arsenal; now we have lost our DNA. Maybe we have players with character, but they have won nothing. Today, you know how youngsters are; some older player tells them what to do. They say, ‘well, what have you won?’. A player who has won titles barely has to speak to be listened to.”
Arsenal still have some time left in the transfer window to maybe sign an experienced star or two. However, considering how much they have already spent in this window, it looks unlikely they will go big on experienced stars.
