NEWS. . . BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Arsenal sporting director Edu said the club have been executing their summer move plans since January, while also making a direct comment about champions Manchester City.
For the second year in a row, Mikel Arteta’s side narrowly missed out on their first Premier League title in two decades after being beaten by City on the final day of the season.
Only two issues separated the two teams, who also had exactly the same difference in goals, with Arsenal winning six games in a row in the race to the crusade empty-handed.
Edu is already a way to further close the hole and revealed just how meticulous Arsenal are in their recruitment process, with plans formulated as early as January.
Speaking to Brazilian publication Estadao, Edu explained: “You can’t sign players for the sake of pointing fingers.
“It has to be a process that takes weeks and weeks. There, on my desk, I have more than page reports on a reader.
“It’s about detailed things. Physically, technically, mentally, if you delight in the Premier League, if you know how to adapt. He has it all.
“We take a look at our weaknesses, where we can improve, where we can invest, and then we adopt that new name.
“What I’m going to do now, I’ve been discussing since January. It’s not just my resolution or Mikel’s. He belongs to a total group.
Edu felt a bittersweet feeling after Arsenal came so close to ending their Premier League name drought, with the team taking one point less than the standout Invincibles.
Arsenal may not have done much more to try and beat Manchester City, but the season ultimately ended in frustration and Edu gave the impression of referring to the 115 accusations against the champions despite praising Pep Guardiola’s achievements.
“It’s a very big feeling, because we finished the season feeling like we did everything very well,” Edu said.
“From hires and targets to renewals. Mikel did a task and fulfilled his goals. We did everything we could, but it wasn’t enough.
“There’s frustration, but there’s also a positive feeling that the procedure went well. The paints are excellent.
On City, he continued: “There are things that unfortunately I can’t say how I feel.
“But all the credit globally goes to Pep [Guardiola] for the training and the paintings he’s done since the beginning of his career. “
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