Alan Smith has told The London Evening Standard that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made transfer mistakes regarding David Luiz and Willian.
The former Arsenal striker, who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, believes that the Gunners should not have signed Willian on a free transfer in the summer of 2020 following his departure from London and Premier League rivals Chelsea.
Smith has added that Arsenal manager Arteta should not kept Luiz in his squad this season.
The Brazil international central defender moved to the Gunners in the summer of 2019, and, as reported by BBC Sport, the 33-year-old was handed a new one-year contract in the summer of 2020.
Smith told The London Evening Standard: “I was surprised when he re-signed David Luiz, and I was surprised when he brought Willian into the club.
“That’s costing a lot of money in wages, and it would have been nice to have gone for youth rather than a couple of players that have achieved everything really they need or want to in the game. I thought that was a mistake by him.”
Mistake in hindsight?
Luiz is a very good defender, and although the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain star can make mistakes, he brings experience to the Arsenal back-line.
True, Willian has not been great at Arsenal so far this season and is also 32 years of age, but he remains a very good attacking player who was expected to make an immediate impact at the Emirates Stadium.
The Brazilian, who can operate as a winger or as an attacking midfielder, could come good in the coming weeks.
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