Nigel de Jong has claimed that ‘you think twice’ about joining Arsenal after they were seemingly snubbed by Dusan Vlahović, as he told Sky Sports (31/01/22 at 10:55 am).
It was a January transfer to forget, in fact, a January to forget altogether for those in Arsenal colours.
Not only were the Gunners knocked out of the League Cup and the FA Cup last month, but they failed to sign anyone during the winter transfer window.
One of those players seems to have been Dusan Vlahović, who was firing goals in for fun for Fiorentina in Serie A, and that landed him on the doorstep of Juventus who snapped up his talents during the recently-concluded window.
Using Vlahović as a reference, former World Cup finalist, de Jong, shared why top players don’t want to join Arsenal.
“If Arsenal knocks on the door for a striker,” said De Jong. “You know they are desperate to get one, so they have to be willing to pay a lot of money.
“Vlahović, for example, was going to be expensive. But what you get in return is worth every penny of it.
“It says something that Arsenal doesn’t have that effect or power anymore. And also the power and effect to attract certain players.
“They know they have to do better in the transfer market. But, in order to do that, you have to be successful on the pitch. If you are a young kid, 21 or 22, a rising star, you think twice of making a move to Arsenal.”
Letting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang go was perhaps the right call by Mikel Arteta.
At the end of the day, he treated Mesut Ozil the same and his exit led to the rise of a certain Emile Smith Rowe.
The problem that faces Arteta is that he isn’t being backed by those in the boardroom, or those who have the power to lure in the top players.
That’s why certain supporters will be looking towards their technical director, Edu and whether he has let Arteta down during the window.
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