Arsenal chief Andrea Berta has been criticised in explosive new quotes.
When a club legend leaves a club for pastures new, especially in their prime years, it can sometimes be baffling to loyal fans – but often, there are events going on beyond the scenes that the regular supporter on the street simply doesn’t know about.
Relationships with executives, and those figures’ decision-making, can often be the driving factor behind a player moving on, but lips tend to be sealed until after the event.
Saul Niguez opens up on Arsenal chief
That is the case with former Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, who came through Los Rojiblancos’ youth system and went on to play 427 games for the Spanish club, but departed this summer for Brazilian side Flamengo under a bit of a cloud.
Questions arose around why the 30-year-old had decided to leave at the end of his contract, but in a recent interview, he pins some of the blame on then-Atletico sporting director Andrea Berta, who took up the same role at Arsenal earlier this year.
“I've always been straightforward; there are other people who haven't been straightforward, and that's what has hurt me the most personally,” Saul began, speaking to Cadena SER.
“I was a homegrown player, and I've always tried to help the club, although there are people who accused me of not lowering my salary... I've lowered my salary when Atletico asked me to, I've been paid in promissory notes when they've asked me to, and even now I've done things to make things easier for them. I've always said yes to everything.
“He [Berta] wasn't completely honest with me, I've even seen proof. Then he told me he wasn't, but I've seen proof, I told him not to lie to me.
“All of that hurt me, because if he had done things right with me, he would have sat down with me, we would have spoken face to face, and we would have found a solution.”
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, while there are always two sides to every story, Saul is not the first player to complain of executives being a bit out of touch in negotiations.
There may, on the face of it, be some worries for Arsenal fans here, as the suggestion is that Berta let a fan favourite slip through the net despite him wanting to stay.
But, thankfully, the Gunners have no major contract dilemmas coming up over the next year, so they can rest assured that none of their big hitters are likely to depart against their best wishes in the near future.
Saul is valued at €3m, according to Transfermarkt.
