Roy Keane and Graeme Souness have agreed that Arsenal’s current transfer planning is not benefiting the Gunners at the present time.
Mikel Arteta and Edu have been extremely busy in the current window having welcomed five new acquisitions to the Emirates Stadium this summer alone.
Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale have arrived from Brighton and Sheffield United respectively for big fees with the added moves for Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Martin Odegaard taking the Gunners’ summer spending to approximately £130m.
The considerable outlay does not appear to have helped Arsenal much with the north Londoners having begun the season with two defeats from as many games, whilst the team have also failed to score a single goal following defeat to Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.
Both Keane and Souness have suggested that Arsenal’s current direction in the transfer market has far too much emphasis on the future as opposed to the here and now.
Speaking on Sky Sports, the former Manchester United midfielder said: “It won’t happen overnight but the fans want to see a sign of progress because the last thing some of these fans want to hear is that it is a project and we will be good in two or three years.”
Meanwhile, he has also called on the more senior players under Arteta’s tutelage to assume responsibility for what is a young squad.
“But if that is what the club has decided to do and buying young players then you have to give him a chance and that is where you need your senior players to help these young kids along and I don’t think that Arsenal have those top senior quality pros who have good habits and will help the young lads,” Keane continued.
Souness has also bemoaned the current state of Arsenal’s squad and predicts a tricky season as a result.
He said: “They have spent £220m in the past four windows, yeah of course it is a lot of money by anyone’s standards but I look at this Arsenal team, and it might be a team for the next manager.
“As a manager, time is not your friend. I doubt that these players will be able to help them break into the top six this year, it may take two or three years with the young ones coming in and with the ones that he’s got here.
“Smith-Rowe looks like a player, we know about Saka, but these players won’t be with Arsenal in five years time because it just doesn’t work like that. So I see it as a difficult couple of years for Arsenal. I think if they are sticking with Arteta, it is going to be a painful trip.”
