Tony Adams believes Arsenal splashing out £72million on signing Nicolas Pepe last summer should have been spent in different areas.
The 25-year-old took Ligue 1 by storm last season, netting 22 times and providing 11 assists to catch the eye of several top clubs.
Although Pepe has shown flashes since the Premier League restarted last month, his first season at the Emirates has been somewhat disappointing.
And Adams believes the Gunners already had plenty of young attacking talent in their ranks and could have spent the £72million on improving other areas of their squad.
“I was very against Pepe to be honest with you because we had [Bukayo] Saka coming through, we’ve got Eddie [Nketiah], Reiss Nelson, [Gabriel] Martinelli,” he told Stadium Astro.
“We’ve got a lot of kids that need to play and to go and buy [Pepe for] £72million, I thought it could have been used in different areas.”
While Adams also delivered his verdict on Mesut Ozil’s continued absence from the Arsenal squad.
The Gunners playmaker hasn’t featured since the 2019/20 season resumed last month, leading to speculation his days at the club are numbered.
Ozil is under contract at the Emirates Stadium until next summer but Arsenal may look to get his high salary off their books in the upcoming transfer window.
“There’s a hell of a relationship that needs to go on between the sports director – who incidentally has got no experience of building European club squads – and the coach,” Adams said.
“There’s got to be a balance, the coach has got to say him, ‘I’m not going to use [Mesut] Ozil, there you go, get rid of him for us.
“And then you cut your losses and say, ‘Ok what are you going to use? Do you need a central defender? What do you need Arteta?”
