Edu has revealed a full breakdown of Arsenal’s ambitions, transfer plans past and future plus the decisions behind Mikel Arteta’s new deal and the continuing ‘process’ amid a plethora of intriguing details about the club. However, what stood out, in particular, was a section on his negotiations with players who did not end up coming to the club.
Speaking about the process behind a decision to sign a player for Arsenal, Edu went into brilliant detail on what turns him, Arteta and the club off a move. Arsenal would be investing huge amounts of money into these players and all elements need to be right to commit.
Edu said: “Face to face — I go there, I meet the player, if I have to travel to Germany, anywhere. I want to see the player, the agent, the family, put everyone together and say, ‘Guys, listen to me and what I want to say’.
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“And then I sell what we are doing, our project. Because it works both ways, doesn’t it? I want to show them, but I want to see as well if they want to enjoy because if I smell something wrong (then) thank you very much, I go (and don’t sign them).”
Arteta was interviewed once by Ian Wright about the restraint he feels in signing players he has to convince to join the club. Edu here uses an example of a player he spoke to in Dortmund whom he eventually opted against signing.
“I faced an experience like this, for a player in Dortmund. I started to talk to them, engage the player, talk to the family, but always, ‘Yeah, but what about my contract?’ I said, ‘Listen, I want to understand first if you engage with this if you like this. If you like it, I can talk, but not the opposite side’.
“‘Ah no, let’s talk about the money…’ No, no, no, no. And one day, I said to the agent: ‘Guys, thank you very much, it’s not what I want to do’. Boom.”
Working out who the player that Edu is referencing is a difficult task. Ultimately, without clarity from the man himself, we might never know.
However, looking back at the players linked with the club during the period of Edu and Arteta’s tenure could give us an idea of who the candidate might be. There were as many as four players who could fulfil the profile. The first candidate is Julian Brandt. Arsenal wanted an attacking midfielder in the January window of 2021 and in the following summer.
According to BILD, via the Mirror, Arsenal saw Brandt as a potential candidate for the position. However, Martin Odegaard arrived on loan instead and looks now favourite to become club captain.
The mentality of the Norwegian has made him a favourite of Mikel Arteta for his personality and character. Brandt was again linked at the start of the 2021 summer, but Arsenal chose to hold out until Real Madrid changed their stance on Odegaard and got their man.
Another attacking player linked in 2019 was Thorgan Hazard. The brother of the former Chelsea and current Real Madrid star was seen as a versatile wide option who could also play centrally and Arsenal reportedly were very keen, as were Liverpool.
This was, however, before the arrival of Mikel Arteta. Edu’s influence in the summer of 2019 was a fraction of what it is today with Head of Football Raul Sanllehi a much greater presence.
The last two players have both been linked as recently as this summer but reports emerged initially in 2020 and 2021 respectively for Manuel Akanji and Dan-Axel Zagadou. Players who can play on play on the left of the two centre-halves with the Frenchman being left-footed as a bonus.
Who of the quartet, if any, Edu was referencing, will remain a mystery. Edu’s explanation for choosing not to sign the mystery player is crucial. The club needs players as passionate as one another about progressing the Gunners.
If you aren’t on board with this, then quite simply, you will not be part of this project toward the top. Because to get to the top you need full focus and attachment to the unilateral aims of the club, management and squad.
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