Mikel Arteta Insists Players Do Not Need Convincing To Join Arsenal

By The Editor
on 4th January 2025

Arteta is in unchartered territory…

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is on unfamiliar grounds as he prepares to navigate a transfer window without Edu for the first time in his Gunners career, HaytersTV reports.

Edu resigned from his post in November and looks set to take a job working for Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and his multi-club model.

Edu and Arteta were considered a dynamic duo and while the former had a more senior role on paper, they approached a window working in tandem as they assembled the squad we currently have.

The former Invincible has been succeeded by his former assistant Jason Ayto and Arteta insists that he’s working well with the interim sporting director.

Edu excelled in establishing a relationship with a potential recruit’s family and entourage before selling the project at the Emirates Stadium.

Arteta feels that the days of arranging sales pitches to players are over and that the best players want to come to Arsenal.

“It’s different. I’m so used to doing things with Edu,” the 42-year-old admitted.

“But Jason (Ayto) was a big part of that team. He’s in charge right now and we have great communication. We are talking every day. We are prepared.

“The good thing about that is that neither Jason, or I, or the owner has to convince any players.

“The players want to come to Arsenal because of what Arsenal is and how Arsenal is perceived, and that is a massive bonus.”

Convincing players to join us hasn’t been a problem for a few years now with main obstacle attempting to match the valuations selling clubs have on their assets.

As we enter a January window, those demands will continue and the recruitment team have demonstrated a tendency to walk away from deals they deem unrealistic.

Arteta has revealed that while there’s been some instability in the hierarchy, the planning for the January window has been done and any move will be a calculated one.

“If we panic, it means we are not prepared,” he said. “And a big thing is preparation. When you are well prepared I think your decisions will be better.

“They will be very well processed and then the thing will be if we decide to sign a player, does he perform, yes or no? And that’s a good decision or a bad decision after that.

“The preparation is done. And we are ready if we have to do something. But we know we have an excellent squad and with players available we can compete with any team.”

It will be interesting to see if any reports emerge of us implementing the plan they’ve prepared.