Jamie Carragher - Arsenal and Chelsea
Image credit: Getty Images
Jamie Carragher has criticised Arsenal’s transfer dealings, arguing that the Gunners remain far behind Liverpool and Chelsea when it comes to selling players, despite spending heavily in the summer window.
Speaking on CBS Sports after Arsenal’s 2-0 Champions League win over Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday night, the former Liverpool defender questioned why the north London side continue to struggle to generate significant income from departures, even as they invest hundreds of millions in new signings.
Arsenal spent more than £250 million this summer, securing the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, and Martin Zubimendi in a bid to push beyond three straight second-place Premier League finishes. But Carragher pointed out that the club recouped less than £10 million in sales, with several senior players departing for free and others leaving only on loan.
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“Arsenal don’t really bring money in, whereas Liverpool and Chelsea do,” Carragher said. He praised Liverpool’s balance in the market and highlighted Chelsea’s record-breaking £294 million in player sales this summer, a figure second only to Monaco’s 2018 window which included Kylian Mbappé’s move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal stars Gyokeres, Eze and Madueke
Arsenal summer signins Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke (Image credit: Getty Images)
Rival executives have also questioned Arsenal’s efficiency in the market, citing high fees for players such as Nicolas Pepe (£72m in 2019) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (£32m), and pointing out that the club’s record sale, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool for £35m in 2017, falls well short of the returns other elite sides command.
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Despite the criticism, Arsenal remain in strong form. They sit second in the Premier League after four games and extended their record run against Spanish sides with victory in Bilbao, courtesy of second-half goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.
Even so, Carragher warned that Arsenal’s financial outlay has increased the pressure on Mikel Arteta to deliver. “When you look at Arsenal’s team and squad, it’s what you expect to see at Real Madrid or PSG,” he said. “This season they have to go really, really close. It can’t just be the FA Cup or Carabao Cup, it has to be a major trophy.”
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