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Arteta needs to deliver this season | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Mikel Arteta has been warned he needs to deliver after a summer of big spending from Arsenal.
Arsenal legend Nigel Winterburn has warned that the pressure is on for Mikel Arteta to deliver a Premier League title amid a fresh wave of big spending this summer. The Gunners have backed their manager again this summer, splashing out more than £250million to upgrade a number of areas.
Around £60million was spent on each of Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres, while £55million was spent on Martin Zubimendi and £50million on Noni Madueke. There have been other signings, too, and the Gunners now have a superb squad with serious depth, and while they have had the talent in recent years, they haven’t necessarily had the depth needed to be able to maintain title-winning performances in the wake of injuries.
It’s a promising situation for Arteta, but there is a downside in that the Spaniard will now face pressure to win the league, with all excuses surrounding the quality and depth of his squad effectively extinguished.
“I think it (the pressure) built two years ago, or over the last two years,” Gunners legend Winterburn told LondonWorld via NewBettingOffers.co.uk. “Arteta knows for sure that when you are at a club like Arsenal, you are always being analysed. You're being analysed by supporters, the press, other supporters. He knows he is under pressure in terms of what they want, and he wants, and that is one a league title, and then again to go and potentially try to get to a Champions League final.
“As I’ve said before, I think the league will be stronger this season, and the Champions League, if you can get to the knockouts, which you expect the big teams to do, but if you have one poor performance in the knockout stage, you are gone. But there is always pressure. With the more money spent this year, I imagine the pressure will ramp up again, but he knows he has got to deal with that, and he has a squad that can deal with it.”
The Eze signing has been billed as one of the best of the summer across the Premier League, and Winterburn is fully on board. “My opinion doesn’t change...He’s a Premier League player who plays at a high level, and I have no doubt that he is going to integrate into the Arsenal team quite comfortably,” added the former defender. “He has unbelievable ability and I’m excited to watch him play in the Arsenal colours. I personally believe it is a terrific signing.”
In the wake of the Kai Havertz injury concern, and asked if Arsenal should have signed another striker instead, Winterburn said: “For me, it’s a signing that was probably well along the pipeline. It needed to be done. We are still waiting on a Havertz update. From that point of view, as we saw last season, Merino can come in, and there is Jesus who is on the way back. For me, it sort of makes sense to not change plans.
“People think Arsenal pushed harder for Eze with the Havertz injury, but I don’t know whether that is strictly true because they are completely different types of players. But it doesn’t matter, it’s a brilliant signing.”
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