Unai Emery assessed the state of the squad as the transfer window comes to a close.
Last Friday, Ezri Konsa signed for Arsenal to add to the exits of Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, Morgan Rogers to Chelsea and Lucas Digne to Paris Saint-Germain. Ollie Watkins was also absent against Brighton on opening matchday, and he is expected to depart from the first team.
‘I am confident, I am positive’
Joao Gomes had a nightmarish debut against the Seagulls after his transfer from Wolves, receiving a red card in a 4-0 loss at the Amex Stadium. Leon Goretzka gives extra cover in the engine room while fans await the first appearance of record signing Johan Manzambi, bought for £59.5 million.
Matteo Ruggeri, Alejandro Garnacho, Aaron wan-Bissaka and Zion Suzuki are the other four signings for the squad, and Emery remains bullish about the business that the club have conducted.
“We took some decisions because it’s good for the club, and how we can as well understand our process as a club, trying to compete as well as better as possible, but understanding some situations, it’s clear the decision we took, because how we developed in the last year with some players, and how we can sell those players now, is completely the right way and decision we took.
“Of course, we don’t want to be a club to sell players, but the responsibility is there. Our responsibility is to accept it. Why? Because, as well, for the players, they were demanding us it, and for the club, it’s a good deal, and it’s not changing our objective, our priority for the next year – it’s to be competitive, and to fight again, to be in the top position.
“But knowing for this reason, because we are selling our best players, and they are signing our best players, but we must be the same team that we were the last four years.
“Competitive, the development we must do is a strong development with the players. Of course, maybe we are not every year achieving it because we did it, but I am confident, I am positive.
“The players we are signing, they are as well good players with the process they can have, but hopefully we can do as soon as possible and we are trying to replace the players they are leaving with others players with a huge potential. Young players, and the structure in the squad more or less is getting balance, getting balance with experience players, and with players with a huge potential.
“This is the objective at the beginning. The first match we played against Brighton was not enough to compete and to show we are ready to compete for a win, like we didn’t show against Brighton. But now the next step forward is on Monday, Arsenal at home, and I think hopefully, we’ll be different.”
