Arsenal manager Unai Emery has said that he intends to make big summer signings so that he make the club one of Europe’s elite again. Arsenal were one of the most feared clubs in Europe during the early and mid 2000s when they had the likes of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Patrick Vieira among others.
In the mid-2010s, Arsenal developed a reputation for ending 4th in the league and exiting the Champions League in the last 16. However, the Gunners haven’t been able to even qualify for the Champions League in the last two seasons.
Unai Emery’s first season at the club has seen Arsenal become heavy contenders to qualify for next season’s Champions League. The Spaniard is eager to help the club improve more by spending big in the summer.
Emery said, “I think we can improve first, by spending money to achieve players. In the past the club have done great work in watching players, finding and signing young players and developing our players in the academy.
I have big respect for our work, for our players in the academy. I want to develop the players here – giving them progress to achieve something at a big club like we are.
We can also achieve [buy] some players who are in other teams, who can come here and give us this performance – like van Dijk with Liverpool. We can share both situations. Developing players with us and [finding] some players who we can spend money on to help us.
I think we are in the right way with the club, with the owner, with Raul Sanllehi [head of football] to find that. To fight against the teams with more money than us, maybe Manchester City, maybe Real Madrid.
Arsenal is great. Our objective is to be with the best teams in the world.
When I am training Arsenal I know we have targets, collectively and individually. I earned titles in Paris [with PSG] and Sevilla and I think here we need the same objective. To win titles, in the present and future.
To win the Premier League is difficult, but our progress is to be consistent and to create a big team to have the possibility to achieve that. I am here for that. For titles, to be with the best teams in the world in the Champions League, have the best players in the world. This is what I have done in the past and I want to do the same in the future.”
Arsenal are currently 4th in the league table and can go to third if they beat Everton at Goodison Park tomorrow.
