Mesut Ozil, Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis and Chad Kolasinac left the Gunners through the window in January, with Martin Odegaard and Mat Ryan arriving
Arsenal’s plan at the start of January’s transfer window was clear. While they wanted to bring in players, the initial focus was just on getting players out.
Mikel Arteta’s squad was just too big and with so many players on hand, it meant he couldn’t offer some of the playing time they needed in the first half of the season.
The problem was so severe that Mesut Ozil and Sokratis were not even registered as part of Arsenal ‘s 25-man Premier League squad, a decision that followed that no single player got a single minute of football for Arsenal this season.
Arteta himself admitted that the situation was not stable and that is why Arsenal were ready to take action as soon as the transfer window opened on 1 January.
“We have a big squad, we know that,” said the Gunners’ leader at the front of the window. “A lot of things that should have happened this summer, we couldn’t achieve for a variety of reasons.
“There are some players who are going to be on loan, they’re going to leave, and that’s the priority right now because we can’t match the numbers we have in some positions. keep up. ”
Despite Arsenal ‘s determination at that stage to reduce the size of the squad, few had predicted how successful they would be in achieving their goals in the next four weeks.
Even the most optimistic fans of Arsenal would not have said that Ozil, Sokratis, Chad Kolasinac and Shkodran Mustafi by the end of the month would have gone out the door.
But as Arteta takes his side to face Wolves on Tuesday night in the Premier League, so it happened – with Mustafi ‘s move to Schalke on the final day of the transfer window completing an impressive month’ s work from Arsenal.
Just as with Ozil, who has now joined Fenerbahce, and Sokratis, who has moved to Olympiakos, Mustafi ended his contract early with the Gunners to allow him to return to Germany.
The three players were expected to see their contracts in north London before leaving for a free transfer at the end of the season, but all agreed to end his stay early after talks with him. the technical director Edu.
It is unclear how much it cost Arsenal to end their contracts, but there is no doubt that the club will have saved some money after reaching an agreement with the three high earners to get them out the door now, instead of letting them see the rest out. of their contracts before they leave in the summer.
For Arteta, the departure of Ozil, Sokratis and Mustafi solves a major problem and is left with a squad that is beginning to feel like its own.
And for Edu, the January transfer window can be seen as a huge success.
There have been question marks about Brazil since he took up the post of technical director in July 2019, with many questioning whether he had the experience to undertake such a major job in the Premier League.
But he has shown a ruthless side during the January window that Arsenal may have had in recent years.
“It’s something that’s missing,” said Arsenal legend Lauren Amas, when questioned about the work his teammate did at Emirates Stadium last month.
“The best option for the players is that they have been moved on and for the club it is the best way because you avoid paying those big salaries.
“It’s a win-win situation. The club wins and the players can go on to play week in, week out, without being on the bench or not even in the squad.
“So Edu has been doing a commendable job. It’s about understanding what the club needs to keep going. ”
Lauren said: “I believe in Edu, I know he has worked hard since joining the club. I believe it is going to do a good job.
“I have no doubt in Edu and I have no doubt in Mikel. I know they work hard behind the scenes and the coming months and years will show that. ”
The relationship between Arteta and Edu is one that Arsenal are hoping the club will soon get back in contention at the top of the Premier League.
Sources at the club generally say that the pair understand each other well and have formed a close bond, with both of them willing to follow a plan for success that has been clearly mapped from Arteta was announced as Unai Emery’s successor in December 2019.
“Maybe, in the last year or so I’ve talked to Edu more than anyone else in my life,” Arteta said Monday.
“That’s what my wife says, with everything we had to go through with the coronavirus as well as the movements.
“We have a great relationship and a very good understanding. We support each other in a very good way.
“At least it’s lucky if you have to talk to someone several times during the day, that the relationship is strong.”
Last summer’s window was difficult to navigate for Arsenal due to a pandemic coronavirus outbreak, but they still ruled it out after scoring their two main goals in Thomas Partey and Gabriel Magalhaes. They also tied Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka to new contracts.
The decision to sign Willian on a free transfer and give him a three-year contract looks like a costly mistake with Edu and Arteta, but overall the business that was done over the summer has seen as a success. An amazing winter window follows.
Ozil, Sokratis, Mustafi and Kolasinac were all taken off the salary bill, Willian Saliba was loaned to Nice while Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Joe Willock were loaned to West Brom and Newcastle respectively.
Martin Odegaard was loaned from Real Madrid to add some creativity to the attack and Mat Ryan was brought in from Brighton to give goalkeeper Bernd Leno some familiar cover.
Arsenal will now enter their second half of the season with their squad in much better shape thanks to the work done. He’s also a squad that feels a lot more like Arteta, with a large number of the issues he owned now dealing with.
Edu and Arteta started the moving window with a clear plan and implemented it in an impressive and ruthless fashion.
Lauren was speaking on behalf of Sportsbet.io, Official Betting Partner of Arsenal FC. Enter here for your chance to win an Arsenal shirt.