Former Manchester United player, Alan Smith has said that Arsenal made a huge mistake regarding one aspect of their summer transfer dealings.
After securing their first Premier League title in 22 years, the Gunners did not become complacent during the summer transfer window, investing nearly £200 million in five new players.
Piero Hincapié’s transfer from Bayer Leverkusen was finalised, while Ezri Konsa joined from Aston Villa to enhance the defensive lineup.
Illan Meslier was brought in as a third-choice goalkeeper from Leeds United, while Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis were acquired from Newcastle United and Club Brugge, respectively.
Arsenal aimed to bolster their left wing further but were unsuccessful in their attempts to sign Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior.
In light of this, Smith argued that the club should not have been so quick to part ways with Leandro Trossard, who transferred to Besiktas for a modest fee of £17 million earlier this summer.
Smith told Metro: “Time will tell, but Trossard, on paper, is more of a loss.
“He delivered in crucial matches and contributed goals in significant games, which is difficult to overlook.
“Whether Tzolis can replicate that is a different matter entirely, but it is a considerable expectation.
“However, they have allowed Martinelli, Trossard and Jesus to leave; they have lost three attacking players and have only brought in Tzolis, essentially.
“From that perspective, there are definitely one or two concerns.”
EPL: ‘You’ve made huge mistake’ – Alan Smith to Arsenal over transfer decision