Arsenal’s ‘failed’ transfer strategy questioned as Gunners man makes honest admission

Arsenal’s perfect season is no more following Sunday’s defeat to Manchester United.

The Gunners were defensively vulnerable at Old Trafford as they fell to a 3-1 defeat, but they remain top of the Premier League table.

Mikel Arteta’s men now have a one-point advantage over Manchester City in second as they prepare to face Everton next weekend, but before then, they have a date with FC Zurich in the Europa League.

It was a busy summer for Arsenal, who spent big in the name of improving on last season’s fifth place finish.

On that topic, we have rounded up all the latest transfer news and rumours surrounding the Gunners:

Luiz move questioned

Transfer insider Dean Jones has questioned Arsenal’s late pursuit of Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz.

The Gunners are said to have made a late push to sign the midfielder, who is out of contract next summer, but they were not close to pulling off a deal.

“I find it a bit strange that they knew they would probably need a central midfielder all summer and then made three failed bids for Douglas Luiz a day after playing against him,” Jones told GiveMeSport.

“Generally, Arsenal’s recruitment process has been much improved, but that is one that leaves you scratching your head a bit.”

Tavares admission

Nuno Tavares says he wanted an option to buy included in his loan deal to Marseille.

“At Arsenal, I do not know if it was a problem of competition with Kieran Tierney, but for me that’s not even the point,” Tavares told RMC Sport.

“I came to Marseille to finally be able to play in my position. When signing with OM, I wanted to have an option to buy, but Arsenal refused. With my agents, we always wanted this purchase option, but Arsenal didn’t.

“Now I’m at OM, and with or without an option, I’m happy. At Arsenal, I would have probably only played in the cup.

“I came to Marseille to play in my position, in the Champions League, in the league and in the cup [competition]. Marseille gave me this opportunity.”