‘To me, Willian’s move to Arsenal looks like a final payday for a fine player past his best’
Jamie Carragher has again questioned Arsenal’s recruitment policy, days after his views on the same topic drew criticism from agent, Kia Joorabchian.
Joorabchian took exception to comments made by Carragher on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, where the former Liverpool defender described some of Arsenal’s recent transfer business as being a “joke” and asked whether the agent was making the signings for the club.
Joorabchian represents Willian and Cederic Soares, who both joined Arsenal in the last year, as well as David Luiz, who signed a new deal to remain at the club before the season started.
Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Carragher has reiterated his belief that Mikel Arteta needs to be given time as Arsenal manager, but that the club’s recruitment policy sent ‘too many mixed signals’. While full of praise for the acquisitions of Gabriel and Thomas Partey, players he believes reflect Arteta’s long-term vision, Carragher questioned the logic of some of their other dealings.
‘I see purchases such as Cedric Soares last January and Willian in the summer and the contrast is striking,’ Carragher writes.
‘Willian was a tremendous player at Chelsea, but handing a lavish contract to a 32-year-old sends a contradictory message when a club is focused on building for the future.
‘Willian’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, had a pop at me for querying the logic of that transfer. Fair enough. He is entitled to defend himself. But as an outsider, it is my opinion the deals for Willian, Cedric and David Luiz have benefited his clients more than Arsenal Football Club.’
Carragher goes on to explain that he has no issue with clubs having particularly good relationships with agents, as long as the collaborations are mutually beneficial.
‘To me, Willian’s move to Arsenal looks like a final payday for a fine player past his best. It is not the first time Arsenal have made such a signing recently.
‘Adding older players with no sell-on value creates more financial problems and impacts squad balance. With Mesut Ozil already one of the highest paid spectators in world football, you would have thought the lesson would have been learned.’
