Former England defender Rio Ferdinand is baffled by the departure of Joe Willock and believes Arsenal made a huge mistake by selling the academy graduate.
After having a stellar second half of last season with Newcastle United, the 21-year-old made a real case for himself to break into Mikel Arteta’s first eleven. However, the midfielder wasn’t afforded that chance and was sold to the Magpies for £25 million.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand stated that he could not understand the Gunners’ thought process behind selling the Englishman. The former defender further said that the north London club have sold a real goal threat. He said:
“The big one for me is Willock. How many goals did he score last season, eight or nine goals? Arsenal are letting goals like that leave the squad. I don’t know. I was baffled by that one.”
Arsenal Fever View:
Selling Joe Willock could turn out to be a good decision by Arsenal if they spend the money sensibly and strengthen the squad. However, the north London club previously made the mistake of selling youngsters without providing them ample time to develop.
Having displayed the goal-scoring prowess at the St. James Park, the Gunners could have given the Hale End graduate a chance to showcase his talent. However, with the Emirates club looking for a squad overhaul this summer, cashing in on the midfielder will help them generate some funds.
Meanwhile, the north London club are looking for a new creative midfielder and a striker this summer. With Martin Odegaard closing in on a return to the Emirates Stadium, signing a new striker could be the next in line.
Nevertheless, with only less than two weeks remaining in this transfer window, Arsenal will need to act quickly and bring in proper reinforcements. After losing to Brentford in the season opener, questions are already being asked about Arteta’s future. So, the Gunners’ hierarchy will have to strengthen the squad to achieve their objectives for the season.
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