OPINION
New Arsenal manager, same old tricks. The Gunners have reportedly missed out once again on a top class winger, as Gelson Martins is heading to Atletico Madrid, highlighting the clubs inability to attract the top players.
Corriere Dello Sport reported that Arsenal were one of a number of teams interested in the attacker, who has terminated his contract in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon.
However, the Spanish publication AS reports that Martins, 23, is soon going to be unveiled as an Atletico player, having seen negotiations ends positively with the Spanish giants.
It was supposed to be a new dawn at Arsenal with Unai Emery being appointed, as so often the Gunners could not land their top targets, or hold on to them.
During the Arsene Wenger era, Arsenal saw a number of their top targets go amiss, with elite players wanting to leave the club such as Alexis Sanchez.
This was all supposed to change under Emery, but the departure of Jack Wilshere on a free, missing out on Thomas Lemar to Atletico, and now missing another top player in Martins just proves that the Gunners still cannot attract world beaters.
The former PSG man has been active in his first transfer window at the Emirates, bringing in defenders Stephan Lichtsteiner and Sokratis Papastathopoulos also nailing down goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
The Gunners were most dangerous when their best player, Sanchez, was playing out wide at the Emirates, and it is a travesty that the powers that be allowed Martins to sign elsewhere, considering that he was available on a free transfer.
Although the defence was an area of weakness that needed strengthening, Emery will come to regret missing out on opportunities such as Martins – his tenure at the Emirates could be very short indeed if it continues.