Edu Gaspar often faced criticism during his time as Arsenal’s sporting director.
Many fans questioned his decisions in the transfer market, while others felt he was too cautious at times when it came to certain deals.
In contrast, Andrea Berta has been widely praised since arriving, especially after overseeing a major recruitment drive last summer.
However, one decision where he went against Edu’s earlier stance is now raising serious questions – Arsenal signing Noni Madueke.
Who is Arsenal’s fastest player right now – Gabriel Martinelli or Noni Madueke?
Edu Gaspar never wanted Noni Madueke at Arsenal
Madueke was a player admired internally at Arsenal for a long time.
Mikel Arteta and members of the coaching staff were particularly keen on bringing him in because his profile as a direct, skilful winger made him an attractive option.
However, according to The Athletic’s report in July last year, Edu Gaspar and a few other members of the recruitment team had reservations about the deal in previous windows.
They were not fully convinced he was the right fit, and those concerns were strong enough to prevent Arteta from signing him.
However, that changed when Edu left, and Berta took over. With a new decision-maker in place, the dynamic shifted, and the Arsenal manager got his wish.
Berta approved the signing, struck a deal worth £52 million with Chelsea, and brought Madueke to the Emirates Stadium.
Now, in hindsight, Edu’s caution may have been justified.
Noni Madueke has not delivered for Arsenal yet
Madueke has shown flashes of quality since arriving at Arsenal.
The England international’s dribbling ability and flair have caused problems for opposition defenders on several occasions, and there have been moments where he has looked like a real difference-maker on the right wing.
However, attackers are ultimately judged on their output, and that is where Madueke has fallen short. So far, the former Chelsea man has managed just two goals and one assist in the Premier League all season, which is simply not good enough.
If you could go back in time and sign Bryan Mbeumo instead of Noni Madueke for Arsenal, would you do it?
For a player expected to contribute regularly in the final third, those numbers are extremely disappointing.
This raises the question of whether Edu’s initial doubts were well-founded – perhaps he saw the risk that is now becoming evident.
Berta took a different view and pushed the deal through, but as things stand, it has not paid off.
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