’We’ve been planning this window for a long time’ Slegers delighted with Arsenal summer recruitment
Renee Slegers says she is delighted with how Arsenal executed this summer’s transfer window, with a total of eight players signed. Slegers says the recruitment team had carefully planned deals for this summer, culminating in the deadline day signing of French centre-half Elisa de Almeida.
Arseblog News asked Slegers about the qualities de Almeida will bring to the squad. ‘She’s competed at the highest level. She’s been at PSG for five years now and she brings experience, she’s good on the ball which you have to be at Arsenal.
‘She has a good athletic profile as well, so if you look at how our games usually play out, it’s fast attacks and counterattacks that you have to manage really, really well. And she has the speed and the mobility to do that. So there’s a couple of things within our profile that fit really well with the way we play.’
De Almeida is 28. Cerci is 26. Stanway, Reuteler, Batlle and Misa are all 27. Arseblog News asks Slegers whether they specifically aimed for early prime players between the ages of 26 to 28.
‘The work that’s been going on in the background for a long time between Clare (Wheatley), Jodie (Taylor), Kevin (Murphy) and the recruitment department. It’s been so strong so we’ve been planning for this window for a long time.
‘Of course age is part of what we look at as one of the factors, so really happy that we get players in their prime ages where we see this. They’re at that prime but there’s more to come from these players.
‘But also the younger ones that we were so happy we got them on board. They chose us they want to be part of Arsenal as well if you look at Isabella (Damm) and Lisa (Baum), they’re young, but they’re so mature for their age and I’m really really impressed with where they are and the courage that they’ve shown the humility that they’ve shown as well.
‘Age plays a role in the decisions we make and I think with all these coming in, I’m so happy with the strategy behind it.’
Arseblog News puts it to Slegers that Arsenal could stand to improve when it comes to punishing transition moments and asks whether recruiting four players from the Bundesliga, a transitional league, was part of improving in this area.
‘There are good players in the Bundesliga. So, of course, we keep an eye on all the leagues across the world. I think it is transitional so automatically I think there’s forward intent with these players and there’s an athletic profile that we like with these players too.
‘It’s always hard to generalise, but when we look at players coming in, are they the right characters for the group and what we need? I definitely think with those players they have what we want and they have resilience and winning mindsets.
‘They enjoy getting to work and ‘give me a task and I’m gonna do it and I’m gonna do it the best I can.’ So those are definitely things that they’ve brought. I’m really happy with those pairs that they came to Arsenal.’
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