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Former striker Darren Bent has revealed his surprise over the fact that Arsenal did not offer Jack Wilshere a contract during the transfer window. The former Arsenal midfielder is currently without a club and is training with Arsenal at their facility to keep fit.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Bent expressed his shock at the Gunners refusal to sign the midfielder on a free transfer, given their midfield problems. The former England striker commented on the transfer business conducted at Arsenal and the missed opportunity to sign Wilshere. He said:
“That’s another thing I’m thinking. That would’ve been perfect, just get more bodies in there. He understands the club, he loves the club, he’s training there every single day, he looks fit. I don’t understand why they can’t do some kind of deal – pay-as-you-play or short-term until the end of the season. I honestly don’t get it – I’m gonna grill him when I see him.”
The north London outfit had a very quiet transfer window in regards to incoming transfers. However, they saw over a dozen players leave the club in the winter window. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Barcelona while Ainsley Maitland-Niles joined AS Roma.
With their decision not to sign Jack Wilshere, the Gunners will hope that they can hold on to a Champions League position until the end of the season. They currently sit in sixth position in the table, two points off fourth-placed Manchester United. By the summer, they will likely recruit reinforcements in the transfer market.
Summary of Arsenal's activity in the January transfer window
Quite a few targets fell from the Gunners' grasp during the transfer window, most notably striker Dusan Vlahovic, who made the switch to Juventus instead. The club failed to land a signing in January. They had revamped the squad last summer with Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White and Martin Odegaard.
It was expected that the club would sign at least one star player to ensure they reach their top-four spot by the end of the season. However, it was not to be. Moves for players like Alexander Isak and Raul de Tomas fell through, with other lesser known players coming into the squad.
Colorado Rapids defender Auston Trusty and New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner were both signed by the Gunners. However, the duo will join the club in the summer. The only other signing was Lino Sousa, a 17-year-old youth player from West Brom.
Notably, first-team players left the club, even though no immediate first-team signings were made. Ainsley Maitland-Niles has moved on loan to Roma, while Sead Kolasinac has joined Marseille on a free. Calum Chambers also left the club for Aston Villa on a free transfer as well.
