Arsenal legend Bacary Sagna blasts board as ‘circus’ and questions why club is not attracting better quality players
BACARY SAGNA blasted Arsenal's board as a "circus" and questioned why such a big club are failing to attract top-class players.
The Frenchman, 37, spent seven years in North London between 2007 and 2014 but now has serious doubts over the running of the club.
He labelled the Gunners "a circus" on Sky Sports in December - and he has seen nothing in 2020 to change his viewpoint.
The former right-back cited the failures in the transfer window as evidence for that - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January 2018 was the last genuinely high-calibre player to arrive at the Emirates.
Speaking to , Sagna said: "When I called the club a circus, it was not about the players, the performance or their quality. It was about the club.
"How you can be in London, which is probably the most attractive city in the UK, have a great stadium such as the Emirates and not be doing more?
"Basically, the club is able to bring in any player today because every player loves Arsenal.
"If you are any player in foreign leagues, their beloved team along with Manchester United, is Arsenal. The club could be much more higher.
"Obviously now with big spenders like City coming into the game they have tried to have an ethic, which I respect a lot, but you have to make some choices.
"Don't expect the players to perform like teams who have maybe two squads."
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Sagna played 284 times in an Arsenal shirt and won one trophy, the 2014 FA Cup, but immediately joined the long list of players to be sold to Manchester City, alongside Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri, Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure.
He recently hit back at Cesc Fabregas' claim that only two players matched his quality insisting he was "surprised" by the comments because "as a leader and a true player, you don’t speak like that about your club".
Since Arsene Wenger's 22-year reign as Gunners boss came to an end in 2018, the ex-defender is yet to see anyone show leadership at the club - especially from billionaire owner Stan Kroenke.
But seeing his old side struggling both on and off the pitch hurts Sagna, who admits he still "loves" Arsenal.
He added: "As a player you want the club to show some desire. Not necessarily in spending money, but someone needs to run the club properly and you don't really know who is leading Arsenal.
"Who is taking the big decisions?
Since Arsene Wenger left, you don't know who is leading. For a club like Arsenal, I thought there would be more leadership.
Bacary Sagna
"Back in the day you knew Arsenal were taking decisions through Arsene Wenger. He was the leader. Since he left, you don't know who is leading.
"For a club like Arsenal, I thought there would be more leadership. That's why I said that about it being a circus. It's because I love Arsenal.
"When you love something it's like having a relationship with someone. Whenever I'm critical, I'm not critical in a bad way. I just can't understand what's happening."
Unai Emery replaced Wenger but despite a strong pedigree from his time at Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain, struggled to connect with the fans and was shown the exit door in November, with Mikel Arteta coming in.
But Sagna, who retired after a spell with Montreal Impact and is still living in the Canadian city, reckons the club have made the right appointment by recruiting someone who can deliver success.
Asked if Arsenal can win the Premier League in the coming years under his former team-mate, he said: "I think so. Leicester did it and no-one expected them to, but they had a great team spirit and were fighting every single game.
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"Arsenal can do it too, because if you face Arsenal it is always difficult because of the way they move and play.
"I think it was a great choice because he has personality. If you look at the team, even the team spirit has changed. Whether it’s running or tracking, they are like animals.
"Maybe he gave them some more confidence, some more love, I don’t know what he’s done but he’s changed something."
