After failing to get their hands on any silverware since 2005, a lot of people have completely written off Arsenal’s title chances already. However, Gunners defender Andre Santos seems to have other plans, with the 29-year-old claiming that the team will be much more competitive following the transfer activity this summer.
Santos joined the Gunners from Fenerbahce for a reported £6.8m last summer and was tipped to make a huge impact in the top flight. He had established himself in the Brazil national team, having made twenty two caps, and was regarded as a very talented left sided player. However, despite making a good impression during the opening months of his Arsenal career, injuries meant that his opportunities were to be limited and he made just ten league starts.
With the 29-year-old sitting on the sidelines for much of the campaign, it would be fair to say that he had the perfect opportunity to assess the club’s situation. The player now says that the club could have been much more successful had it not been for their poor start last term, and is aiming for massive improvement for the 2012/13 season.
He told Four Four Two, “We shouldn’t aim to get closer to the top teams, we have to leave them behind. I think we had a good performance last season, and if it wasn’t for that poor start we could have fought for the title. Now we’ll be more competitive with Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, who will make our team even more dangerous offensively.”
Of course, more people may view Arsenal as a threat if the sale of Robin Van Persie does not materialize. Despite announcing that his future lies away from the Emirates Stadium, there are suggestions that a deal might not materialize with none of his suitors meeting Arsenal’s £20m asking price.