Arsenal sporting director Edu raised eyebrows when he revealed that the 2022/23 season was earmarked by those at the top of the Gunners hierarchy as the campaign the club returns to the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta's side had come so painfully close last term, but a spectacular capitulation in the final three games saw Arsenal resigned to the Europa League while fierce rivals Tottenham pipped them to the post in fourth. In the aftermath, high profile pundits like Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville claimed they feared for the Gunners boss and his job.
In contrast, Arsenal chief Edu was in no mood to wallow in the heartache of missing out on Champions League football and used pre-season as the perfect time to throw down the gauntlet and reveal his expectations of Arteta this term.
The Gunners director spoke to The Athletic while in Orlando as part of Arsenal's pre-season tour of the United States in July and laid bare the expectations he had for the current campaign.
"He [Arteta] showed me he has a very clear idea of how he wants to play football, which again helps us to make decisions. Now he's going to make the club's life easier," the former Brazil international explained.
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"Then I give to the club a five-year plan. I said to Mikel and to the board: 'Guys, 2022-23 will be the season we're going to be much better.
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Edu and Mikel Arteta are thought to have a stellar working relationship at Arsenal (GETTY)"We have to be patient… It would be impossible to take everyone out and put everyone in, we need a process to do that."
No one however, surely not even Edu, could have predicted just how much better Arsenal would go on to be this term. The expectation was top four, but the Gunners are arguably favourites to win the league outright with just 11 games left to play.
In the face of immense pressure to bounce back from the dismal end last term and Edu's public demand to improve, Arteta has responded perfectly.
The Spaniard has guided the second-youngest squad in the Premier League to top-spot, registering impressive victories over the likes of big-six rivals Manchester United, Tottenham (twice), Liverpool and Chelsea along the way.
More recently, Edu discussed Arsenal's title charge and conceded it was not a target that was even mentioned before a ball had been kicked.
"To be fair, we internally never mentioned about the title really," he confessed. "We always talk about performing, how can we perform better every week.
"Mikel is sending those messages every week, 'Guys, I want to be better, better, better every week.' Then let’s see how we’re going to finish."
There are some huge tests awaiting the Gunners in their final 11 games, including trips to Anfield and the Etihad, but who could bet against Arteta given he has already surprised so many this season.
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