Unai Emery has been speaking to Marca, at length, about various things related to Arsenal and football in both Spain and England.
The Gunners are currently fifth in the Premier League and the manager is having a reasonably good start to his life as Arsene Wenger’s successor. Recruitment has worked and there’s positivity around the club going forward.
But the Premier League is a different place to when Arsenal were hitting their heights under Wenger, other teams have grown in strength, mainly through financial investment, and that makes Emery’s task harder.
Asked if his club are currently a step below the top four of Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, the Spaniard was quick the explain the differences, pointing out that Everton were a bigger club than some a couple of decades ago.
“We can improve this team,” Emery told Marca. “I want to be demanding with that. I am delighted about the club’s approach in everything, but I want them to demand from me because I will press the club.
“The Premier League is not that of 20 years ago, when City and Chelsea were middle teams, and Everton were stronger. The outside money has changed everything.”
The Toffees now have their own backer in Farhad Moshiri but for them it’s a long road to get to the top four and compete with those who had earlier investment.
FFP rules are one thing preventing backers throwing huge sums of money around, but it’s also now much more expensive to invest given how transfer fees and wages have gone.
Everton are currently ninth, and will hope Marco Silva can take them higher than that this season.
