Sam Allardyce is shocked that Mikel Arteta allowed a ‘world-class’ player to depart from Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s decision to let a ‘world-class’ player leave Arsenal has left Sam Allardyce perplexed. Why did you permit his departure?

Arsenal’s once promising season is now at risk of losing its momentum. Just a week ago, the Gunners were leading the race for the Premier League title and had a chance at reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

However, their defeat to Aston Villa over the weekend, coupled with Liverpool’s loss to Crystal Palace, has now given Manchester City the upper hand.

In the middle of the week, Arsenal fell short against Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Allianz Arena.

Reflecting on Arsenal’s defeat at home to Aston Villa, there was one player who caused significant trouble for the Gunners throughout the game.

This player is none other than Emiliano Martinez, who had been a part of Arsenal for numerous years before eventually departing for Villa.

Martinez showcased his exceptional skills by making an impressive save with his legs to prevent Leandro Trossard from scoring just before halftime. Additionally, he denied both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus with his remarkable goalkeeping abilities.

Sam Allardyce, in an interview on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s choice to offload Emi Martinez.

According to the experienced coach, he questions Arsenal’s decision and wonders why they let him go.

Allardyce believes that Martinez, being a World Cup winner, should have been considered as a top goalkeeper and should have been either the number one or number two choice in the Premier League.

Now, four years later, it seems that Arsenal’s decision to sell Martinez is still haunting them. Not only has Martinez’s value increased significantly, surpassing £20 million, but the goalkeeper that Arsenal opted for instead of Martinez, Bernd Leno, has also departed.

And this summer, Aaron Ramsdale, who replaced Leno, is also expected to depart. Regarding Raya, his performance on Sunday was not at its peak, and there is still uncertainty surrounding his abilities.

It’s intriguing to think about the potential outcomes if Arsenal had decided to sell Leno and appoint Martinez as their main goalkeeper. It’s like a moment where different paths could have been taken.