DEMBELE LINKED? Exciting…

by .

You never want to be the person who says shut up and play football, but my word, you kind of wish Mesut Ozil’s agent would stop trapping off like the Trump of the agent world. Dr Ergot took time out to speak to James Olley at The Evening Standard.

“We had some really big offers from Asia – there were some crazy offers. But, for Mesut, money was by no means the biggest factor.

“Money is definitely one important thing to consider, but people must remember that footballing ability is just one aspect of a contract negotiation. The commercial impact of a footballer is crucial nowadays.

“It came down to what was in his heart. We were free to sign with other clubs and, in the end, Mesut loves the club. I put everything to him and he just said, ‘This is my home, I want to be here’.

This reads very much like: ‘PSG and Madrid were both spurned by loyal Wenger’

For me, it’s not a real offer if it’s from China. It really isn’t. It’s where hacks go to play out their dying days in a shite league. You’ve given up your sheen, you have no glamour, you’re a slave to money.

The reason Mesut’s agent has come out on the attack is he’s reading all sorts of opinion he doesn’t like.

  • Aaron should have landed the deal
  • Mesut isn’t worth the money
  • The sort of number 10 Mesut wants to be is over
  • The player is dead wood
  • Why is he captain?

Playing the love card is so tired. It’s nonsense PR to deflect away from the honest truth > he’s been a bit shite this season.

He could answer a lot of the critics if his best performances were against Liverpool, not worldies vs Leicester City. I really don’t understand the odd fanboyism that follows him around. Call his game what it is at Arsenal, don’t hide behind spreadsheets, ‘he bleeds for us’ and nostalgia.

In other news, Kike ‘the king’ Marin reckons Arsenal are tracking Dembele, and we had a £100m plan for him last summer. He also soured the story by stating the player has gone missing from training and earns a whopping £12m a year. I mean, I love him, if we could get the most out of him, we’d have a truly spectacular forward line next season.

I think it’s more hope than reality, but I’d be more than happy to take a chance on genuine WOW talent. Though it has to be said, I’m a little concerned about how our Bundesliga imports are fairing at Arsenal, I know they haven’t all been direct, but they’re hardly pulling up trees.

Finally, an embarrassing story is doing the rounds that the leaving-do committee at EPL HQ is asking Premier League clubs to hand over £250k to give Scudamore a golden fuck off. Wow. Really? Is that how leaving present shakedowns work? Pretty grotesque considering the cash he’s earned over the years.

Right, I recorded a solo podcast. If it’s shite, I’ll never do it again. But everyone was out of town and I needed to get it done.

Let me know what you thought in the comments.

Topics include:

  • Fans who want failure
  • Mesut Ozil, again
  • Danny and a deal (plus numbers)
  • Emery: Good, bad, ugly

SPOTIFY | STITCHER | ITUNES | GOOGLE | POCKET CASTS | DROPBOX

159 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
HighburyLegend

“Fulham approached former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger before appointing Claudio Ranier, according to Sky sources.”

ANOTHER ONE (“bites the dust”)!!
Even better than Real, Bayern or Barcelona!! Why did he refuse the job ?? lol

Marko

Oh so Mesut is here because of love and not money… sure isn’t playing like any of that is remotely true.

Cesc Appeal

Is Mavropanos still injured or something?

Really is frustrating that we can’t get him playing and see if he can develop into the CB people think he can be.

We need to be selling smartly next summer and if we can rely on Mavropanos and Holding to some extent in the CB department we can sell Mustafi and Chambers and let Kozz go to raise funds for a big CB purchase.

Dissenter

Mystic
There’s talk that Almiron is actuallyheading to Leicester and not Arsenal.
Everyone assumed that Arsenal was the premier league destination because we need a Ramsey replacement but Leicester’s scouting may have trumped us.

Dissenter

We need to sell smartly?
What’s left to sell? ; it was Sanchez, Ozil, Welbeck and Ramsey….and now there’s none.

Marko

Personally don’t care either way if Ramsey goes to Bayern he’s not strengthening them the opposite in fact and as WE said recently they’ve been buying poorly recently. They’ll regret it before long because they don’t need a player who doesn’t know his proper position instead they kinda need to think about the long term replacements for Ribery and Robben

Graham62

Forget to mention yesterday how great it is to have Claudio Ranieri back in the EPL.

Tough on Jokanovic, but not surprising.

Dignity, respect and humility, has returned to the top flight.

Receding Hairline

Renato Sanches still starts games for Bayern Munich so i wouldn’t gloat so much about them picking up another freebie in Ramsey.

Ramsey gets to move up as it is, they get to sell him back to the premier league a season or two later for a profit. Win win for all. Problem for Ramsey is with how good BVB are looking he might not even pick up the usual German league title over there.

He has not signed yet though it must be stressed. It might still end up being Everton

Cesc Appeal

Apparently we are looking at Hermoso who has a £35 Million release clause. But the big issue is that Madrid apparently have one of their famous buy back options on him and may be looking to bring him back.

Mislintat is also apparently interested in Mancini from Atalanta.

Good to see we are looking at CBs though.

Our current crop are enough to keep our heads above water but we need to have much better.

Receding Hairline

Cesc appeal

Good times…links to players in leagues all over the world

Surprise quality signings like Torriera and Guendouzi ..players bought to play particular roles.

Thumbs up also to whoever decided we move for Leno in a summer two not so special keepers moved for over 65m each

Like i said earlier, we have to buy smart.

Marc

The report on Chelsea potentially facing a 2 year transfer ban also mentions 4 other clubs being investigated.

Has anyone heard any rumours on who the others might be?

Marc

Receding

That’s one of the reason I’m feeling positive at the moment. Someone yesterday was talking about needing 3 players and unless we were lucky it would cost £150 odd million. I’ll take 3 Torreira type signings for under £70 million any day.

Receding Hairline

Ecaxtly Marc

I have never subscribed to the view we need to pump money in like it’s going out of fashion to be competitive

Many on here keep mentioning City and what they have spent forgetting where City get their inflow from and how many lies and fake sponsorship they have to invent to try and get away with it.

We can build a truly competitive team by being smart with our resources, not a team as good as City, but a competitive team all the same.

Cesc Appeal

RH Agreed. So far there is no evidence that the new team are making stupid purchases. The only way that is iffy is Lichtsteiner but he was free and I think bought for off field qualities as well. Sokratis, solid buy, Leno, great buy, Torriera, along time with lotion great buy, Guendouzi, great scout. A solid £70 Million spend when as you say, Chelsea and Liverpool bought GKs for that amount who don’t look any better than Leno and United spent on Fred what we spent on Leno, Torreira and Guendouzi. Links to Bundeslia, Serie A, La Liga, MLS, South… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

Far rather see a smart use of a £120 Million budget in a similar style to our spend the summer just gone than a United style spray money all over the place and see what happens.

It will make any success all the sweeter.

So far in the Sanllehi, Mislintat and Emery era of the 5 purchases I would put 4 firmly in the successful bracket, 3 of those 4 in the very successful bracket.

Receding Hairline

Links to Bundeslia, Serie A, La Liga, MLS, South American leagues.

Yes Cesc

Always baffled me how previously we behaved like the pool for talent was so small when in reality it wasn’t. Even Austria and Belgium have some talent in their leagues.

Marc

Cesc

As you say the only “questionable” signing is Lichtsteiner who was a free and should bring something to the dressing room including being used to picking up league titles. So no way a bad signing just not as good as the others.

Graham62

Lichtsteiner was a shrewd addition.

Cesc Appeal

RH I’m very hopeful for the future. In terms of right now I think Emery is doing about as much as you could expect. I had hoped for maybe a little more, but realistically we all knew his first season would be chase UCL football. To be fair to him he was working with constraints as well. A limited spend though we have maximized that spend. He’s got a very unbalanced squad, the best CB we have is one we bought in the summer, we’re rebuilding a central midfield that was negligently allowed to deteriorate, we have a problematic player… Read more »

Marko

Tagliafico and Firpo are apparently the LB’s on the radar. Firpo just after breaking onto the scene has Spurs looking at him too

Marko

That football leak stuff if true is a problem for Chelsea.

mysticleaves

Dissenter Leceister already have Madison who is not doing badly at all. But yea, it’s true, I doubt it’s Arsenal. the noises coming out aren’t strong enough. I just hope he is coming to us. Has really all we need in our kind of system. He’s a Silva type player, obviously not as good but in style. Add Pepe or Sarr too and we can be getting to something. The LBs though, it’s odd that Gaya is not being linked. Having extensively watched him but his name is always mentioned as a future top left back. He’s still under 23… Read more »

mysticleaves

“That football leak stuff if true is a problem for Chelsea.”

The one on Man City and how they overcame FFP is even worse.

Cesc Appeal

It’s good to see we’re lining up basically everything we need. LBs being looked at, CBs being looked at, wingers being looked at. The problem for us is still CAM after that and then CM if Guendouzi isn’t ready to make a massive step up for us next season. That isn’t me running him down at all, he turns 20 in April and has had half a season of Ligue 2 under his belt before this. Running that central midfield with Torreira is a big responsibility. But I’m a huge fan and think we have a real player there. His… Read more »

HighburyLegend

“The one on Man City and how they overcame FFP is even worse.”

Everything is gonna explode.
(it should be fun)

Cesc Appeal

If City get a transfer ban that will be very interesting. Firstly to see how Guardiola does and secondly to see if he sticks around.

Up 4 grabs now

Cesc,
Guendouzi is ready now mate, he won’t win us the league.
And I’m not comparing him to your namesake, but Cesc was in and around the team a lot younger than guendouzi was.

Would love to see him and torriera get a run playing together, rather than seeing Mr inconsistent every game.

Up 4 grabs now

Isn’t PSG one of the other sides involved in ffp skulduggery?
If they get a ban they won’t let neymar go next summer if that’s the case.
That could see hazard going to Madrid instead.

Good for us.

Up 4 grabs now

Also, good to see var is approved for next season in the premier league and champions league.
Finally dragged into the 21st century!

Marc

U4GN You’ve got two different things going on at the moment. City and PSG are being looked at over FFP and it doesn’t look very good at all. You’ve then got the reports about Chelsea signing under age players with a possible 2 year transfer ban being threatened – the report also states 4 other PL clubs are being investigated (hope to god we’re not one of them). Now I have no idea who is supposedly involved but you wouldn’t be surprised if City were one of the clubs on this as well. General sense of entitlement and that the… Read more »

Up 4 grabs now

Marc,

I think psg is on going from nearly a year ago?
I saw the report on Chelsea. It amazed me that they were allowed to buy up so many youngsters and have them on continuous loans.
Was it 30 plus out on loan last year?

Would bet city are one of the other teams being looked at as well.
Barca and athletico got done a year or two back, so can’t see them paying there way out of this if they are guilty.

Marc

U4GN

Chelsea were trying to cheat FFP as well just in a more subtle way. Buy up every promising young talent going before FFP is in place so you can spend what you like. FFP comes in and then you sell them off at a profit so you aren’t spending beyond your means.

A 2 year transfer ban would seriously fuck Chelsea up. They still don’t have a striker of a level that the other top 6 posses and Giroud is no spring chicken.

Emiratesstroller

Pedro Arsenal are not going to spend £100 million + transfer fee on a single player. Dembele may be a very talented player, but he is not Ronaldo, Messi or Mbappe and frankly based on his most recent performances over last two seasons he is not worth remotely that sort of money. My view with the current investigations likely to happen over financial impropriety within the industry most clubs including PSG and Man City are going to be very careful how they spend their money in the future. As I wrote earlier today I think that Arsenal are most probably… Read more »

Bamford10

Which of the following players is most likely NOT to be in the starting XI next season?

Mustafi
Xhaka
Aubameyang
Guendouzi

Marc

Bamford

Hopefully both Mustafi and Xhaka will be gone in the summer. The other two 100% add to the squad, Aba’s just too good to be sold / benched on a regular basis and Guendozi will definitely be pushing for a start.

Cesc Appeal

Arsenal apparently really interested in Ramires who plays for Bahia in Brazil.

It is Arsenal and Atletico who are looking at him which makes me confident.

Apparently he has a style very much like Ramires who played for Chelsea, a CDM but who gets up the pitch in attack.

Really exciting to be involved in these interesting scouts, especially because you know we’re actually active in transfer markets now and are making well thought out purchases that are decided upon months in advance.

HillWood

Your Comment Here

Samesong

That’s Sancho looks Like a baller.

Cesc Appeal

One of the main differences you feel watching a game like this as opposed to Arsenal is when you watch Alli and Lingard, I’m not the biggest fan of the latter, but what they offer in terms of control, work rate, possession play, threat and off the ball pressing for a CAM player is one of the things we’re sorely missing.

Cesc Appeal

‘That’s Sancho looks Like a baller’

Really great feet.

Just needs to make sure he does the right thing for his career and doesn’t try to cash in on his reputation and land a massive deal at somewhere like United where he will just be forgotten.

Champagne charlie

“Which of the following players is most likely NOT to be in the starting XI next season?“

Ramsey, get over it,

Major_Jeneral

Nice podcast.

Samesong

Cesc

His control of the ball is much better than sterling at his age. Got good pace also. Agree about the United part. Still a long way to go but I like the look of him.

Cesc Appeal

Guendouzi apparently had a great game for France U21s tonight.

Cesc Appeal

Samesong

Yeah some poor decision making and iffy passes tonight but the talent is no doubt there.

Great to finally see young English players being sought after in Europe. I think it was a statement as to their lack of quality in comparison to what they were demanding in wages that meant most England teams are made up totally of EPL players.

Freddie Ljungberg

Our boy Guen in action against Croatia:

https://youtu.be/Ex7hcOqpzQA

Really looks like he can become a special player, just needs to bulk up a bit and be a fraction quicker in moving the ball in some instances, has been caught in possession a little too much.

Just wish we could replace Xhaka and Elneny with 1 great central midfielder and we would look great there.

Probably too much to ask in the next 2 windows with everything else we have to do but it’s needed if we want to fight for the top trophies again.

gonsterous

nice to hear all this rumours but realistically, arsenal as a club have never opening stated or expressed their desire to get a certain player or target. Look at the manager appointment for example, emery wasn’t on anyone’s list. Nor were Sanchez or ozil linked to us at all. Torreira the media found out when we made it official, and known before the WC began. So you should all take the rumours with a pinch of salt.

Goobergooner

Pierre, I agree with you that some certain team selections haven’t been up to scratch from Emery. But our squad has been declining for several years, which you can’t deny; and only having had one transfer window and a budget of 70mil, which some people have been complaining about as if they don’t know this is The Arsenal not Man City or Psg, I don’t know how a lot of people are overestimating where we are as a club. We were 6th for a reason. In saying that I can’t help but feel positive about the arsenal despite the run… Read more »

Goobergooner

My apologies for the long post!!

Leedsgunner

Pedro

I commend you for the podcast. I loved the passion and the flow of your argument. You, IMO, did a great job, one of your best episodes in awhile.

Don’t feel that you have to bring in guests for the sake of it, but bring in guest if they can offer something you can’t.

I really enjoyed it.

Graham62

Agreed, Sancho looks a real talent.

Loved all his fake moves, even though they were slightly ott on occasions.

UTarse

I wonder if Lil p heard the podcast ? He’s been the main culprit of the subject matter. Troll.

TonyD

Good podcast Pedro. Maybe keep it solo or add one guest from time to time.

Pierre

Oh well, going by the comments on le grove it looks like everyone has accepted that we haven’t got bundles ofcash to spend on players so I presume we won’t be hearing shouts of”spend some fucking money” aimed at Emery Also appears that top 4 is going to be regarded as a successful season (not by me) and I suppose that fans will now regard winning a trophy (any trophy) as an achievement… Sad really that all those fans missed out on the joy of winning trophies but at least they are getting some pleasure now in believing that we… Read more »

gonsterous

Pierre are you thick or something? Want to know why no matter how many FA cups Wenger won, he had to go ? the answer is simple, he didn’t fix the squad problems, he was always buying just enough to paper over the cracks, it’s why we were in a bad position financially. Over payed average players, we had the highest priced tickets, we were laughed out of Europe. Wenger became a laughing stock and the arsenal name because we were associated with him The new manager gets top 4, we are happy because he won’t come out and say… Read more »

TonyD

Gons
Don’t take the bait – old woman Pierre is the queen of trolls and probably bleeds every month.

A very sad individual who can’t accept his idol has been kicked out of the club.

Obviously needs to see a specialist about his Wenger PTSD

Goobergooner

Pierre,

The only reason people will see top 4 as an achievement this season is because your mate Wenger lowered expectations and the quality of this team so far from where it should be.

Emiratesstroller

Wenger is now passe and we need to move on. That does not mean that we need to spend hours slagging Wenger on every occasion. Emery has the opportunity to rebuild the team and improve its performance. It is now down to him to show what we can achieve. Bluntly our horizon this season should be to qualify for Champions League. That should be the maximum, which I believe that the current team can achieve. What the club needs now to do is to “evolve”. We know that the club is going to stick to its current business model and… Read more »