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You can chill those Heinz Baked beans, it seems that the deal to bring Pépé to Arsenal is basically done. Fabrizio Romano, who has been on top of this story even when it was a ‘OH DO FU*K OFF’ pipe dream, reckons the deal is done and the player is wetting his bed in excitement for the move.
I don’t need to continue to wax about this, but really, it’s the most exciting transfer of the last 10 years for Arsenal. We know he wants to move to us, he’s not a reject, his career is on an upwards trajectory.
… I still can’t quite believe it’s happening.
I’m also glad that this summer has well and truly seen the death of the ITK crowd. We’re back to journo’s knowing more. I much prefer things that way.
We still have our cuck fanbase praising Wenger for being part of the deal. Sure, Pépé wants to come to Arsenal, but be real, Raul having a relationship with Jorge Mendes is why this is happening, nothing to do with what we were doing 20 years ago. The pound notes speak and we’re finally dealing with the right agents that can make things happen.
Interestingly, Monaco are rumoured to be entertaining a €30m bid for Mustafi. Jorge Mendes has deep ties over there. He’s moved lots of names in and out of that club. It really wouldn’t be surprising to see us shift out players because we’re greasing the right sort of wheels with the Pépé deal.
I think moving on Mustafi would be the biggest deal of the summer. It would be absolutely unreal. I think I would write Raul a thank you note.
It’s been very amusing to watch certain Arsenal fans sanctimoniously slamming fans when it comes to his treatment. He’s a leach. He’s here because we make it too easy for him to stink out our defence. Why shouldn’t fans hound him out? To say it’s not Arsenal class to boo player just shows a lack of understanding of our history. I’ve been there when we’ve booed Eboue. Fans in the 80s were militant about moving on Terry Neil with protests. Away fans hounded Wenger at Stoke station. Arsenal fans were booing players as far back as the Chapman days. Fans were even booing in 2004!
Sure, it’s not nice. But this is elite sport. This isn’t dopey Dave the intern that keeps messing up the coffee run. He shouldn’t be given the choice to stay. He should go to Monaco and enjoy the good life. Then we should go out and sign someone better so we can crack on with a better defence.
If Gareth Bale can be shoved out a year after signing a new deal in Madrid after netting 4 European Cups, then Mustafi can be as well.
There is no class in accepting mediocrity.
Right, that’s me done, see you in the comments.
Pierre
If Pepe signs there is another top quality player for Ozil to find on the pitch, there are no excuses for another abysmal season we endured from him 18/19. He has to do better.
If he starts pulling out assists and scoring a few more himself this coming season I suspect most would be happy to eat their words. However he has it all to prove, as one of the most prominent figures in the squad he was a crushing disappointment last season.
Uwot Kimpembe might be available as PSG have signed a player with a similar profile in Abdou Diallo, a left footed CB who can play LB. Actually think Diallo would have been better for us as he is faster and more aggressive. Emery plays an open style in the back so CBs are isolated. Not sure Kimpembe is the right guy for us. Another possibility might be Ruben Dias of Benfica. He is a Jorge Mendes client. We’ve just jumped into bed with Mendes, as he is set to recieve a sizable commission for the Pépé deal. There is a… Read more »
Arsenal asking Rennes for £9m for kos
£25-27m for Mustafi
£10m for Bielik
Shit will recoup our whole budget on those 3 alone if we can get these deals through.
Long profile of Edu today in Guardian, good read:
“Edu was reading Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad when Gilberto Silva said to him: “You will become a manager in the future. You have the perfect profile.” Almost two decades later his then-Arsenal teammate’s prophecy has been proved right.”
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jul/30/edu-arsenal-brazil-gilberto-silva?CMP=share_btn_tw
Chris
I’d be happy to eat my words on ozil. I don’t suspect many others here would thiugh. They’d rather be vindicated than see us succeed
Marc
Ramsey, Rabiot and De Ligt on big money.
Alex Sandro wanted a new hefty contract and was linked to PSG, Man Utd for the last couple of yrs. Potential for big drama if things don’t go as planned.
Yes Lzil being a massive disappointment for about 3 seasons in a row is nothing to do with ozil… or wenger… not even a little bit
I’m cancelling your invite to the global pub crawl for talking nonsense every day about ozil, Pierre
Invite Cancelled and put in the bin just like I wish ozils contract would be
Un na
I think we might struggle to get the Kos fee I would have thought he’d go for more like £3 ish million but Sanllehi seems to know what he’s doing so we’ll see.
We do have plenty of time on the overseas outgoings.
Gary Cahill is still available. That’s an easy deal to do
Dream10
They’ve also binned off Allegri who was a serial winner. It could all go tits up quite easily.
Where’s Pele? Sorry Pepe. But the way some are talking about this small time reject, anybody would have thought we had signed the Brazilian.
Wenger back in.
Un na
As much as a critic I am of Ozil, I would too, with extra helpings of humble pie.
How likely it is to happen is another matter. Judging on last season, highly unlikely.
China,
Mine’s a Birra Moretti.
Cheers
What exactly is Pepe le pew bringing to the party?
Genuine question as I’ve never seen him play.
How will he win us a CL place?
Chris
Only because I want us winning again. I don’t like ozil and it’s got nothing to do with any personal admiration for him or anything like that. I just know a Mesut Özil at the top of his game than the absolute shit he’s been serving for last two seasons or more arguably
“Gary Cahill is still available. That’s an easy deal to do”
I prefer not to speak
Crowning a summer of stellar additions with Gary Cahill……SMH
“I would just like to point out that Marc is in fact a season ticket holder …”
😂👏🏻
Receding
If we’re going to manage to shift on Mustafi for a decent fee then we might have more to play with.
Gary Cahill is still available because he sucks.
I’ve got your birra morretti but next round I’ll have a Thatchers Old Rosie cider mate, cheeeeers
“I think Cazorla is one of Spain’s best midfielders… the level he played at last year after coming back from a really serious injury that just wouldn’t go away – I really think you have to take your hat off to him” – Dani Ceballos
No, no Dani, he was shite because Villarreal were shite. Haven’t you read Le Grove?
Un I doubt we get those fees, maybe Bielik as it’s not unreasonable for a young talent. Another point as well is how much we actually get of those fees this summer. We’ve benefited from installments but we have to think about them when we sell. Tierney will come out of our remaining budget but if we could sell Elneny, Kozz, Bielik and Mustafi and get £20 Million this summer of the total fees that might be enough to go out and get a good CB…again if we can agree installments. If we found a £40-50 Million player at CB… Read more »
Marc
He’s got to be worth £5-6m to a French side surely?
Juve will be just fine. They signed Ramsey. CL glory incoming.
If Mustafi is €30m then kos must be £5-6m
In case it was still in doubt:
@FabrizioRomano
1h
Pépé has signed and he’s new Arsenal player. ✍🏻⚪️🔴 #AFC #Arsenal
YES!!!
When CG is not around, you can always count on Guns Of Hackney…
(sometimes I wonder, are they the same person ??)
€30m for Mustardi ?? No way any club on earth will puth the money on the table.
GOH
Biesla tried to play Pepe thru middle and it didn’t come off, definitely better cutting in from right eliminating defenders and going with stronger left foot to finish.
Very Arjen Robben minus Benjamin Button vibe, exactly what this side needs adding width to attack, something we’ve lacked since Sanchez imo. Fucking exciting piece of biz.
Defenders the key for me though… will be hilarious season if not. Full Wenger outscore you mode.
Wow Barça want 45m Euros for Malcom
Zenit offering 41m Euros
Not a big fan of his. Hard working but does not look like the type that will put up big numbers.
Kos is 34 in a month and has chronic Achilles injuries. There’s a good chance he does his Achilles again within weeks of signing somewhere and retires. I can’t see cash-strapped French sides paying £9m for that, but if Raul can con them, then fair play to the lad.
I can’t get past the thought that Kos could buy up the final year of his contract for his total year’s salary, in other words £4.5- 5m.
If AFC are asking for more, surely Kos says to buying club, “I’ll buy out the last year of my contract as long as you reimburse me.”
Un na
I just think it’s an age thing – look if we can get more fantastic.
If we sell Mustafi to Monaco for 30m, Arsenal better be prepared for the favours they have to do for Mendes. Signing a few of his clients who aren’t first team quality. Like Bebe for Man Utd.
Man I just got back from a holiday to the UK only 2 weeks ago and I’ve already got cider withdrawal symptoms
For those of you outside the south west you’ll probably never understand. Until you’ve been to a cider pub you’ll never truly get it
I’ve had a lot of Scottish and London mate’s over the years and they think strongbow and blackthorne is cider. It breaks my heart I tell you
I wonder if fans booing Mustafi at past few matches will help him decided that he needs to move. Disheartening if your own fans think you useless, better to get fresh start elsewhere.
To give you non bristolian perspective, strongbow and blackthorne are the titus bramble and Igor stephanovs of cider
Bob N16
Think Koscielny will go for something cheap, 1-2m just to get his wages off the books. Monreal the same as well.
“If we sell Mustafi to Monaco for 30m, Arsenal better be prepared for the favours they have to do for Mendes. Signing a few of his clients who aren’t first team quality. Like Bebe for Man Utd.”
Not if he is paid for his work
It was Sir Alex’s fault sanctioning a transfer for a player he never bothered to watch.
Bob The thing about invoking the Webster ruling is that it’s a gamble for the player. Yes, there is a legal precedent to support the action, but clubs operate to a tacit understanding that it’s in their collective interests not to sign such players: once the genie is out the bottle then contracts become less important and the clubs lose control over players. Clubs have also threatened to take civil action against players who use this route, leaving a player facing the prospect of being tied up in years of costly legal proceedings to establish the validity and scope of… Read more »
I think kos could certainly fetch 3m I wouldn’t expect much more tho
For mustafi I’d ask for 30m. Monaco will laugh and say no. I’d ask them what they want to pay and if it’s anything more than 10m sign the contract in blood there and then
Pepe signing reminds me of summer ’95 when we bought Bergkamp and G Graham was fired a few months earlier. I work in gooner pub and there were many heated conversations about whether Graham was a villain or not but change topic to Bergkamp and everyone happy as Larry. Pepe signing has similar affect – many people have spent all summer saying our new execs are clowns who don’t know what they doing but since solid Pepe rumours started a few days ago, people are not so doom and gloom about Raul now. I expected club to make Pepe like… Read more »
Thanks for the info Elmo, feel that it should never have gone this far. We should have sold him for an ‘undisclosed fee’ say £2-3m and as fans we could have remembered him as a player who was with us for 9 years and always gave of his best.
Remember it well JWL, was in the West End when I picked up an afternoon edition of the Standard with the headline that we’d signed Bergkamp. I’m old enough to remember when Charlie Nicholas signed too. Not sure if Pepe has quite the same impact on me as those two though!
“igning a few of his clients who aren’t first team quality. ”
But still better than Mustardi anyway.
Peter Marinello ( the new George best)
My old man was jazzed about Bergkamp, such a different time. Everything being delayed had a sexiness to it, now its Pepe at the Emirates with deal signed before anything officially released by club.. interweb immediacy.
Remember coming home from school and finding out we had signed Bergkamp, and then Platt a few weeks later I think. Was ecstatic at signing Dennis even though up until then I hated him because he scored against England to pretty much knock us out of World Cup qualifying!
BobN16 – we are older and wiser so maybe not as enthusiastic about new signings as we used to be but Pepe is star who will attract new fans and delight existing gooners.
Salpardisenyc – it is strange, maybe internet exposes us too much to all players out there. Many are cynical now, everyone is shit in world football other than Pep, Messi and Ronaldo according to many fans.
I don’t recall ever being that excited about a particular signing because I grew up on wenger early years and his best signings were mostly random unknowns without a big name
But I do remember circa 06 we had a pretty great team and we were still trying to win the two hottest prospects out of Brazil at the time, Robinho and Baptista with regular rumblings of arsenal being in for trezeguet
Man that was a great time to be a fan
JWL
Happy I knew what it was life before, I was at Uni in America when Bergkamp was signed read about it on back of NY times sports section in very small print.
Thats when if you wanted to know whom won the days stage of Tour de France you waited until morning paper arrived folowing day in America. Oh the mid 90s before it all got mental.
I sometimes think the 80s and 90s must have been the best decades but life was modern and comparable in many ways to now but without bs like social media and phones zapping us of our humanity
CC
‘“I think Cazorla is one of Spain’s best midfielders… the level he played at last year after coming back from a really serious injury that just wouldn’t go away – I really think you have to take your hat off to him” – Dani Ceballos
No, no Dani, he was shite because Villarreal were shite. Haven’t you read Le Grove?”
Most of Le Grovers attach more significance to physicality than to pure technical skills. No surprise bar a few posters most wanted Santi to be offloaded.
I was excited by Ozil’s signing!!
(yes I was naive)
(yes I was weak)
(yes I was Wengerized)
“Most of Le Grovers attach more significance to physicality than to pure technical skills. No surprise bar a few posters most wanted Santi to be offloaded.”
Are we all going to pretend wasn’t for two years and his contract had run out?? I am yet to see one poster doubt Cazorla’s quality. Most just said that maybe after two years out of the game injured a return to Spain was best for him.
I was disappointed with Ozil signing. I wanted us to sign Di Maria who was strong ly linked to us but I guess RM did not want to lose him.
“I was excited by Ozil’s signing!!
(yes I was naive)
(yes I was weak)
(yes I was Wengerized)”
You were none of those things. It was an exciting deadline day for all fans. I was in a staff bus on my way back from work when the news came over the radio…Mesut Ozil is a Gunner
Dreams,appreciate the info.Whati think most fans miss is the old days when a press conference would be called all of a sudden with the genie being announced to a fanfare.shock & awe.Guess those days are gone with the Itk crowd & journos spilling to the internet…….
“I was disappointed with Ozil signing. I wanted us to sign Di Maria who was strong ly linked to us but I guess RM did not want to lose him.”
Same Di Maria that flopped in the EPL a year later??
Lol Ozil what a disappointment he has been. Semi-retired since 2013.
We still have our cuck fanbase praising Wenger for being part of the deal. Sure, Pépé wants to come to Arsenal, but be real, Raul having a relationship with Jorge Mendes is why this is happening, nothing to do with what we were doing 20 years ago.”
Jesus at anyone that thinks a 24 year old is coming to Arsenal because of something that happened in 2004/2005.
I was ecstatic about the Ozil signing, not wholly because of the player, but more because I thought it marked the end of our austerity period. Dropping 45m on a player back then was serious coin.
We should’ve signed a striker though. And let’s not forget having Ozil around meant we didn’t bring Cesc back when he became available.
Ozil’s signing was pointless. It was a cherry on the cake signing when we didn’t even have the cake.
TR7
“Most of Le Grovers attach more significance to physicality than to pure technical skills. No surprise bar a few posters most wanted Santi to be offloaded.”
Sadly I think you can put our manager in that category.
lol Tits, very well resumed.
Receding
“Most just said that maybe after two years out of the game injured a return to Spain was best for him.”
We haven’t made it to CL since Santi suffered injury setbacks. A 50 percent fit Santi would have added more value to us than most fully fit midfielders we have. It was a wrong decision.
As for Di Maria, I think he would have excelled at Arsenal. Man United was a mess when he joined them and Van Gaal’s style did not suit him. He was a class player.
Loads of revisionism happening, was thrilled with Ozil signing.
First time we actually splashed it, this place was ecstatic floating on the web.
No, no Dani, he was shite because Villarreal were shite. Haven’t you read Le Grove?”Most of Le Grovers attach more significance to physicality than to pure technical skills. No surprise bar a few posters most wanted Santi to be offloaded.
Tr7
Could not agree more. Spot on
Agree Sal and Jamie, it was the sign that our ‘austerity’ was over, Ozil was a statement signing- revisionism in the extreme to not have been excited on his arrival.
The paid customs have the right to boo a player after he performed badly in a match. But I don’t want “fans” to start booing a player when he just enters the game. The coach selects the player to help the team. If you want to disturb your own player and coach, you might as well quit supporting the team.
Spot on Jamie, Ozil’s signing was too much like a consolation prize after we cocked up signing Higuain and then Suarez. Everyone new we desperately needed a striker but we got Ozil. Just like everyone knows we never replaced PV4 (instead we’ve got Xhaka).
DB10 though, that was exciting!
Sal
No i really preferred di Maria too. We had santi. We didn’t need ozil and I never got the fuss with him anyway, even when he was in his prime for Germany at the World Cup I preferred others
“We haven’t made it to CL since Santi suffered injury setbacks. A 50 percent fit Santi would have added more value to us than most fully fit midfielders we have. It was a wrong decision.”
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Bet you all expected the 33 year old to come back strong after a two year injury layoff.
No revisionism. An attacking midfielder is not what we needed then. Signing a striker or a goal scoring winger was the need of the hour.
How did Ozil get on in the recent Fortnite World Cup btw? Pierre??
‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Bet you all expected the 33 year old to come back strong after a two year injury layoff.’
Except it’s not hindsight. I never wanted him to be sold in the first place.
I think all Gooners were genuinely excited by the signing of Ozil.
Even though my love affair with Wenger had ended long before September 2013, Ozil’s arrival did arouse my senses.
Bloody hell, can’t believe he’s been with us for nearly 6 years.
TR7
Wasn’t intended for you, you’ve always stood apart on here. Remember Romford Pele selling Ozil hard on here and some were like nah we need Di Maria and then Sanchez came following summer and Di Maria was all but forgotten.
Sky reporting Dybala to United.
lol… seriously? some of you pretending you could see into the future. I was excited when Ozil, was signed , I was excited when Sanchez signed I will be excited when Pepe signs… You all sit around and bitch when we don’t sign quality players then when we do you over analyze stuff. Every single one of those players improved the team…at that time. Sure people thought the team needed a striker but you had to be one hard core bitter fucker to not be excited at that time. Not the teams fault Ozil regressed into Fortnite mode. We did… Read more »
Another Spurs snub, don’t think I could of dealt with Dybala in the silly whites.
As much, if not more, than most on here I have been critical of Arsenal’s approach to transfers this summer, placing most of the blame on Stan and Josh’s financial restrictiveness making life very difficult for Raoul to buy players in back-ended instalments. The protracted Tierney saga and the absence of new faces was pretty hard to take. But it has to be said, with Saliba, Ceballos and Pépé, Raoul and the transfers team have more than exceeded my expectations, and if Mustafi goes and A.N. Other centre-back comes in, Raoul and co. will have smashed it. Not bad for… Read more »
“Except it’s not hindsight. I never wanted him to be sold in the first place.” And no one sold him. A call was made to let a 33 year old who hasn’t played football for two years return to his homeland to continue seeing as his contract was up. A contract the club paid in full every week he didn’t play for two years. Funny that some of those campaigning for 33 year old Kos to be released of his contract after years of service to return to France, seeing as he is broken and tired, are the same way… Read more »
My recollection is everyone loved Santi.. and were devastated when he got injured. Not many thought he could be the same as before in the PL after that injury though and most likely he wouldn’t have been. Team did the right thing after the Diaby years.. Same concern I have about Bellerin. and Holding but they are young at least.
Looks like the club are being sensible in bringing new players in..
Rambo
Ospina
Lich
Kos
Xavier
Welbeck
Those above players save half a mill a week.
Sort out a defender n v good window..
Looks like playe4 power going against zz at Madrid.
Agree with both your posts this evening Midwest
How anyone can fault the club for letting 33 year old Cazorla leave after two years injured amazes me, same club that have witnessed Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere who were even younger.
As for the Ozil thing, everyone loved Ozil’s signing. TR7 likes to standout, that’s his MO here
As long as Emery coaches them not to get in the way of each other’s runs and shots 😀, a front 3 of Auba Laca and Pépé really gets the heart going.
On paper, more exciting than Liverpool’s front 3.
I love when people try to say what the Le Grove opinion was on things like it is fact… to prove a point…. because they are usually wrong.. Just like now Le Grove has never had a consensus view on anything other then things need to change and it won’t until Wenger leaves.
Words
Agree we would have put together a squad more than capable of getting CL football. It’s got to be made clear to Emery that his main KPI is qualification through the league – anything else is a bonus.
Anyhow is Pepe seriously a done deal? So I can get my excitement on fully?
Marc,
Agreed.
CL qualification through the league has to be the KPI.
Keep the Europa for the kids.
MidwestGun – there are some photos floating around on twitter of Pepe at Colney today where he supposedly was having his medical. No official announcement yet but it looks like Pepe is a gooner now.
After agreeing a fee for Leicester defender Harry Maguire yesterday, Manchester United are now one step away from agreeing a deal to sign Bruno Fernandes. Talks with Sporting Lisbon are in the final stages. (Source: Di Marzio)
United doing some neat business themselves…has to be an exciting season next season
MidWest,
I hate to tempt fate as I’m ridiculously superstitious, but what with pictures of Pépé over at Colney leaked on Twitter, it does look done.
Now (hopefully) for the Flying Scotsman.
Words
We start hitting the qtr or semi’s then you can add some experience but it’s top 4 that counts.
Or to be precise, now for The Flying Scotsman With A Hernia…..
Jwl-
Sweet! have been burned on that before though… can’t remember but wasn’t Higuaín photo’d at the grounds as well before we didn’t sign him,.. there are others as well I’m probably not remembering but it seems like we are very close. . on this one.
Marc,
I hate to sound like Arsene, not to mention Banks and DM, but it’s the top 4 trophy that I really want.
Rumour going around that pepe has failed his medical.
Receding
‘As for the Ozil thing, everyone loved Ozil’s signing. TR7 likes to standout, that’s his MO here’
As if ‘standing out’ on a blog of faceless strangers is really going to enrich my life. Is there any poster here whose MO you are yet to figure out ?