Centre back, out?

by .

Well goooooood morning!

We’ll kick to the day off to a FLYER. The Telegraph is reporting that Arsenal and Spurs are rolling with swaps, frees and loans this summer.

Who could have guessed!

That means the transfer window has been perfectly plated for Raul to work that RolloDex and show us the true meaning of contacts scouting.

There are also some potential shockers on the horizon… David Luiz… might… be gone? Arsenal apparently has a clause in his deal where they can opt for an extension. So far, they have chosen not to extend it, no doubt thinking about his massive pay packet, and his ageing legs. This deal is an example of Arsenal spending bad money when there were better options. For one year, we’re looking at £20m+. We could have purchased someone like Diallo from Dortmund for £23m, but instead opted to buy a 32-year-old on much higher wages. Now we’re letting him go for free? How did Arsenal win there? We spent so much time last summer trying to get a big fee for Koscielny, he went on strike, then we signed his replacement for a load of cash but didn’t think to make sure we could sell him? Kia wins, again. If Luiz leaves, he’ll get another fat fee from his next club.

This might sting Arteta, he seemed to connect with the player. Luiz has been a real leader at the club during a messy time. He’s a behind the scenes banter machine, he’s been towering on the pitch at times, and he seems very bought into the vision. Key thing: He’s a legend. He’s a good learning instrument for the young players. He’s a winner.

However, when you look at the stark reality of where we are as a club, his salary is one that you could forfeit. He’s 3 good young players worth of cash. The club has to make tough decisions this summer, and this would, unfortunately, be one of the easier ones… which tells you a lot about how highly regarded Pablo Mari must be.

Also worth remembering Arsenal will have Saliba in their defence next season, another great young talent.

“He is a fantastic player. He’s a young player but with a lot of maturity in his play. Also in his life. He’s a player with a good feeling & spirit. It will be hard for us without him. But I think its a fantastic opportunity for Arsenal”

SPORT, the Spanish paper, has gone into Arsenal overdrive today. They firstly say that Auba has asked to leave Arsenal. I have no idea where they think he’s going, but he wants out of the club.

Secondly, they are going hard at the Coutinho rumours, insisting that Mikel thinks he can light up our frontline. Hard to know which part of this is journalism, versus hopeful pushes from Kia. Barca have set a June 30th deadline. I’d imagine Arsenal think they can land the player on a loan. Barcelona want to sell him. I am not sure anyone is coming armed with the cash they want. If I’m honest, with the huge outlay we’d have to send their way, I’d be more interested in bringing Dembele to Arsenal and reigniting that sexy partnership with Auba.

My big hope for this summer of doing contacts scouting… is that the KSE group are paying attention to agents fees. Claiming poverty, but dropping massive numbers on middlemen would seem absolutely absurd. Let’s see where we go. I’m sure there will be more scrutiny, there has to be, we’re not in a position to be blowing unnecessary cash on people that offer no value, but we’ll see.

Right, see you in the comments. x

 

 

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Jamie

Un –

Emery being pony isn’t up for debate. And what has Xhaka completing fewer tackles than a stiker who also scored 10 goals got to do with Emery?

During Wenger’s last season, Xhaka also completed fewer tackles than Joe Allen. Imagine choosing to buy Xhaka over Kante for the same money. Bananas.

CG

ES “”””””but it remains to be seen what exactly is exactly our transfer strategy once the transfer window opens”””””” We can have pretty good guess what it will be ES. It will be a combo of Kia ‘s database of clients or Rauls cronies – like it has been in last the last 2 seasons. Suarez, Lich, soares, Mary, Luiz, Tierney l, Pepe types. Our Wenger may have made some poor signings from time to time – but at least he made them for the right reasons. This new lot make constant poor signings for all the wrong reasons. Ie.… Read more »

Emiratesstroller

Un na naii

Whatever the media and posters say about Xhaka the fact is that he was still being selected by Messrs Wenger, Emery and now Arteta in the starting lineup.

There are very few other players in our first team squad who enjoy that status.

Emiratesstroller

I should have added “REGULAR” to starting lineup place.

Apart from Xhaka the only other players guaranteed more or less a Starting X1
place are Leno and Aubameyang.

CG

Arseblog “”””””””IF that is the case, it will have been a very expensive deal for us. We paid Chelsea a transfer fee of £8m, and my understanding is that the agent’s fee for this deal was extremely high (we’re still waiting for the Premier League to reveal the figures clubs paid agents last year, by the way). On top of his salary, which I think is probably a minimum of £100,000 per week, we’re looking at an outlay of somewhere between £15 and £20m for one season of David Luiz.”””””””” Backing up PedRos correct assessment, Luiz costing the club circa… Read more »

Marc

Dave

Hope it all comes good ASAP.

The good news is it does look like we’re pushing to come out of the lock down now, I did a food shop yesterday and the roads were a lot busier than they’ve been recently and most people are getting twitchy / stir crazy.

Pierre

Xhaka is a decent player but I think we need better in centre mid. He is a good passer of the ball and will always give 100% to the cause. He has too many negatives in his game which will always stop him getting to the top level. He has poor anticipation, he struggles receiving the ball with his back to goal, is one paced ( slow) and doesn’t sense or react to danger. A player can survive in a top midfield if they are slow over the ground but they won’t survive if their brain is slow and not… Read more »

Marc

Pierre

How’s the gold going in the sunshine?

CG

UN

“”””””How will that money benefit arsenal long term? It won’t. Kia needs to pull a rabbit out the hat
That fucker calls himself a gooner”””””

Do you honestly believe people like Kia, Raul, Vinny , Edu give two figs about Arsenal?

They are hardly Bob Wilson , Wenger , Dein or Adams types.

They are charlatans of the highest order.

Slowly but surely most supporters will see them for what they are.

Terraloon

I personally have no doubt that the Luiz issue is down to one thing and one thing only that is he is the cheapest option to get rid of His fee would already have been paid in full as will agents fees and the various surcharges and one seasons wages which by most estimates is in the region of £5-6 million. This isn’t about cutting a player adrift because the coach doesn’t rate or play him this is all about saving on the wages and him going says far more to me about lack of money With Saliba coming in… Read more »

Santan

If pierre isn’t talking about ozil or wenger he can sound very reasonable

Marc

Terraloon

Up to a couple of days ago it was an accepted fact that Luiz was on a two year deal – all the normal websites eg transfermarket etc are all still saying it is.

As per normal this is now being reported by all the mainstream media but they seem to be reporting off of each other.

What is the original source of this?

Marc

Un

Mate Ramsey was stringing us along until he could sign a mega deal with an overseas club in the January. If that deal hadn’t of come along he would’ve signed with us but his heart was set on moving.

Sanllehi stopped us from looking even bigger mugs.

Pierre

Marc
Loving the golf cheers…3pm tee off today.

CG

“””””Sanllehi stopped us from looking even bigger mugs.”””””

and shelling out £20 million on Luiz for 25 games has not?

Roughly £1.25 million per game for Luiz’ very brief AFC tenure. ( thank gawd)

Mugs, eh?

Marc

Un

I have no issue with the argument that he should have been sold the summer before or even ideally 2 summers before if he didn’t sign on – on that I agree 100%.

Pierre

Un “Arteta clearly views Saka as an attacker then. Good news” Agree.. Saka’s best work is in the final 3rd. There are certain players who lose their composure when producing the final ball, Saka is the opposite. He has the gift of being able to play the final ball at exactly the the right time, with exactly the right pace on the ball. The final ball is the most difficult to play and at the top level , the creative player will only have a fraction of second to deliver the perfect pass,a fraction delay and the window of opportunity… Read more »

Marc

“Bergkamp was the master of the final ball and it is not a skill that can be taught, it is a God given talent.”

How can a God given talent be given to God?

Terraloon

Marc

From what little I can make of it the catalyst was him being interviewed.

For me far too much chatter for it not to be right

Pierre

Un
I have always likened Saka to John Roberson at forest who was in my eyes , the best crosser of the ball in the game.

He and Saka use the drop of the shoulder to gain half a yard of space and whip in a telling cross..

Saka has the making of a potentially world class player, taking onto account his age.

Marc

Terraloon

Problem is there’s not much else for the football media to talk about at the moment – it just takes my usual cynical view of anything the football media says and ramps it up by a couple thousand per cent.

Pierre

Marc

.” The definition of god given refers to something, usually a talent or ability, that is either innate (not learned) or that is so extraordinary that it could only have come from a higher power. An example of God-given talent is the skill that the best Olympic athlete has within his field.”

Marc

Terraloon

The other thing that sets my “it’s more of the usual bollocks barometer” into stratospheric mode is the reports of £20 million plus for one season.

Fee – £8 million (we’ll forget we recouped £5 million on Kos)

Salary – £125k per week – £6,500,000 per annum

Total – £14,500,000

In a summer where it was reported we hardly had a pot to piss in we’re supposed to have paid an agent £7 or £8 million on a £8 million transfer and £6.5 million contract that was only for 1 year?

Something in these reports is incorrect.

Pierre
Marc

Pierre

I was kidding!

Marc

Pedro

Just ban him for fucks sake – he’s getting on everyone’s nerves anyway!

Terraloon

Marc The £20 million thing is odd but everything I read talks about the fee was thought to be. It’s quite likely that it was way more than that. Don’t forget even if we’re a £8 million fee VAT on domestic transfers is payable. So add on another £1.6 million He will have matched or bettered the wages he was promised by Chelsea and instead of Chelsea paying a loyalty bonus ( his new contract hasn’t run more that a few months)he would get a loyalty bonus at Arsenal and almost certainly a signing on fee. Fee. £8 million VAT.… Read more »

Terraloon

£20.85 million

alex cutter

On this day in 1995, Ajax became and still is the only club ever to win both its league and Champions League in the same season while staying unbeaten.

Marc

Terraloon

Assuming you’ve got the number’s there or there about’s shows what a complete load of bollocks the “facts” reported in the media are.

NI you’re going to pay that on any and every employee – to suddenly start quoting on a single deal when I’ve never heard anyone mention VAT or NI contributions when talking about a transfer before is someone shit stirring.

What’s implied is that we paid an agent £6 – 8 million when that’s bollocks.

If NI contributions are the norm to discuss then precisely why haven’t they been quoted on Sanchez’s salary at ManU.

Marc

alex

Are you feeling OK?

You just made a comment that wasn’t filled with bile or venom.

Emiratesstroller

As Pierre points out Xhaka is not an exceptional player, but I don’t think that he is necessarily to blame for all the weaknesses and mistakes made in our midfield. Part of the problem in recent years has been the turnover of personnel in this department in contrast with many of our competitors. Frankly I don’t consider Jordan Henderson at Liverpool an exceptional player and indeed some might consider their midfield as a whole fairly average, but what they offer is stability and consistency. Arsenal do need to improve the quality of our midfield but at the same time be… Read more »

alex cutter

“You just made a comment that wasn’t filled with bile or venom.”

You haven’t posted something as stupid as you usually have by this point in a thread.

Still making up for the lack of stupidity with sheer posting frequency, though.

Marc

alex

There we go.

Marc

Un

He’s found out you’re an Estate Agent – won’t have anything to do with you.

Freddie Ljungberg

PL to restart June 17th and Sir Chips has resigned as Arsenal chairman.

good news comes in pairs apparently.

Freddie Ljungberg

City away our first game. Hope Arteta has the boys fired up for that.

Marc

Freddie

It’ll be interesting what psychology teams come back with – going through the motions or something to achieve etc.

Tom

Marc Every plumber I ever used on my construction projects was far right wing type, and their views mirrored those of Un to a tee. My guess is Un is the British version of Joe the Plumber but with an actual license and business, and that’s why he’s been working during lockdown. Anyway, this is an exercise in futility trying to guess how he makes his money ( if that’s what you’re doing here), since he’s already on record saying revealing his job would open him up to ridicule and he’d never do it. Why would anyone care anyways is… Read more »

Marc

Tom

Firstly I asked him if he was a subbie and he said no.

Secondly this was just a piss take yesterday driven by sheer boredom.

Tom

Marc
Are you guys still in full lockdown mode?

Freddie Ljungberg

He’s obviously a chimney sweep, ‘ello ‘ello ‘ello

that explains the racism too, he thinks all brown/black people are chimney sweeps too and are stealing his business. He’s a bit slow.

It’s just the colour of their skin Don, they haven’t all been down a chimney, you need to chill.

Marc

Tom

More or less – they’re beginning to move towards lifting things and they’ve been trying to get people back to work but it’s taking a bit of time.

alex cutter

“that explains the racism too, he thinks all brown/black people are chimney sweeps too and are stealing his business. He’s a bit slow.”

But he married/knocked up a jew! He can’t be racist!

” he’s already on record saying revealing his job would open him up to ridicule and he’d never do it.”

More ridicule than for repeatedly soliciting medical advice about his bleeding anus on a soccer board? He didn’t get the nickname BAD for nothing.

Tom

Freddie L
He’s definitely not a proctologist.
That’s a given.

Freddie Ljungberg

Tom

I ruled that out first.

Sid

Tom is right, He’s a plumber, you can take that to the bank

Terraloon

Marc

Rarely do we get to know how much or indeed all the associated costs a players employment actually amounts to. The irony is it’s quite possible that the £20 million being quoted actually doesn’t cost include those additional costs and who knows perhaps the £20 million is the fee and his wages.

That thought is staggering but the way things have been run at Arsenal over the last few years nothing would surprise me.

Spanishdave

The footy looks set to start mid June which is two weeks away.
The social distancing is going to come down and if it’s a metre then it’s close to normal and pubs can be opened.
If it’s one metre then there could be some crowd allowed in surely as it’s about every other seat and if people can be organized entering and leaving it would be great.
Maybe early July for this.
Un is a media man, he works the photo copier dept!

Tom

Tom is right, He’s a plumber, you can take that to the bank

Sid , Please tell me your NOT adding “ you can take that to the bank” phrase to your Legrove trademark “I’m telling you this for free/ you heard it here first “ repertoire.

Terraloon

Two games planned for 17 June

City v Arsenal and Sheffield Utd v Villa

Freddie Ljungberg

Tom

Leave Ron Burgu… I mean Sid alone.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

So realistic we could / are losing

Matt Macy’s
Kola
Luiz
Mustafi
Papa
Holding
Mikkhi
AUba
Elnenny
Laca .

Now that is some clearout …
will take a bit of time to flush through tho.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

The magnificent ten…

Ge5 da ball bouncing

N Sid

You may have heard a whisper of it here.

Ipso facto.

Guns of SF

Seems every summer we talk about a clear out.

No one seems to add Bellerin to the clear out list.
Fella has to go. We need a healthy RB, without risk.
Will he play a back up? doubt it…. so he needs to go. Go back to Barca- use him as a trade bit for Dembele perhaps. One crock for another. Only Dembele has a major upside still if he can stay fit.

Dude is lightning in a bottle.

Even still….

Tom

Tom Come now!! The new resident Karen I’m acquainted with the others but at least introduce yourself before I bend you over Bend me over? Funny but you strike me as a strictly the missionary position type. Which isn’t all that surprising seeing how you married a Jewish girl. Here’s one for you I got from a Jewish friend of mine. A Jew was cleaning his newly acquired antique lamp when to his astonishment a Genie popped out and told him he could grant him one wish. Great! I want you to take all the oil fields from Saudi Arabia… Read more »

Marc

Tom

Funny

Marc

She’s the only one who’d have you?

Dissenter

Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick. has just retired
Who’s the new figure head to occupy the position. Condescension of the fan base is a prerequisite for applicants.

Marc

Dissenter

CG it it then!

Marko

4 more premier league players tested positive in the latest round of testing. I do wonder if this insistence on restarting is from a lot of potentially pissed off Liverpool whatevers.

Marc

Marko

We’re going to have 2 matches – a win and a draw for Liverpool then call the whole thing off again!

Marko

I’ve always felt that it was better to just forget the 2019/20 season and put plans in place for the following season. The knock on effects of finishing up the current season will definitely be felt

Marc

Un

So you drug her?

Marc

Sid

Far too much detail

Dissenter

Sid
Don’t you think you’re giving too much away for free?
When are you going to start charging us for your wonderful presence?

Marc

Can I get a refund?

Tom

TomWhy do you think I married her?

Un, the whole family values thing conservatives preach

rollen

hehe un deleted

Jamie

No self-control

T

heck if Auba is gonna leave this summer I would hope that the club would at the very least attempt to trade him for Isco or a player of similar ilc to take over things in midfield long term.

there are many good strikers and wingers in the squad who could contribute more if auba left and the midfield were stronger.

back when henry left everybody was like “where are the goals gonna come from” but the whole team stepped up and did well after all.