SORRY FOR NOT BEING THERE FOR YOU EVERY MINUTE OF THE DAY. Sheesh, you lot are so needy when the transfer window is open. I was gone, like, 2 days.
Anyway, I’ve been well and truly talked off the ledge about the Edu moves and I’m now VERY excited about what the summer can bring.
Firstly, I was told that the idea of having scouts in 50 countries is a shitty old school idea that offers very little value to the club. The thinking is that Edu has a few centralised scouts that he trusts in London, the analysts lean on elite technology to pick out players, if the brain trust likes the players, then the club invests in watching them in the flesh.
That’s the loose process. The watch out on this is Arsenal has always been a tech-forward club, they just haven’t used it properly. Jason Rosenfeld of StatDNA recently quit to go to FIFA, he’s a world-class data nerd, if he thought he was getting job satisfaction at Arsenal, he’d still be here. The idea that Edu has had some sort of visionary eureka moment that the future of football is ACTUALLY about data is off the mark, we had that ability in 2013, the question is… can Edu unlock the power of metadata with the people he has left at the club? Or is it just a nice media soundbite?
All indicators suggest no at the moment, but if we’re cool with pretending Kia and the super-agents were just a phase while he focused on a youth system for a year, then I’m game to SHUT UP AND BACK EDU. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled a nobody blogger is giving him permission to do his job.
I’m also slapping myself into getting excited about Willian. Like, what’s the point in not enjoying a new signing? I quite like all the data stories that are doing the rounds in the papers. Yes, yes, I remember when everyone thought Emery was a genius last season for signing Luiz because he played penetrating balls from deep, but this signing is different because there’s no baggage, bar the agent.
The wages seem to land on the lower end of the scale at £100k a week, though The Mirror had £150k a week. I can live with £100k, that’s good value. A lot of the papers seem to indicate that the expectation is Willian will be moved to the middle as an attacking #8, or a more modern #10. Willian played there when he was at Shakhtar, Arteta is hoping to reacquaint him with his 2012 game. A #10 position might give him a little more longevity as well because the role isn’t quite as dependent on pace.
Also, if we’re playing Saka at #10 in training, maybe the succession plan post-Willian is to have the left-back pick up that role. I could live with that. We’re also keeping ESR at the club next season, he can play in those pockets as well, so the future is youth however we cut it.
It was interesting to read Julian Nagelsmann talk about blending youth and experience in his interview with Rapha Honigstein.
“There are players who make teams better actively, through their performances, and those who do that but also improve the team passively, if you will, through the force of their personality and their character. Buying such a player wouldn’t fit into the RB concept 110 per cent but he could improve us as a group, with all these young guns. He wouldn’t be an investment in the classic sense, but would offset that with the positive effects he would have on the development of others.”
Willian is certainly a top professional with a winning attitude. Probably a good foil for the kids who will be looking to takeover.
The transfer stories haven’t really progressed. I’m hoping that our #1 target is keeping quiet because he’s still in the Champions League playing for Atleti whilst doing TikTok dances.
There’s an Instagram Story doing the rounds that shows Willy Auba and his family having an Arsenal party, one would hope in the name of the new mega-deal their main breadwinner has just signed. That really would cap a good end to the season.
… and that’s why I’m excited. Frank Lampard finished in the Champions League, but the loss in the FA Cup Final to a better young coach and the subsequent spanking from Bayern has him getting the same treatment as Unai Emery. No coach has conceded more goals than him under Roman Abramovich. He’s being called tactically naive. There are doubts creeping in. Super unfair when you consider he made 4th after losing Hazard, but that is the nature of this beastly game.
Mikel Arteta is in a different boat. His xG was suspect, no doubt, but he did a few things that gave him credit with the fans. He made us a strong team unit. He did that with players that make errors, but overall, the impact was very positive. Fans could see the shape. He gave weak characters a mental toughness nearly all of us doubted could happen. He delivered wins against Liverpool, City, United, Wolves (a), and Chelsea. Those are progress wins. Then, of course, he won an FA Cup final.
The momentum is with him. The owners, the fans, the players all believe in the journey he’s taking them on. He now has more say over players, he has more confidence to implement his ideas, and he knows he’s on the right path.
There’s still a lot of work to do with the squad this summer, but I think the hope is that if the club can raise £100m in transfer revenue, they’ll invest it right back in. It’s great that PSG are sniffing around a £40m Matteo G, I’m sure someone will offer for LT, Holding is young and appealing, AMN is a £30m player now… most of our players improved since December, so we might find the transfer wheel is a little more greased this summer.
If Edu and Raul can make some deals that shift the profile of the squad, we’ll start the season in much better shape.
I think the Community Shield is going to be followed by an international break, then it’s straight into the league where it’ll be catch up mode with 3 games a week again. If we get off to a good start and keep the momentum of the FA Cup game going, we could be top 4 contenders next season. A lot still needs to go right, but hey, we can dream again.
The key is always a good start with these players. As we saw before the FA Cup, if there’s nothing to play for, it’s hard to get a game out of them. However, when there’s a reason to focus, it’s pretty clear that we have the ability to give anyone in the league a game on our day. We’ve not been in a position to say things like that in a very long time. We have a genuinely top coach running things now and that makes things very different for us.
I’m excited… let’s see where the business goes this summer!
I can tell you for free its more of a sub standard tech issue
“Freddie, I’d say taking a super-agent recommendation from Arturo Caneles on the post-Wenger replacement was a pretty bad decision”
It was done by your guy Ivan Gazidas.
Pedro
Maybe we should have hired the higher level footballing management before we bought a start-up sports data mining company.
We put the cart before the horse.
Gazidis didn’t do due diligence before buying StatDNA and it made things worse for us. We spend 35 million on Xhaka even though the manager had no clue had to use him properly.
I suspect Gazidis bought it for parochial reasons to whittle down Wenger’s omnipotent influence on transfers.
StatDNA should include parameters like IQ and managers instructions in their software.
Emery was weak hire from the off, I / many of us spent a decade dreaming of our next manager, filling this space with thoughts and thats the direction they went after the deepest of apparent dives? Devastatingly poor decision, after letting all the quality pass us by. I blame Raul for Emery as its been vetted he brought him to the table, but one has to really address the elephant in the room and take Gazidis and the Kroenke’s down for watching Klopp and Pep waltz into the league without getting proactive and ending it sooner. Credit where credit… Read more »
Can’t leave Sven out either whom apparently put Emery’s name into the vote hat eventually as well. The trifecta bottled it.
Sal
Honestly do you thin Arteta would have done as well had he taken over from Wenger?
I’ll make the serendipity argument that it had to happen this way. Arteta got an extra 1.5 seasons to learn more from Pep and when the chance came…Arsenal were grovelling at his feet.
Sometimes you reach the right decision by default.
Unai na
I agree.
Gazidis used Arsenal to learn football management stress free while hiding behind Wenger’s skirts.
Un
‘Then their data leads to pepe? ‘
You have been a very vocal supporter of Pepe. And then you question his ability to spite Edu.
Not very Un like.
Can’t understand why people are still angry about the StatDna guy who with his world class expertise in data landed us Xhaka , Mustafi and Perez in the same window.
Dissenter
I’ve no idea how Arteta would of done post Wenger, nobody does. Perhaps it all worked out for better where he’s concerned.
My point stands Emery was such a weak direction to turn at that moment.
“No charlie I’ve been very vocal in my support of those good decisions.“
You literally just said:
“It’s almost like it’s intolerable to distrust people making bad decisions at our club and overseeing its descent into mid-table“
Distrusting is one thing based on poor decisions, but at what stage do you level that out through good decisions?
If you drew up a column of good and bad decisions, what exactly is making the grade here?
Pedro,
Tell me the truth, there was this girl you were dreaming about and she ended up in Emery’s bed for a one night affair?
Because I’m struggling to figure out why you are so obsessed with Villarreal coach.
Hardly can you make a post without finding a reason to mention Emery.
Real Madrid allegedly having a bit of a change of heart on Ceballos following their CL woes.
Have to say, watching that midfield of theirs really makes you wonder how the likes of Ceballos and Odegaard don’t get ample chances. Kroos and Modric particularly just look jaded as if there’s no competition.
CC
Agree, rumor is Odegaard stays on loan if Modric doesn’t leave but one can’t help but think he’d start putting Modric on bench if loan ended.
Ceballos looked dead to club then Arteta got a hold of him certainly didn’t hurt his cause. Have to feel Madrid will just chew him up and move on though making Arsenal a better choice.
Emery has moved on and so should we all.
I think he was too desperate to take that job right after his PSG exit or maybe Arsenal’s position was still very strong right after Wenger. He never ruffled any feathers.
It’e either they didn’t give him much veto powers or he didn’t know how to leverage whatever power he had.
Sal
I’ve read they’ve got two outlooks:
1) not impressed with a bit of a stagnated midfield
2) able to easily improve without any outlay having seen the respective players perform on loan
I think they’ll push for a permanent with Ceballos and maybe hold Odegaard as a trump card depending on other movement as you say.
Wonder what our alternative plan is if Ceballos is taken off the table though?
STATDNA are responsible for Paulista, Xhakalson and Mustafinovs let that sink in
Sid
R
Is this for free or do we have to pay with our Walmart reward card?
“Does everyone of your posts have to involve some form of lurid connotations? Junkies, scum, sexual deviancy, deceit. ”
I’ve clearly been missing something because those posts would be the best thing I’ve ever read on here.
Dissenter
“The fixture list for nest season is important too. We can get a good start from the FA cup momentum”
I agree. It should be out by now, a month or so to the start of the season.
Sal
“Ceballos looked dead to club then Arteta got a hold of him certainly didn’t hurt his cause. Have to feel Madrid will just chew him up and move on though making Arsenal a better choice.”
Do you think they will insist on an outright sale or still agree to a loan deal?
If I were the Madrid president, I would insist Arsenal pay up and get some other Spanish club to bid up his price.
Spanish flu probably ended WW2
D. Trump
#princeofwhales
Real want Arsenal or another Spanish club to pay a full transfer fee so they can go and sign a star CM.
Yo, semite!
#verystablegenius
Seems to me stats should be used to differentiate between two players the manager and Tech Dir. have already identified… to help make a better decision.. not to identify the players in the start.. Maybe I’m just old school like that..but a computer can’t tell you about potential or heart. Or how a dude plays on a rainy day or a cold rainy day. Or how a players personality will fit in with what you have. Moneyball never worked for the A’s. They never even reached a division title let alone the World Series despite all the books, movies and… Read more »
CC / Dissenter
Thats the question as it looks quite possible, who is our target if Ceballos doesn’t come thru with Madrid surely going to play hard ball in this climate. Read Pirlo wants Kroos or Isco for Dybala plusn cash so who knows. But Dani likely not sorted till the alternative moves happen.
A few names come to mind, Thiago, Aouar, Rodrigo de Paul who plays further up for Udinese but real quality. It’s going to be such an opportunistic summer for those willing to gamble. Lets hope were at the table.
Un
“None more so prevalent than the le grove back passages”
??
Sal on the ball as always with that Rodrigo De Paul shout, top baller playing for a shit team.
Would bring plenty of qualities we’re lacking and wouldn’t cost an arm either.
Laughing here at the Spuds bringing in Hojberg as the saviour for their CM woes, very average player that Saints fans are very lukewarm towards, tells you all you need to know about his level.
If we don’t reload Ceballos.. Going to need at least 2 midfielders maybe 3 then. That’s the biggest puzzle to solve. I think.
I know Willian can play more centrally and it gives us options but it’s still not a job done. Once CL is over, think it will light the fuse…will see multiple moves, I hope.
Marko, you struggle to process evidence even when a manager comes out and gives quotes that denigrate your google generated opinion. No idea what you’re on about. It was one of those generic attacks you make on someone who you target because they disagree with you. Pedro I generally only disagree with you because you make it very easy to and you flip flop incessantly. Sven left because we went towards an agent assisted/data less scouting less approach to transfers despite signings like Saliba, Martinelli and Tierney for example suggesting otherwise. Now you’re hearing that Edu is keeping scouting much… Read more »
Last week I thought that there was some clarity in Arsenal’s squad planning. First Aubameyang would sign a new contract. There is no question that he is an automatic starter and our main goal scoring striker. Second we would sign Willian as either a winger or attacking midfielder. Again I would assume that he would be an automatic first choice in our starting lineup. Third Partey would be our priority midfield acquisition.He is rated a top class defensive and box to box midfielder. Again he would be expected to be an automatic starting X1 player. The fourth likely recruit is… Read more »
Wouldn’t mind a midfield of Partey -Willian Szoboszlai in games where we should dominate.
4-1-2-3 with Willian and Szo as hybrid 8/10s.
Partey Xhaka + 1 when we need to sit deeper and defend against superior teams.
Would of course rather another CM to take Xhakas place in that scenario but that just feels greedy.
Don’t think Arteta wants to play with 2 defensive first CMs in the majority of games so bigger chance of us getting 2 creative types than 2 destroyers imo.
Laughable that United seemingly won’t cough up the 120m for Sancho and are getting into a pissing contest with Dortmund over 20 odd million, they spunked well over that on Alexis’ wages alone since he’s signed. Lad’s already a world class player and he’s 20. If they don’t swallow their pride and he goes to Real/Barcelona etc next summer and explodes that goblin Woodward will be impaled by every Jason Manford impersonator out in inbred country. He’s outperforming literally every player in Europe right now not named Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, M’Bappe, De Bruyne, Lewandowski and he’s potentially well over half… Read more »
Can’t leave Sven out either whom apparently put Emery’s name into the vote hat eventually as well. The trifecta bottled it.
Hats off to you Sal. That so often gets overlooked. Kudos
As for the Ceballos stuff yeah I would much prefer him to come back given the form recently but at the same time I’d be very interested in seeing who they would look at to replace him. I’m just very interested in seeing the ideas and vision going forward
WE
ManU have also made themselves look arrogant with their attitude to Dortmund – Dortmund give in now and their hand will be weakened every time they sell a player for years.
The £120 million price was before, Dortmund said cutoff was 10th August. Dortmund might just now say it’ll take more.
Eagle-
Come on man.. don’t talk them into it.. sheesh. That was actually some positive news for me, so far.
Partey is off Raul goes through Legroves comments
Only the free ones Sid.
Tell Madrid to find themselves a buyer. No one from Laliga is paying 20+ mil for any player. City might be the only team who can pay that. And I don’t think they will. They have, Debruyne, Gundogan, B.Silva, Foden as CMs. They are just playing hard ball. They won’t give him a chance to play for a full season. They will loan him put in the end.
Out* put
Habesha Goober
Serie A sides would take a player like him. Roma or Napoli will both make sales, so they will have cash in September.
“Laughable that United seemingly won’t cough up the 120m for Sancho and are getting into a pissing contest with Dortmund over 20 odd million, they spunked well over that on Alexis’ wages alone since he’s signed.Lad’s already a world class player and he’s 20”
No player at BD is worth 120 million. Whats laughable is thinking Sancho is world class. Kylian Mbappé is the type of player you invest that type of money on, not Sancho.
Dream
Roma themselves have Financial problems. They wouldn’t put up 14 mil for smalling. They didn’t want to pay for miki either.
Napoli have Fabian Ruiz and Piotr Zeleniski. They don’t need him. Madrid are just playing hard ball in a down turn market. If covid is over next summer lots of teams will pay but not now.
Marko
We need to factor in this season the additional arrivals of both Saliba and
Smith-Rowe.
So when you factor in the three players that I have listed as coming in plus
the return of Ceballos the club needs to shift out of the squad 5 players this
summer.
Seems Gabriel is off to Napoli.
Not sure why but I don’t see Ceballos with the team next season, feel like it just won’t work out cause of the numbers. Shame too, he’d be an asset if he could keep up his late season form for an entire year. Still I don’t know if I trust him to be able to that, not enough to drop £30m+ on him. Curious how much Madrid would ask for a straight buy.
Valued at £35m, would be amazed if anyone would buy him for that price. Same as the slim chances anyone actually wants Guendouzi for £35m.
Habesha Gooner
Roma may sell Zaniolo to Juventus
Everton and Atlético are interested in Allan. Zielinski is more of an advanced #8, no?
Real clearly want cash for him. Wonder if the equation for Ceballos changes when Partey is secured?
Ceballos is reported to stay in Madrid. If we are losing Guen and Torr also, we’ll really need to rebuild our midfield.
Luteo Guenreira
The transfer figures published by press for Guendouzi and Maitland-Niles are
pure fiction. No-one is going to spend £30-40 million for either of these players.
If you are lucky we will get £35-40 Million for both these players combined.
Seems Gabriel is off to Napoli.
This was reported in June but nothing of it recently that would indicate anything close to a done deal. I hope it’s just news being recycled.
So we have Xhaka- Willock-ESR as our midfield 3… God help us.
May be Hojbjerg has been signed by Totts to give Ndombele more freedom to play higher up. He didn’t look comfortable switching from attack to defense and vice-versa.
When you look at transfer valuations for Guendouzi and Maitland-Niles I
suggest that you look at how much was paid by Man City for Torres who is
rated a more valuable and better player than either of them.
He was sold for £20 million.
“This was reported in June but nothing of it recently that would indicate anything close to a done deal. I hope it’s just news being recycled.”
I certainly hope so.
TR7
Ndombele doesn’t get on with Mourinho.
PSG are interested in him.
ES
Ferran Torres is different though. Valencia are in real trouble. They just sold Parejo and Coquelin for 13 mil combined. City got a bargain there. Other clubs aren’t as Willing to sell.
Dream
Nicolo Zaniolo isn’t going anywhere this summer. Reliable Journalists have said so. Napoli would need to replace allan with a more defensive minded player. Napoli are focusing on Boga and Finding a replacement for Koulibaly like Gabriel. Ceballos is a good player but I don’t see many teams that need to fill a Gap with him. City is my guess if he is going anywhere.
“Ndombele doesn’t get on with Mourinho.”
Would that make more sense as:
“[insert name here] doesn’t get on with Mourinho”
“Napoli would need to replace allan with a more defensive minded player.”
Allan has rightly been on the bench this season after his failed transfer to PSG, Demme and Lobotka have effectively replaced him.
HG
I think that you will find that Arsenal will not get anything like £30-40 million
for either player for following reasons:
1. There are very few clubs at the moment who will pay above current market
rate for such players.
2.Neither is a first team regular.
3.Guendouzi is a high risk player
4.Everyone knows that we want and need to sell these players.
ES
I am not debating we will get 30 mil for each. But I think we can get 45 mil for both combined. There is a down turn in the market but there are teams willing to spend on young players.
A 30 year old Lovren went to zenit in a 10 mil deal. I have no doubt we can move both along with Torriera if we wanted too. They are young, have potential and are on low wages.
HG
I stick by my valuations that:
1. Guendouzi will go for around £20-25 Million
2.Maitland-Niles for around £15 Million
Makes sense Juve want to move Ramsey on. They paid a stupid amount for the inconsistent Artur from Barcelona. But no thanks to him returning we’ve moved on.
If Liverpool sign Tiago and make Kieta available I think he’ll be a good signing for whoever gets him (despite being African 🙄).
Chamberlain, no thank you except he is willing to play as a right wing back: his best position in my view.
Premier League to pay out in full on 19/20 prize money with rebate of £320m to be deducted from future seasons.
Losses suddenly reduced & transfer budgets increased.
Oh
Ceballos will reportedly get a chance to impress Zidane in pre-season.
Parejo and Coquelin off for 13 mil. Seems like Valencia really need the money.
And I’m sure there are many clubs who are currently in the same state as Valencia.
We should be looking to find bargains at such clubs.
Especially clubs from the Italian, French and other league which done generate a lot kf revenue.
Konstantinos Tsimikas for 13mil is a steal.
Swaps news regarding Lacazette and Juventus. Don’t know who we can get from them. Rabiot, is staying now pirlo is manager. Bentancur won’t leave. We don’t need Douglas Costa or Bernardeschi. I don’t see anyone that can help us. What do you guys think?
ET
I believe Guendouzi will go for upwards of 30mil and the total package with add ons might even reach 40mil.
Unless we use him in a swap ofc.
Its Psg , Barca he has been linked with and I think we can get that much from these clubs.
‘No player at BD is worth 120 million. Whats laughable is thinking Sancho is world class. Kylian Mbappé is the type of player you invest that type of money on, not Sancho.’ I mean, he’s putting up virtually unprecedented numbers for a teenager aside from Brazilian Ronaldo and M’Bappe in the past couple of decades. Not empty goal/assists stats either ala Walcott, he’s leading/up there at the top of the league for dribbles/successful take ons as well as chances created. Players in Europe’s top 5 leagues who have contributed more than 30 goals/assists this season: Messi- 46 [25 goals, 21… Read more »
Habesha
Dybala , Bentancur and De ligt are the only players that make sense if we’re looking for a swap. And maybe Demiral.
But Juve aint letting any of these lot go. So its straight up cash or nothing.
EXCLUSIVE🚨🚨🚨: #Arsenal have opened talks with Thiago’s representatives regarding a move this summer. #Thiago has made it known to Bayern his desire to move to England and Arsenal have entered the race for the midfielder’s signature. This deal is at the very early stages and nothing is close to being agreed at the moment. Mikel Arteta likes the player and Thiago is willing to engage in negotiations with Arsenal. Liverpool is his priority but should they back out of a deal, Arsenal will be in the mix for him. The fee will that #Bayern are demanding is between 25-30 million… Read more »
People need to relax with the Napoli Gabriel stuff they just spent a lot on Oshimen and they have to sell to buy and Koulibaly isn’t on the verge of leaving them so
No chance in hell that we snag Thiago. Would be the coup of the century and it’s simply too good to be true.
Would be a serious backwards step for him in the middle of his prime so would make no sense from a player pov.
He’ll end the window a Bin Dipper sadly.
Captain Tierney
I thought so. The rumors sometimes are just click baits.
A lot of transfer click bait out there as usual with transfers.
Funny how many of you are taken in by NN.
Nobody knows what’s going on all clubs are financially screwed except Man City , Man Utd and Liverpool.
Until the ECL is completed there won’t be a lot of movement.
Anyone here be interested in James Rodriguez at a reasonable fee?
I know he’s a bit of a build the system around him player but the lad oozes class and creativity in midfield and would shine in the right environment as we’ve seen with him before. Real at this stage just want rid of him and Bale so could potentially be got for in a bargain deal.
I’d prefer him over a Coutinho loan.
WE
No to James. He is 29 now and hasn’t played in a while. I think he might have lost his hunger by now. On loan if we have no options left I would gamble on him but I wouldn’t pay a transfer fee.
Dunno how I feel about Thiago. Would be a good signing sure but I’ve never been that big of a fan honestly.
Rodrigo de Paul over Cotinho for me and especially if we’re not getting Ceballos back
Coutinho over James Rodriguez. His ball retention and dribbling ability wins it for me and that’s something we could do with
Habesha
Yeah get that pov, definitely a question mark over his desire and he’s one of your more luxury options. Beautiful to watch and brilliant when used in the right way but extremely rigid and one-dimensional when adapted to different roles in the sides due to his lack of pace, strength and aggression.
Feel much the same about Couts, hard to overlook their quality though when we’re currently watching an at best bog standard mid-table CM week in week out.
That’s the correct answer right there Bati.
Could even tempt Udinese in a swap with Toreirra perhaps? Although maybe pushing it because his stock in Italy is still high and he’d likely get a shot at a Milan club or Roma.
‘Dunno how I feel about Thiago. Would be a good signing sure but I’ve never been that big of a fan honestly.’
Guy is top shelf and has been for years now. Most underrated CM in Europe, every bit as good as the likes of Modric, Kroos, etc.
James Rodriguez.. would be a big gamble.. he was the shit at one time though. plus he is Colombian.. so probably at least 35. 😀
Is James actually 29 though? I mean, how old is anyone these days?
Damnit Middy.. in before me.
You got to be quick with the snark around here, son.
Yeah. Very silky players but They have won everything and have been in the game long. I would take them on loan but I wouldn’t pay huge transfer fees.
Anyway there are Credible reports Arteta sees the Willian as a CAM. So unless Lacazette is Leaving I don’t think we are signing another one. CB, DM and CM all priorities. The Ceballos rumours are also a problem for us now.
Remember last year I suggested we sign Brentford left back Rico Henry
Some Laughed ..
Haha but now pre clubs and European elite want him..
I mean James Rodriguez is white so he gets the benefit of the doubt. That’s how it works right
It is a buyer’s market. We should really look around before we commit to any deal. I am sure there are players similar in quality comparable to Thomas Partey.
Fernando has had a brilliant season for Sevilla, always in the top 3 of performers every match I’ve seen him this season. But his age 🤫
All this shit about signings I’d pure news now click bait
“You got to be quick with the snark around here, son.”
I have much to learn, Obi-Wan.
We obviously need a creative spark from midfield. Szoboszlai – Untested at the highest level of course but looks to have the quality from stats and numbers. Bit of a risk, but young so can improve and have a decent fee if needed to sell in a few years. Also I love Hungarians. £25 million Grealish – Way too expensive for us at the moment but I think he’s exactly what we need. Good attitude, awful hair. £69 million Couthino – So much has been said about him. Still quality at the highest level. Only a loan is possible in… Read more »
Thiago is a world class player.
But for me its a no. He is 29 and is injury prone.
Never started more than 26 league games in a season ever. And he’s also reached the 26 game mark only twice.
At 29 coming to the Prem , I dont know if he would adapt and we have a history of signing injury prone players and I hope we move away from that.
“It is a buyer’s market. We should really look around before we commit to any deal. I am sure there are players similar in quality comparable to Thomas Partey.”
I really like Kalvin Phillips. Although I don’t think It will be easy to get him from Leeds. Diawara is also an alternative. I think we will pay the release clause in the end. He is at the to of the list for Arteta. Even there are rumors we might sacrifice Gabriel and go for Matyivenko.
Habesha
Daily mail running Willian will play 10 is not a credible report.
Do you think Arteta is sharing his next season’s tactical plans with journalists?
“I mean James Rodriguez is white so he gets the benefit of the doubt. That’s how it works right”
Yeah, but you can’t just come out and say it like that. Come on, man. Dance around it a little first.
I have much to learn, Obi-Wan.
___
Yes I learned from the best.. The Mighty Gambon… and of course Cutter.. although Cutter has disowned me now. Still my sensei.
CT
No but we have to sell to buy and selling is difficult this summer. I get the logic behind it. Willian is capable of playing there. I have heard it at other places too. Anyway We will see how it goes. According to some sources tomorrow is the announcement and we will hear Arteta talk about it.
Yeah, but you can’t just come out and say it like that. Come on, man. Dance around it a little first.
I mean he has something trust worthy about him. Better?