Another promising young player has committed their future to the new Arsenal FC. Kido Taylor Hart will drop a full season with the U23s this season whilst also being given time to train with the first team.
This is a coup for the system Per Mertesacker is setting up and it once again speaks to the new vision of Arsenal.
Young players, great coaching, fast-track to the first team if they do well. This is how clubs in our situation should be operating.
Granit Xhaka, as it currently stands, will be an Arsenal player heading into the new season. The Swiss was attracting interest from Roma, they apparently bid £10m for him, we turned it down because that level of compensation would have impacted our ability to move on other players this window.
I was kind of hoping the player moved on this summer, Xhaka feels like a hangover from the dark years of Arsene Wenger. I think that sentiment is shared by a lot of the fans. We all wanted to see a Locatelli at the carpet.
Not Arteta. He likes the player. This summer was never supposed to be about selling Xhaka, but the club was willing to do so if a proper fee was sent out way. £10m is no good if you need £40m to replace. We’re trying to move on a number of additional positions that need more attention than the one he normally occupies. If you take £30m out of the pot, that’s less money for a right-back, keeper, and CAM position. However you want to cut it, Xhaka was not a massive problem last season. When he dropped into defence, we weren’t as good.
Also worth noting that whoever we put there was going to be a problem. United is being linked hard with Reuben Neves, a player that the Arsenal fanbase went nuts over… but not United fans, who seem to be very excited about him. The role Xhaka plays is unsexy, but if he plays like he did last season, I don’t think we’ll be in bad shape, especially if he’s next to Thomas Partey.
The longer-term view is the one I’m paying attention to. Miguel Azeez has bulked up over the summer and he looks like he’ll be competing for the first team very soon, he scored another screamer over the weekend. Then you have Lokonga, one of the most exciting midfield prospects in Europe, who clearly can do a lot of things Xhaka can do and more. Don’t be shocked if our midfield pairing is Lokonga and Partey by January. The Belgian is not here as bench fodder.
The thing that really needs to kick up a gear in the next few weeks is transfer exits. People keep on saying that we’re not being ‘ruthless’ enough and I really don’t think they understand what they are talking about. What does get ruthless about selling mean? Like… force sales? To clubs with no money? Annul contracts?
So far this window, total sales from bigger clubs.
- Chelsea: 4 players
- United: 0 players
- Spurs: 2 players
- Everton: 1 players
- Leicester: 0 players
- West Ham: 1 player
- Manchester City: 3 players
How about some of the smaller clubs?
- Aston Villa: 1 player
- Palaces: 0 players
- Sheffield United: 0 players
- Newcastle United: 0 players
Source: Transfermarkt
Notice the pattern? Selling players isn’t about being ruthless unless you think we should do another round of selling players for painfully low fees or we should just give free transfers to players the club thinks have value.
The market is dead. There’s a nasty combination of no one having money and no one wanting to sell the crown jewels to get the market going. If the best ‘selling’ club in the Premier League is CFC with a whopping total of 4 exits, then you know the market is totally fucked.
I suspect another consideration at play is a ‘it’ll brighten up next year’ mindset. Base premise of a portfolio manager, buy low, sell high. Why should Arsenal sell Hector Bellerin for peanuts at 26 years old? If the market bounces back next summer, he might have more than one club vying for his services.
What we’re waiting to find out is if clubs will start to show their hand a little more in the coming weeks. No good heading into a new season with no recruits. Clubs need to have players in the door. Ainsley, Reiss, Willock, and Eddie are very capable young players that would add value to plenty of squads. I expect (hope) there to be moves for them coming soon.
Lacazette, who seems open to a move, would add goals to any squad in Italy, France or Spain. Clubs will need goals and might move on him. Cal Chamber, Cedric, and Hector would be decent for certain sides.
These next two weeks are going to have to perk up for everyone because a market only works if there are lots of participants.
One thing to keep in mind: Arsenal won’t go into the season without a CAM or a back-up keeper. I think moves on a right back and a striker are going to be provisioned on exits.
So… plenty of summer still to come, just don’t blame the sluggishness all on Arsenal. I’m more than willing to go at the club, but you can’t look at a lack of movement without looking at the market as a whole… because a market and its health is predicated on active participants. You can’t sell if no one wants to buy.
Right, that’s me done, see you in the comments.
P.S. I hope that picture of Thomas Partey out in Paddington was from yesterday, because he wasn’t limping around, and that is good news.
TR – I’m an optimist by nature so I still believe we’ll be pushing just outside the top 4 – mybe even in. Don’t get me wrong – I am far from convinced about Arteta given the massive judgemental errors he’s made to date. But it’s far from complete gloom. As Pedro has said, we seem to be persuading our top youngsters to lock in and I take great heart from that. Personally i can play a waiting game if i think the strategy is right and we start moving to promoting our top youngsters and bring in bargain buys.… Read more »
And we have 2 emerging goalkeepers in Okonkwo and Hein. Too early by one season at least. Leno is a liability and the choice of GK could yet be a defining moment for Tets.
“ Personally i can play a waiting game if i think the strategy is right and we start moving to promoting our top youngsters and bring in bargain buys.”
Careful NB, you’ll be labeled an apologist and a devout worshipper of arteta if you carryon w reasonable thoughts like that.
Ozil = £300k p/w
£78mill over 5 years
Odegaard £35mill
£120k p/w
£31,200,000 wages over 5 years
Total
£66,200,000
Smith Rowe
+ £50k p/w
£2.6 mill p/a
£13million over 5 years
Add Smith Rowe pay rise and the total cost of Odegaard together
And we’ve just reallocated the cost of Ozil’s wages
Net spend will say – £35 million
But again it’s just a slight of hand
Zach – doesn’t take much on here. Anyone not slitting their wrists must therefore be an apologist.
Tobs
“can’t believe that after agreeing a guaranteed £50 million fee for White, there’s still a sell on clause in the contract. ”
Does the sell on clause include losses when we sell him on for 10 mil in a couple of years time …10% of a 40 mil loss means Brighton pay us 4 mil…..somehow I doubt it..
North, great points. I agree the vibe seems different with the signings and younger contract signings. I just get worried that some of the dross is still hanging around and for some reason Arteta still sees fit to give them minutes. I literally spat some of my brekkie out when I saw Kola step onto the field this preseason. I guess it is just preseason, but some of these guys should not be seeing the field at all – as RSPC says just tell them they have not chance of playing and make them tell their agents to get me… Read more »
Does Odegaard really want to join on a permanent or does he want another loan so he can be back in the Real Madrid picture once Carlo gets sacked?
But I have always wanted every manager to succeed including Emery and Rioch.
I say things like ‘arteta is young guy w plenty of mistakes in him and thats reflected in the play, but he still has plenty to offer…’
And that means i have an arteta altar in all three rooms of my home and missed the last 18 months of his tenure
Here is a more up to date transfer list. Chelsea definitely mean business.
https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-window-2021-deals-full-list-premier-league-deal-completed-summer-1020934
OCG – yeah don’t get me wrong, I get really pissed off whenever Willian or Kola get anywhere near the pitch. Starting to get that way with Leno now.
Wesley Fofana being linked to Real Madrid today. That is a testament to his progress. Remember, he’s considered to be a lesser talent than his former St Etienne teammate, William Saliba
North, I’m actually not even too bothered with Xhaka staying for a little while – which I couldn’t always say (not an extension tho) – if it means it helps us hit the CAM help for The Smith and get a young ball playing GK that can push Leno out in a year or less. No opinion one way or the other on Ramsdale, i haven’t really seen him play, but get whomever that would be in definitely before this window shuts.
Pierre
Does the sell on clause include losses when we sell him on for 10 mil in a couple of years time …10% of a 40 mil loss means Brighton pay us 4 mil…..somehow I doubt it..
I think and I hope he’ll be a success here, anyway it’s a done deal so he’s got my support. There’ll be a lot of criticism though if we don’t have a balanced team at the end of the window. If we bring in another CM and Xhaka is a depth option, there would be little complaints.
Kegunner,
https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/chelsea-youth-exodus-why-wonderkids-leaving-summer/yy8mg5464c7z10kw4t1wlzs4e
It seems to be in some sense that Arteta doesn’t really know what he wants on the player front and that’s why he ‘likes’ nearly everyone to enable us to keep them.
He has been with us for 18months and I am losing some confidence on his decision making. Maybe he thinks he can make every player better
Tobs
I’m pretty sure that Arteta will find a way to utilise White, even if it is not as a central defender in a back 4.
I still have an inkling that he will end up at right back
Xhaka deserves more guys, why would a fanbase be hating on one of thier very best players, you should understand how life works and why youre not with the girl of your dreams but the woman of your reality, all we need is a good cam, xhaka has shown the whole of Europe how good he is,
The only reason Arteta can logically have for liking Xhaka is that Xhaka is just like Arteta was in his last 2 seasons for us a lumbering yellow card liability, that couldnt run, dribble or tackle. We are sacrificing the clubs future at the altar of a rookie coaches vanity. Xhaka`s value is whatever a club is willing to pay for him. Tying him down to a new contract will not increase his value as everyone can see what his value is on the pitch. Dont let 1 game in the Euros deceive you. He misssed the next crucial game… Read more »
Pedro It was pretty obvious that Chelsea winning the FA Youth cup year after year would mean that if the gave players a chance then there would become a log jam in terms of opportunities As that article suggests the current crop will see their opportunities limited you wonder if the academy at Arsenal delivers then will the same situation arise ? I know very very little about the academy players that Chelsea have sold but there does be one a point when players will just say no to a contract extension and be it a youngster or a seasoned… Read more »
Terraloon, probably the only drawback supporting a team that shoots for the big trophies… the kids generally have to leave to land games.
Cabregas “He has been with us for 18months and I am losing some confidence on his decision making.” You took your time, 12 months ago or more it was when I lost confidence in it. Omitting ozil from the squads and then selling martinez was enough to convince me , and how those rank bad decisions affected our results and performances up until Christmas.. I’m hoping we don’t have a repeat of those poor decisions in the next few weeksby selling Eddie and Willock, although the writing is on the wall with his gushing comments about Xhaka and his bullshit… Read more »
The value of a player will always be on the pitch We’ve got a first team squad of 30, no European football, and having 12 senior professionals outside the match day squad is unworkable, and likely to create stagnation and malaise around the training ground It doesn’t matter what we value our surplus players at, because if they stay and don’t play, their valuations continue to drop, and their wages are still a liability The reality is that if there’s no demand or desperation, then if someone offers us: £10mill Niles £8mill Nelson £10mill Nketiah £10mill Bellerin £10mil Torreira If… Read more »
Xhaka is basically a clone of Arteta and that’s why Arteta adores him.
Pedro Hallelujah Someone who uses his brain and talks common sense. The only market for our unwanted squad players is probably in England albeit that the players we want to offload will fetch lower prices than we are seeking. The overseas players such as Torreira, Bellerin, Xhaka, Lacazette and Kolasinac are unsaleable on 3 counts. First they want to move back to clubs on the Continent. Secondly because they are on grossly inflated wages and finally the clubs on continent are for the most part are broke. There are also far too many people who post on here who are… Read more »
The results after the first 6 months resulting in the fa cup final win I was happy. We were better defensively and it looked like a good platform to progress on. Regarding Özil, we all know your feelings on him and that’s cool, but the guy gave up on arsenal and pretty much football so I wasn’t too bothered that he wasn’t playing. There was obviously more than just Özil’s ability, some of it stemming from when they played together no doubt. As a fan I was always willing Özil to do more but often he didn’t. I think from… Read more »
Pierre, why did Wenger adore him?
Pedro
Just to add Barcelona encountered the same problem some years ago where it became obvious that far too many players of a decent standard were being produced
Many were sold on to clubs in Spain some to clubs in England some other players just moved on such as Fabregas but just as Barcelona did it seems that most of those transfers always included a buy back and or a sell on clause which it seems is what Chelsea are likewise doing
Why is it a buyers market for players we are trying to sell but when it relates to sellers markets for players that we have either bought or are interested in, why to so called English tax for Ainsley, I believe he has more England caps than white but his value has gone down since being capped
Sorry , no called English tax
We have a large wage bill but also we dont wanna sell our players to you for the price you are offering . Arsenal in a nutshell.
To use an Arteta analogy of Arsenal as a boat, there is an element of Jonah and the Whale about Xhaka His arrival at the club with Mustafi was emblematic of both the club’s and Arsene’s decline. It’s understandable why fans would want him gone even if he’s not the greatest of our problems. The other reason for the Xhaka dislike may have to do with the importance of his position. We’ve been spoiled over the years with central midfielders like Vieira, Petit, Fabregas, Rosicky and Cazorla and so to see a one-paced, uninspiring player like Xhaka as a key… Read more »
Pedro, did you just erase me?
The only players who are currently saleable are the Home Grown Players, particularly those in final one or two years of their contract. Aston Villa were prepared to buy Smith-Rowe for £30 million once they got wind that there was a potential hiccup in the contract negotiations. Willock is also most definitely saleable. Newcastle are not the only team in EPL who will want to buy him. Nketiah is likely to be sold this Summer unless the club decides to keep him and offer him a new contract. AMN and Nelson are also likely to be sold before the end… Read more »
Tom, you gotta come with more sauce than Reddit snark every day.
How do Chelsea manage to extract so much value for players eho have hardly played ?
At this rate doubtful there will be anymore incomings..bids will be made which eventually will get rejected and Arteta will say we tried..but I am happy with the squad I have
Imagine Kola Bellerin Xhaka and Willian all starting together !!!
Pedro, all the extra sauce he’s been taken by Arteta, I’ve looked, none is available.
Shaun If White had stayed at Brighton he’d have been an automatic starter, with 4 years left on his contract, they weren’t in a position where they could be bullied into a sale Last year they turned down £30 million, this year they got offered £50million, he’s 23, was likely not costing Brighton big wages, if he continued his trajectory, he’d still hold value in 12 months time If Niles stays at Arsenal, he’s unlikely to get any minutes, he’s got 2 years left on his contract, and if we kept him and didn’t play him, his wages would still… Read more »
Elmo, Ilaix Moriba? from Farca?
No way Edu is that cheeky, though his mate use to work there…
Pedro
Here are some interesting stats about sales by EPL Clubs to those on the Continent this summer..
Only FOUR transactions have exceeded £10 million which are:
CHELSEA to AC MILAN TOMORI £26.28 Million
MAN CITY to LEIPZIG ANGELINO £16.20 Million
SPURS to VILLEREAL FOYTH £13.50 Million
WOLVES to AS ROMA PATRICIO £10.35 Million
The first three sales were players out on loan with option/obligation to buy the player.
Patricio is the only player who was bought without a previous loan, which tells you a lot
about the state of market when it comes to moving players to the continent.
Rich, you point about White should have applied to AMN, last season we had no decent RB’s so Arteta could have played AMN as a RB all season to keep his value high and then sold him this summer, but no he hardly plays him and the sends him on loan to WBA and his price plummets, he could have done the same with MG as we hardly had a functioning midfield last season
Looks like we will never get rid of xhaka. How is it that some people think he’s good. Himself elneny and a few more just squeeze the life and enjoyment out of arsenal for me. For years my heart sinks when I see them on the pitch. Arteta and edu are also an absolute shambles of a double act. The only thing I’m looking forward to this season is the fans back to boo the disastrous Arteta. He won’t escape our anger this season
‘CG, what a revolutionary idea… hire one of the best managers in the world.Why not sign Messi as well?Honestly, people rallying around an idea Spurs just tried and failed at is quite spectacular.’ When you think you have seen all of Pedro’s theatrics…boom…he drops a taller one. So Conte wouldn’t come to Arsenal just because he was one of about 10 coaches who rejected whatever bs Levy was selling. Every good and confident manager in the world would come to Arsenal. Why? Because whoever solves the Arsenal problem instantly writes his name in gold in the book of legends. Also… Read more »
Another ridiculous comment from Paulie – surely your first thought if you’re a real fan is to support the team and hope they succeed? But no, you’re thinking about booing and they haven’t even kicked a ball. The club is better without so-called fans like you
Remember when everyone and their dog were adamant refusing what was it 15/18 million from Wolves for AMN was the right decision last summer?
How he was great in 2 FA cup games and versatile and we should keep him and play him?
Well he went on loan months later after the same manager who refused selling him somehow didn’t play him anymore.
That’s whom many have hopes he has any clue what he’s actually doing.
The majority on here are usually almost right
Let’s look at the market is slow arguments from another angle…
If the market is slow and a club is offering £12m to take Xhaka off our wage overload, shouldn’t we be happy to do a deal, having it in mind that the market is slow?
And how did we manage to drop £50m on a prospect in a slow market by the way.
Lol so we know the state of rhe market, we know we’re operating on a shoe string budget contrary to what was being parroted on here and we’ve gone and spent 50 odd million on a defnce that was the 3rd best last seaaon and with an attack that just came off the club’s worst goal scoring campaign in decades.
Oh and we’re also refusing a what 10/11 million bid offer for a 29 year old midfielder who’s openly flirted with some other team and whom the general feeling is that we could well do without.
Proper amateur hour really
‘Well he went on loan months later after the same manager who refused selling him somehow didn’t play him anymore.’
Arteta is really punching this club hard in the face with all of his might.
How do you decline £20m for a player in a covid market and then refuse to play him?
Ilaix Moriba should be targeted. Having had the opportunity to monitor his progress from LA masia, I think he’s a star in the making if he’s focused. Has Pogba vibes in his play.
Curse
Yeah, it looks like Chelsea and City are the main links to Moriba, and he’s demanding £115k pw at 18, so not going to happen for us.
Shame, though, as would be nice to get back to the Wenger Youth days of being absolutely loaded with young, highly technical midfielders.
Bati, if you don’t like the football we played going forward last year, I struggle to see how you can’t be pleased we’ve signed a centre back that allows us to push up the pitch. Cheslea first half was exactly why we signed Ben White. The extra we paid is so he gels immediately.
Ilaix Moriba is an outstanding talent. I would be delighted to have him. From what I saw last season, he would definitely start for us if he was here. May be Lokonga might give him a run for his money because I haven’t seen much of lokonga. Iliax though is supremely talented. He is very much under the radar because of the rise of Pedri but he will be a great midfielder by his own right. I don’t know why Barcelona were spending ridiculous amounts when they were all along capable of finding these players. Anyway, I would be excited… Read more »
I don’t trust Arteta.
He’s a good manager but seems to lack the experience of how to get the best out of what he has. We finished 8th last season and that reflected not only the quality of players that we have but also the manager. I hate to draw comparisons as they are seldom accurate and fair but all the top managers know how to get more out of just average of just above average players.
Arteta seems to get exactly what is on offer and nothing more.
I think we will regret keeping xhaka around.. he’s never been good enough.. proved to be a liability and he wants to leave. Wtf is going on. Sell him torriera and amn elneny buy an upgrade. So partey lokonga the new lad and azzez/willock are cms. Simple. Arteta making suicidal moves..
Guy at 7amkickoff perfectly illustraded the xhaka situation. Its not rosey but it sure aint as bad as some people make it out to be jezz
I’d say xhaka is damaged goods with most of the fan base. If things don’t go well then it will get ugly.. again. We need to turn over a new leaf. 12m for him is crap but it is what it is
I love the whole it’s tough to sell Xhaka so we’re better off keeping him shite. It’s laughable cause it’s still doesn’t explain why we’re offering him a new contract and on improved terms too. That’s just incompetence
Xhaka 12m. Torriera 8/10m AMN 20m. Eleny 5m. That’s a new MC. Is that too hard to achieve?
PedroAugust 2, 2021 18:09:04
NVM, Lokonga will be ready to bring 10/10s by then.”
But the question is, as I stated in my post, Will Arteta, being Arteta, with a strong preference for experience, be ready to make Lokonga a regular starter before Partey leaves for AFCON. If Lokonga ends up replacing Xhaka it will be because he shows enough in Partey’s absence that when Partey returns from AFCON, the midfield pairing becomes Partey and Lokonga.
I still think xhaka will be gone by the end of the month I really really hope he does
Telling us to fuck off was the last straw with me
You can’t sell players if no one wants to buy them!
Chelsea offered Inter approx 100 mil Euro’s + Alonso for Lukaku
Rejected.
Spurs going for one of them European bargains offering 50 mil Euros for CB Cristian Romero
Cc Lukaku is their main man and their biggest asset plus they know Chelsea have money they will have to pay through the nose to get him
NWM, he played Saka and ESR in most of the games back end of the season, not sure he’s bothered about age if the player can do a job.
Does anyone know what the teams style of play is atm? It’s stunning that after 20 months no clear pattern of play as emerged and that is a huge worry. It is August and most clubs have figured out their transfer business but we are talking Arsenal here and they are having a summer TW that is dismal. Just compare that to mighty Villa. Villa have been ruthless in the transfer market so far. Their dealings are a combination of seeing what they want and taking it no matter who else is competing for the signature, as well as offering… Read more »
CC… ballplaying 23 year centre backs apparently cost money?
Anyone seen the Kounde price tag by chance?
Serge
Roman wants Haaland but seems like Dortmund are refusing outright. Probably think if they get 150 mil for him they’d be short of unreal quality, and unable to get any value this window.
Seems like they’ve turned their hand to Lukaku and will maybe push to around 120 mil Euro max (100 mil pounds) depending how desperate they are for a new #9.
Looking to move Abraham and Hudson-Odoi on to raise some cash after a deal apparently (30 mil a piece). But the latter is on 120k already so idk who’s buying him.
“With the best wil in the world Pedro this is why many of us were sceptical when you wrote the following on June 12th: Joe Willock – £20m Hector – £30m Reiss– £10m Leno– £25m Xhaka – £18m Matteo– £8m AMN– £20m Mavropanos – £15m Cal Chambers – £20m There are deals to be made this summer and clubs are going to deal with us. Turns out that these deals aren’t going to made the way you predicted. No shame in being wrong but a healthy dose of realism can be a good learning experience.” I’ll defend Pedro on some… Read more »
Differences between Romero and White… about 3 seasons of top flight experience.
Marko top flight where
White is A English
b player in the top flight that is the prem
The Italian league is slow the prem is 100 miles an hour and white has played well in it
I take that all day long over top flight experience in Italy
Roman handles the transfer window like my ex on the town looking for more marching powder. Untenable situation.
Sells Lukaku for £28m to Everton, 5 years laters offers £100m + to get him back.
CC
I’d be ver surprised if Abramovich didn’t secure Chelsea an elite striker from somewhere
Tuchel loves Aubameyang, we should offer them Aubameyang for £15-£20 million, see if they’ll bite
Chelsea don’t need Lukaku. The fluidity Werner, Pulisic, Harwartz, Mount and Ziyech provide upfront is what makes them a good attacking team.
What? He has one season of top flight football… shouldn’t have been worth more than 30-40 million. Romero tbf has 3 seasons now in serie A and is now a starter for Argentina. Both over valued when you see Konate and Upamecano going for less than 40 million.
Serge
Romero finished 17th with Genoa twice in Serie A, that’s him primed for English football.
Mr Serge,
“White had played well in it’
Did you notice him “playing well in it” during last season?
Diss he is going to be very good for us give the lad a chance
Romero is a very good CB. The best center back in Argentina national team. But yes 50M is a huge sum to spend on any CB who is not world class.
NWM, my main point wasn’t necessarily about the valuations, more that clubs are NOT lining up to buy our unwanted players which throws our whole transfer plan into trouble and likely means we are not getting the quality partner for Partey that we desperately need.
salparadisenycAugust 2, 2021 23:04:38
Roman handles the transfer window like my ex on the town looking for more marching powder. Untenable situation.Sells Lukaku for £28m to Everton, 5 years laters offers £100m + to get him back.
Yeah it’s a joke but it’s his money to burn unfortunately there is not a less classy team than the Chavs new money just taking the piss
Just had to check and yes Ben White finished a massive 16th in his first season in top flight football. Now if that doesn’t scream 52 million pound man I dunno what does. Could you imagine if he had two seasons in the premier league? Just too rich for our blood.
Mr Serge
You really didn’t see him “playing well” in it.
He has an excellent season for Leeds in the championship, that’s about it.
Many people made the point of praising Brighton all through last season, not one mention of White.
Marko do you moan about absolutely everything that is Arsenal ? We just signed a 50m player and you are bitching like a scorned wife
Have you ever ever said anything complimentary about Arsenal ever ?
@NWM “Turns out that these deals aren’t going to made the way you predicted. No shame in being wrong but a healthy dose of realism can be a good learning experience.” Well put and yes there will be deals made at the 11th hour because the squad is way too large for domestic competition only and you can’t register all of them. Don’t think Arsenal will sell anyone because there are no takers atm for any of the dross and can you blame them. After the Leno & Hector display on Sunday what fan would want them in their team?… Read more »
Diss how do you know I never ?
Yes Serge cause I’m not a mindless lemming. We finished 8th littered with squad issues and here we are days away from the start of the season and we’ve spent 75 million and addressed the starting 11 to the tune of one player who we grossly overpaid for while better players than him went for less. But according to you I should be happy and complimentary. Sure. I’ll be delighted next season when we roll out with a 50 million CB and our attack is still struggling and our midfield is still garbage. Fantastic
Rich
Would be very surprised if they turned to Auba. That said, if we could swap somehow Abraham for Auba it would be a superb deal for us.
Dissenter
You keep harping on about noticing White like it’s some cutting edge metric. How many central defenders jump out at you throughout the season?
Mr Serge
‘Never”
Where did that come from?
I asked where you were drooling all season about White the way many fans were raising Bissouma all season?
Actually I would have been really complimentary had we finally got rid of Xhaka this summer but apparently he’s due a new contract so there’s that
Charlie
Because anyone who watched Atalanta last season fir 5 minutes would have noticed Romero.
People watched Brighton over and over again and somehow seem to never single out White fir particular mention?
It s a football thing to notice special players who get you to the edge of you seat. For Brighton it was Dunk, Lamptey despite his small size and then Bissouma.
Once Arteta became interested in White, there seemed to be some convenient revisionism.
Mikel Arteta on uncertain futures of players: “I don’t know. I’m going to coach them & train them & respect & look after everybody because they are our players. Hopefully they can have their minds here & prepare here because they are Arsenal players.”
Marko Please explain to me why White’s experience as a footballer and centre back is less than Maguire who cost £70million and Stones who cost £50 million when they were sold to Man Utd and Man City. Maguire for example was sold two years previously by Wigan and Stones was just 19. Both had just one or two years experience at top level in EPL when sold. It seems to me that you are determined to prove always the negative about players bought by Arsenal. English players or those playing in EPL are always going to fetch a premium transfer… Read more »
Partey reportedly out for 4-6 weeks
Big blow if true
If Xhaka is staying, then we need to move Torreira + Elneny, then secure a quality midfield upgrade for Elneny
Dissenter
Oh so Romero got you to the edge of your seat did he? Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t recall you lavishing such praise previously.
https://le-grove.co.uk/2020/08/12/transfer-round-up-because-why-not/comment-page-2/#comments
Pedro posted that article last august with a link to Cristian Romero, and it was the first and last mention anyone made on him some 570 comments later. Must be really recent that he got you to the edge of your seat.
On a totally separate note from whatevers going on here
I see mike riley in the press saying VAR isnt going to penalize toenails and noses this year… right mate, after the euros made you look like the biggest bunch of incompetents everyone accused you of being, except bruno fwrnandes. Should be minimun that any of the refs on VAR last season are removed fully!
Rich
Torreira got on a plane today heading for Spain, no word of a deal but you’d like to think so. Partey’s PR manager just tweeted his well wished for Partey and that it’s the start of a comeback. That’s not a good look.
👋👋👋