IF RAPHINHA DEAL FAILS, ARSENAL WILL POWER-UP PLAN B

by .

One thing we have to hold in our tiny little EMOTION-riven minds is this: When you compete at the top level of transfers, there will be competition.

Arsenal found that out yesterday when Chelsea steamed into the Raphinha deal with £60m.

I found it a bit odd that a team with deep structural issues that include having no strikers, no centre-backs, and an aging Kante would decide that they’d like to spend a wedge of cash on Raheem Sterling and Raphinha, but there we go.

I think Gunnerblog nailed it when he said that there is a small pool of very good players that tick very specific boxes and big clubs will gun for them.

My suspicion is Arsenal looked at Raphinha to Barca fall through and fancied they’d get a deal at a low price. That looks like a miscalculation, but look, don’t be sad, we’re taking shots at players you didn’t think were in our league 4 weeks ago. We cannot win them all. We still haven’t lost out on Raph, but it’s looking unlikely.

Still, chins UP!

Arteta is getting backed by the club, there is no doubt in my mind that we’re going to steam into our plan b for a wide player with end product, and we’ll end the window with all the bits that we need.

The direction we’re heading is the same as the one I laid out in the post. We are loading up with end product, we’re moving towards a team that is really hard to take the ball from, and one that is outrageously hard working.

Gabriel Jesus was at the training ground yesterday getting his pictures, I’ve no idea why the club didn’t announce today, it might be that it takes time to make those player hype videos, or it might just be that Arsenal are teasing us.

Mad that the players were at preseason today… the season starts in a month.

Still plenty of business to do. We need a left-back, we need a midfielder, and we need a wide player that can give us a bit more firepower.

But rest assured, we’re going to do the business this window, it will still go down as one of the best of all time.

Right, short one today, hopefully, tomorrow I’m talking about Gabriel Jesus.

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Dark Hei

Dissenter

Thats easy. Send him a picture of Harry Maguire. That is going to be the guy on your right.

Nigel Tufnel

Adam Rae Voge on Twitter compiled a list of 40 Raphinha alternatives.

I like English experienced players especially. So I noted Podence, Harvey Barnes, Trossard, Neto, and Pedro.

I know there are people here who like these guys too. Interesting list though. I’m confident we’ll have a good summer in general, including midfield.

FoxInTheBox

Sign up Gnabry at 200 -250 K. He will get 12 – 15 goals sure. It’s Arsenal’s best chance to have a wide player.

GD4

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/yves-bissouma-cleared-after-arrest-27360385

Bissouma cleared from sex assault allegations.
What a loss by Arsenal.

Dark Hei

GD4

Saudis also cleared the fit and proper test.

I guess nowadays everything goes.

Nigel Tufnel

Bissouma… innocent man. Shite midfielder.

Mysticleaves

Dissenter, Gabriel Jesus is going to play no 9 for Arsenal. Wanna bet on it?

Raulishuss

Mane is a better option than Gnabry

Yakubu is a better name than siddeeq

Goobergooner

Nigel bissouma is only shite because he now plays for the spuds.
Football wise he’s a beast in cm.

Un

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/arsenal-lisandro-martinez-transfer-gabriel-27349153.amp

Let’s hope this is true
Gabriel is a liabilty. All brawn and no brains.

Terraloon

The sale of Richarlison to Spurs raises a very interesting point when it comes to when clubs finally sign players and that is this accounting year end. Everton as far as FFP , or should I say the PL equivalent, are concerned is causing grave concerns and they have to have a significant departure before their accounting year ends at midnight tonight the 30th June. That date is shared by a number of OL clubs but not Arsenal whose year ends on 31 May It sort of explains why clubs who probably ok in FFP terms don’t sign off deals… Read more »

Goobergooner

Un you can hope it’s true. But I’d love to keep him. Still young for a CB. I feel working more with authoritarian Arteta he will be reigned in a bit and we will see him improve and show his potential. If we get a holding upgrade, someone to fight with him for the place in the first 11 then sweet. But I wouldn’t get rid just yet. He has had xhaka and Tavares supporting him whereas white has had tomiyasu and partey, and cedric isn’t as hung ho and more reliable. Get some more discipline into our left sided… Read more »

Mr Serge

Ndombele turns up at spurs training ground yesterday with a rucksack, what you got there then said the security guard,, ndombele said a gun drugs and counterfeit money, thank god for that said the security guard I thought you brought your boots

Mr Serge

I also like Gabriel he is young and still learning

Emiratesstroller

Jeorge Bird listed yesterday all the players who turned up yesterday for training squad. Several U23 players were included in training and are expected to be included in the squad travelling to Germany and USA. Also included in yesterday’s training session were Bellerin, Mari, AMN, Pepe and Nelson. Missing from training was Torreira. It will be interesting to see whether any of juniors make the squad when transfer window closes and how many of those seniors listed above are still with club in September. Currently there are by my calculation 22 players in our squad excluding the juniors and seniors… Read more »

James

I think the big reality that people(gunners fans) have to accept is that like when Chelsea and City were nothing, winning nothing and not challenging for anything. They had to pay massive packages to attract the better players. Who did City and Chelsea attract them otherwise over at the time Arsenal and Utd who were at the top of their game. Were not paying anything near what the oilers paid their players , additionally hiding payments in “image rights”. We have to spend a little more on wages that that of Chelsea, Liverpool, City. Look at Utd now they have… Read more »

Mr Serge

We do have to overpay sometimes but not everytime
Richarlison to the spuds is meh for me that’s their spend going over 100m now levy must be having nightmares lol

Doublethink

Jesus signing because of guarantees that he’ll be first choice is moving the needle but Emi doing the same is the is the sign of weak character.

raptora

Fookin Raphinha’s agent is Deco, an ex chav. Zero chance they’re gonna have troubles on agreeing personal terms unless Raphinha exclusively pushes for another of the teams Deco has played for – Barca. In any case it gives us with an outside chance to win the race.

Can’t blame Edu and Arteta though. They saw a player they like and he’s really good, they tried and whatever happens at least we know we tried. Not at all costs though because we don’t need it that badly which is also something I agree with.

Karsa

Hobody knows what guarantees , if any, have been made to Jesus.

raptora

He’s our marquee signing this summer, he’s obviously promised to play. It’s the reason he’s leaving City. I hope he doesn’t become Eddie’s reserve lol…

GD4

Dark Hei, why won’t you accept that Bissouma is not guilty?
Is there a deeper, unspoken reason for your prejudice?

Ishola70

Jesus came to real prominence in Brazil playing as centre forward. That’s where he was scoring his goals that got the big clubs interested in signing him. He did start out playing on the wings but after a few months moved to centre forward banged in goals and people then really started talking about Jesus. His versatility though should be welcomed rather than being argued about. What has not been talked about though in regards Jesus main playing position is Martinelli. Martinelli is at the stage now where if we want to see his undoubted ability to really come to… Read more »

Un

GD4June 30, 2022 09:38:32
Dark Hei, why won’t you accept that Bissouma is not guilty?
Is there a deeper, unspoken reason for your prejudice?

Yeah
He’s black and African so he must be guilty 🤦🏻‍♂️
Not a political blog GD4. No politics. No race discussions
Sports only

GoonerDave

GD4 searching desperately for racism where none exists. You are the real racist because you are the one making judgements based on skin colour.
Thinking you cannot possibly be racist is no defence. Absolutely despicable behaviour.

Habesha Gooner

Putting Chelsea as the hall mark of wage sustainability is funny to me. They pay Werner 300k ffs. Just because now they have figured out that they have to sustain themselves and pay Raphinha 140k doesn’t mean they are great at the wage bill. Paying Jesus 190 k is perfectly fine to me considering he had multiple offers. And he will be ine of few players over a 100k for us right now. We need to give incentives to players that were already playing CL football for years and they are CL quality. Spurs signing Richarlison for stupid money might… Read more »

Dark Hei

GD

I am from a racial minority. According to the woke textbook, I can’t suffer from racial prejudices.

Anyway nonsense aside, it is a case of if I can help it, I will stay away from it.

It is like of like, do you want OJ Simpson on the front cover of your club magazine? He isn’t guilty right? WHAT are you racist!

Habesha Gooner

United) in that order in my preference*
Eddie all *

Doublethink

GD4 he never actually said he thought it was racism, it was implied but you’re accusation is a lot more concrete and displays a huge misunderstanding of what racism is.
Accusing someone of racism isn’t the same thing as racism as much as it might upset you or be ‘absolutely despicable behaviour’.
Is Un a mod now or did I miss something?

Ishola70

Dark Hei has a prejudice against Spurs.

How dreadful.

Dark Hei

“How dreadful.”

Why is that dreadful? I am very much in the tradition of Jack Wilshire for that one.

Doublethink

Now let’s bring up OJ the only well known black man to get away with a crime within the American justice system because?

Terraloon

Hab
Putting Chelsea as the hall mark of wage sustainability is funny to me. They pay Werner 300k ffs.
Tell me how much Ozil and yes PEA we’re getting.
If you look at accounts you will see that Chelsea’s players are significantly rewarded in respect of bonuses . For instance winning the CL added circa £25-30 million on their wage bill.
But you really need to look no further than Josh Kronkes comment about paying CL wages and there is a reason that clubs that are regulars in the CL pay more simply because they earn so much more

DivineSherlock

Just Imagine you buy a 100million player , who cant perform and then you have to loan him back to the same club you purchased him from . Yeah Imagine the outrage if this was Arsenal.

raptora

31 yo Lacazette and 28 yo Tolisso are back to Lyon five years after they were sold for a combined £85m. They both rejoin on free transfers. Life is a funny thing.

Terraloon

Divine

Just Imagine you buy a 100million player , who cant perform and then you have to loan him back to the same club you purchased him from . Yeah Imagine the outrage if this was Arsenal.

That’s a very valid point but to counter imagine having a £75 million pound player who clearly isn’t going to be good enough and keeping him and paying him whereas possibly it would have been smarter to accept the fact and try and minimise the losses

DivineSherlock

Terraloon

That player atleast contributed to a FA Cup win and hasnt thrown a tantrum and gave an interview which undermines his own manager . He may not have been a success but not been poor either and been a through professional.

Ishola70

This is a stain on both Lukaku and Chelsea. I have always had question marks about Lukaku’s overall mentality despite him scoring goals elsewhere. It has been reported that Lukaku came into Chelsea wanting to be seen as a top dog and this didn’t go down too well with other players as they had just won the CL themselves. Now Lukaku can go back to Inter where he will be seen as top dog. He can be indulged again at Inter. A player with a fragile mentality and yeah that Chelsea didn’t recognise that in going after him and purchasing… Read more »

raptora

Richarlison to Spuds is official. I’d say we got a superior player in Jesus, also cheaper – £45m to £50m+ £10m add-ons, and I think the salary will be pretty close as Richarlison was on £110k pw at Everton, I’d expect at least £180k pw wage at spuds. It’s true that Richarlison had 2 years left on his deal and Jesus only 1, but I value our business better than theirs. Grats on Edu and Arteta for making the Jesus deal happen. A visibly better player imo. Still they’ll have in attack Kane, Son, Kulusevski and Richarlison. That’s a really… Read more »

raptora

Kane > Jesus
Son > Saka
Kulu = Martinelli
Richarlison > Eddie

I’d say based on current quality and not to serve as an excuse for us to finish below them. We’re better in defence and there’s time left to strengthen us in the midfield area.

Habesha Gooner

Teraloon
Look at the wages of these Chelsea players closely. Most of their players earn more than a 100k a week. Liverpool are also a CL team and have been getting to Finals the past few years. But they have a manageable wage bill. They aren’t even giving Salah more than 250k a week to stay.

We were idiots to pay Ozil and Auba 350k a week. Just like Chelsea are idiots paying Werner 300k a week. They were doing this because they can under Abramovich because they can. They aren’t models of wage bill management.

Habesha Gooner

Arteta needs to get better out of our you haters if we are going to compete with the likes of spurs who have got strikers in their prime. Our players need to improve their end product, more than they have done last season. And they need to feed Jesus to be a 20 league goal striker. If Adebayor can do it Jesus certainly can.

AFC Forever

Habesha Great comments today mate. I’m pleased Arsenal have got rid of some older players who weren’t worth anywhere near what they were being paid. It’s really smart business to go out and invest in young players yet to hit their ceiling. As we don’t have Champions League football we have to pay what we need to attract the best talent. That’s called common sense and ambition. As for the desperate need some people have to big up Spuds, which happens far too often on here, Richarlison is a bullet we decided to dodge. He’s a decent player but his… Read more »

Un

Double think
Just trying to keep things consistent

andy1886

AFCF, Agreed we need to be more financially attractive to secure the best players but we then need to deliver the results to pay those wages. Otherwise it’s as you were, EL players on CL wages again. And I don’t think that we were ever in for Richarlison nor do I recall anyone pushing for him on here. Regards that lot ‘down the road’ again agreed they have some of the biggest cheats in the game. ‘Arry gets the old Shearer treatment (can get away with anything) and for me Son is the biggest diver in the PL (still can’t… Read more »

Un

Raptora
We also have ESR Odegaard and vieira, plus Pepe is still at the club and offers high change of goals and assists when he starts
Especially in those cup games that we want to rest Saka for
We are good in wide and attacking positions this season
Now we need a midfield player of sufficient quality and lisandro

raptora

@FabrizioRomano 40m
Danjuma’s camp remain ‘relaxed’ as player would be happy to continue at Villarreal next year if no agreement will be found. 🔴 #WHUFC
West Ham were ready to pay €40m, but far away on personal terms.
Moyes, focused on top target Broja [no decision by Tuchel yet] and Lingard.

There’s a pretty good deal for £35m. He completely fails the “good in defence” test that Arteta seem to have for all of his signings so we’re probably not interested although the player is very strong in attack.

AFC Forever

Andy I don’t disagree with any of that. Team building is an expensive business. What I hate more than anything is watching a player not giving his best and knowing he’s on a good crack; so I am pleased we’ve shifted a few of them. We’ve still a bit of a way to go and after years of malaise I’m pleased we’re starting to show ambition. As you say, we’ll have to be patient and see what that brings. Son gets away with murder. He is the craftiest cheat. The slightest touch and he’s giving his sad dog eyes to… Read more »

raptora

@FabrizioRomano 7m
Chelsea made an attempt to hijack Richarlison deal before agreement between Everton and Tottenham, in place since this morning for £60m. 🚨⚪️ #THFC
Spurs have full agreement with both EFC and Richarlison on personal terms. Just waiting for medical in Brazil and player signature.

????
Not gonna lie, this Todd Boehly dude looks kinda amateurish.

raptora

Questions on whether Sterling (probably) or Raphinha deals are not going well for Chavs if they tried to hijack Richalison to spuds.

Mr Serge

RP7June 30, 2022 11:23:50 Habesha, “Werner 300k ffs. Just because now they have figured out that they have to sustain themselves and pay Raphinha 140k doesn’t mean they are great at the wage bill. Paying Jesus 190 k…”The typically quoted numbers are 270k Werner, 115k Raphinha, 220k Jesus. Don’t twist facts, there’s too much of that here now.Also, who said Spurs are above 100M already? Richarlison 50M Bissouma 25M Perisic free Forster free I did you have to count 40m for Romero which was the agreed fee after the loan for this summer Also Kula is 28m now or 38m… Read more »

raptora

I can’t believe that Pep is willing to send Sterling away ahead of Grealish when Sterling outperformed Grealish so hard in the EPL and as a whole it’s not even close – 13 goals, 6 assists for Raheem to Jack’s 3 goals 3 assists in around 2k EPL mins played for both. Maybe Grealish will do better once he settles in and Pep will bring another LW. Wouldn’t surprise me if he goes for Leao. Also Diaby and Oyarzabal. But Sterling clearly ahead of Grealish in contribution to last season’s title and still he’ll have to keep Grealish and sell… Read more »

Habesha Gooner

WTF Chelsea are all over the place. Why would they Hijack the Richarlison deal if they are getting both Raphinha and Sterling? It smells like having no plans or genuine top targets. And I am suspicious of the fact that the Raphinha deal isn’t reported to be closed and done since they agreed a fee with Leeds. May be Barcelona really are Hijacking the Chelsea deal. Their defence is shambles because they lost Christensen, Rudiger and possibly Azpilicueta. But all they are doing is trying to hijack deals of other clubs for attackers. I would love Danjuma at Arsenal. I… Read more »

Marko

Tbf do we need a RW when Saka and Vieira can play there or do we need a LW cause right now Martinelli is about the only option. It’s why others kinda make sense over Raphinha if we’re honest which again calls into question what’s the thought process behind some of the signings this summer. Big question marks over what’s going to happen to the midfield cause that needs a lot of work.

Un

Raptora

Sterling gets on the end of things but is awful in build up. His control, passing, vision and interplay is really low quality. He often kills attacks if he’s involved in any other way but the final pass (usually easy) or finish
Grealish is a far better footballer but Is overlooked for his lack of tactical disciple
One is an athlete
The other is a footballer
I know who I’d rather

LeMassiveCoq

Have to say, I never really got why we would have been in for Raphinia. We have Saka, Pepe and now Jesus who can play on the right. Would make more sense to drop 50mill on an out and out CF.

If we get Lisandro and a very good CDM though, I’ll take it

WengerEagle

Spot on Marko, been saying that for weeks.

A right-footed LF should be the priority attacking signing now after Jesus.

Wouldn’t mind any of Gouri, Cunha, Moussa Diaby, Guedes, Danjuma (looks West Ham bound, good pick-up for them), Rebic, Pote, Memphis Depay could be gettable too and would fit perfectly.

WengerEagle

Rafael Leao would be the dream LF signing, honestly think he has all the potential of the player that Balotelli was hyped up to become.

Hard not to see resemblances with a 22 year old TH14 from style of play to his physique. Superb player already, was the main reason that Milan won the Title down the stretch.

WengerEagle

That is who you offer the £72m Pepe money for, lol.

andy1886

Has everyone forgotten that Arteta has been playing ESR on the left? ESR/Martinelli is perfectly okay and again Vieira is another option. It’s all about Midfield and getting a back up LB for me.

andy1886

I’m assuming that Jesus is done of course despite him having the longest medical in football history.

raptora

WE, Danjuma doesn’t look West Ham bound at all according to the info that they just can’t agree on personal terms. Danjuma is happy at Villarreal unless West Ham pay him what he wants and apparently West Ham are playing hardball. Incredibly easy deal if we wanted him. 35m is also the type of bargain that Pool did with Salah and Mane to become what they are today. Sadly, he’s incredibly shit in the defensive side of the game and it feels like it’s a requirement under Arteta. https://fbref.com/en/players/f08490a6/Arnaut-Groeneveld Take a look at our boy Martinelli’s stats https://fbref.com/en/players/48a5a5d6/Martinelli and Raphinha’s… Read more »

Wicked Willy

Raptora,

Think this is the profile we need 🙂

https://fbref.com/en/players/88e357ef/Serge-Gnabry

raptora

Weird one that of Danjuma to West Ham as from what I’ve checked, Danjuma is currently on £25k pw and West Ham were paying Yarmolenko over £100k pw. Just give Yarmolenko’s wage to Danjuma and he’d gladly come I would expect. Certainly £100-£120k would be more than enough coming from £25k lol. And how is Danjuma supposed be happy to stay at Villarreal if he’s about to quadruple his salary if he goes to West Ham? It’s impossible.

raptora

WW,
Absolutely no doubt about it. Imma wear his shirt if it somehow happens.

andy1886

Interesting article on F365 shows that of the other 19 PL clubs 14 of them have a higher player sale record figure than us. Only Brentford, Fulham, Forest, and West Ham have a lower sale record (Newcastle’s £35m for Carroll is the same as our record £35m sale of the Ox).

Positive pete

Andy agreed.With Arsenal it’s like the Chinese water torture.Drip,drip,drip……..

Wicked Willy

Rap,

Rumour has it Bayern would accept £34m. How much would you offer in sign on fee and wages to try and persuade him to come home, bearing in mind wage structure considerations?

Ishola70

Looks a nice presented site that fbref website.

But of course it’s always best to watch these players yourself over a period of time to get a more rounded view of a player.

Stats should be a secondary resource in comparison to your own eye.

Of course folks don’t have lots of time to watch endless football as reportedly Wenger used to do so stats inevitably become the primary resource.

Positive pete

WE.what’s the situation with Leao ? Is he gettable?

Un

raptoraJune 30, 2022 13:48:10
WW,
Absolutely no doubt about it. Imma wear his shirt if it somehow happens.

How very masculine and grown up. Wearing another man’s name on your back

Marko

Diaby would be the dream…at Leverkusen on affordable wages very gettable imo. After that there’s some very interesting options… and no I don’t mean Asensio.

raptora

WW,
Bayern are looking to sell as it currently looks like he is stalling in order to leave on a free transfer next year. Apparently he wants £300k pw and Bayern’s offer is lower. It’s doable but it’s a shit load of money.

Un

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NH0yAGhBOfw

Man that was a crazy game
Theo should have got more opportunities through the middle

Dissenter

Nobody is going to pay Gnabry 300k weekly He better reduce those wage demands or he’s be marooned on an island in the middle of the Indian ocean. Danjuma is a major steal for his position He’s on low wages—-check He has a release clause for 45 million euros, we don’t even have to fock about. He has experience playing in England and won’t need forever to settle in Anyone who’s seen how Emery set up his teams in Europe ought to see he can defend. It’s like we developed tunnel vision with Raphin… desperately trying to waste money on… Read more »

Dissenter

If we were willing to splurge 45 million on Raphina, surely we have the means to power through any of the other options to boost the left wide attacking position.
The Nov/Dec world cup is going to throw a curveball on next season. The club that gets the best start may have an unassailable advantage.

Zacharse

Like that spuds are looking at a player named Pervis Estupinan…
My spanish hasnt been tested in a while but that roughly translates to Stupid Pervert i think

Goobergooner

So AFC, auba wasn’t worth a mega contract when he’d won us the fa cup and was pretty much golden boot contender until Arteta came in?? And it was Arteta that oversaw that obscene pay rise.

You are balls deep into the Arteta regime, the man can do no wrong.