Spice is in the air, my nose is starting to twitch, I may even sneeze… transfer Scoble level is moving up a level.
The Portuguese press is reporting that Arsenal is interesting is moving for left-back Grimaldo, who was ahead of Nuno Taveres when he was at Benfica. The fee is €7m, which would represent at a €42m saving on what we were being asked to pay for Lisandro Martinez.
There’s a great article on the player here.
As touched upon previously Grimaldo has an excellent appreciation of space and how best to access the space in the attacking phase to bypass the defensive block.
This also extends to an ability to accurately play the diagonal pass across the field for his opposing fullback or winger if they have been left isolated against an opposition defender.
Having the ability to run with the ball, play short combination passes to advance up the near side of the pitch or switch the focus of the attack with a diagonal pass makes Grimaldo exceedingly difficult to play against.
I don’t know enough about the player to give you a deep run down, but it’s clear he has different attributes to Kieran Tierney. The player grew up in La Masia, he’s 26 years old so he’s experienced enough to deliver from day one, and he’s kind of an all-rounder left-back. He’s great in tight spaces, tactically astute, with a wide range of passes. He’s also a bit of a dead ball specialist.
This is where I kind of expected Arsenal to be with the back-up left-back, Lisandro Martinez was the dream, a super-specific specialist, but it looks like the deal was getting expensive, and we need to move on that position with urgency. This looks like a very solid plan B.
Also… Mikel Arteta sniffing around a Spaniard? A true rarity.
So let’s imagine these rumours are real, that puts additional funds back into the mixer. So… we’re once again being linked with a Brazilian. This time, it’s internet fan favorite, Lucas Paqueta. The fee is apparently £55m. He’s an 8, has all the flair you’d look for from a Brazilian, he’s a very Bang-Bang type of player. The journo that had the Gabi Jesus story is apparently behind this one, so who knows, it just seems like a lot of money when Youri Tielemans is there for £25m.
… but who knows. I said at the summer that there’s every chance that you could see an unexpected exit.
Player sales are going slow.
No movement for Hector, Bernd, Lucas T, Reiss, Ainsley, Runarsson… or any notable loans yet.
Ok, short one today, we’ll be back with a podcast at 9pm EST, so tune in!
Looooooads to talk about!
ALSO, why aren’t you subscribed to your Youtube channel? Get on it you monsters.
Wenger Eagle
I think teams can get too stagnant sometimes
It seems Liverpool, started the process of replacing Mane while the man was still in the building
They bought Jota and Diaz; at some point last season,they had a crowded attack line. Your boy Firmino can’t even get games.
Then they’ve brought in Nunez, just for good measure.
WengerEagle
They thought they could convince both Christensen and Rudiger to sign longterm. Letting Guehi and Tomori for 45 mil combined might have seemed to be good business at the time but it looks like a shambles strategy now. Both are 45 mil + CBs each at minimum now. They will be fine with Alonso leaving. They have Emerson and Kennedy. Azpilicueta is also over the hill and needed replacing anyway.
But they have miscalculated by a lot.
And I don’t want Kante. He is still an okay player but there are younger and better options than a declining Kante.
€7m Grimaldo
€15m Aouar
€33m Sangare
€45m Moussa Diaby
€100m for the 4.
Nigel
Thorough didn’t suggest that Sterling is better than Jesus
All he did was ridicule the nonsense that Jesus is better than Sterling.
Same song
They are definitely overpaying. City too over paid when they signed him from Bournemouth. He is a 30 mil CB at his best. I would say 25 to 30 mil is a fair price for him.
Liverpool for comparison got a beast in Konate for 30 mil. No way Ake is a better player than Konate. Chelsea are overpaying just like we overpaid for White.
Saliba is way ahead of ake. It seems like chelsea american owners don’t know the business of football.
“Amazing that you’d mock arsenal for finishing second in a season ………”
Un, what are you talking about?
Chelsea will badly miss Rudiger in particular. Man was an absolute beast and massive, 6″3 and really fast/composed on the ball.
Silva is 38 and 5″11. Ake is also 5″11. The Chavs will be vulnerable on set-pieces and with crosses into the box. Bit like us when we had Kolo and Gallas back there
Dissenter
Nunez is the first Pool signing in a while that my gut instinct believes will fail to live up to the hype and may struggle to make a big impact in the league.
I believe that Julian Alvarez the City lad looks a more exciting player than Nunez. Have watched him a bit for River and he looks pretty damn special.
Nigel.
I didn’t bother looking at whatever ‘facts’ you were posting. If you think Jesus is better than Sterling I won’t even bother debating it. Enjoy your assertions no matter how baseless and utterly ridiculous it is.
WengerEagle Diaby isn’t moving for €45 mil. I expect them to demand at least €60 mil. And Leverkusen are tough negotiators. And he is quality. And Nunez won’t fail at pool. Klopp is ridiculously good at spotting players who fit his system. And Nunez won’t even play regularly first 3 to 6 months. They will play Jota and bed him in like they did with Fabinho. Of all the big money signings klopp has made through out his career, only three have been disappointing. Naby Keita (although it is debatable that he has failed, didn’t justify the money), Ox (… Read more »
41 million £ for Ake who played 9, and 10 matches in the last 2 seasons. Probably not even on the bench in most games.
If Arsenal were paying that for Ake, who would be happy here? Arteta and Edu would be getting smashed on legrove for it.
A pretty good player, and Pep bought him. So that is something.
Divine. If we do not fix our midfield, if we do not get a left back probably better than Tierney, just to mention a few, we are not getting 4th no matter how Jesus hits the ground running which I expect him to do because he’s PL ready. Teams are built around 18 to 22 players. Even on the last match it was Gunfogan that saved ManCity from losing the EPl, someone that is gradually becoming a bit-part player. There are too many holes were leaving unfilled. If we don’t do that Jesus may end up being as useless as… Read more »
Is it just me who wants to fix the holes of CM and LB plus possibly RW this summer. And after that go all out for Declan Rice next summer?
Tielemans, Grimaldo, Diaby, 85 to 95 mil. Then next summer move for only Rice at a 100 mil. That would be the dream for me.
Habesha Nah, these Bundesliga players always go for less than you think. Even Sancho an Engish golden boy went for just €75m and he put up 3 seasons as good or better than Diaby’s season for Leverkusen. Werner, Keita, Haller, Konate, etc all went for €50m or under. Havertz also went for €70m but he was Leverkusen’s jewel and German to boot. They have that player now in Florian Wirtz. I could see them open to cashing in on Diaby. We will have to see on Nunez. I think it’s more of a reflection of how weak the ST market… Read more »
I don’t think we’re interested in Tielemans. Feels like a move that would have already been hashed out if there was real intent.
WengerEagle
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/07/05/newcastle-frustrated-moussa-diaby-price-supporter-excitement/
There are a lot of articles saying they want £60 mil or he stays put. The would let him go for £50 to £55 mil IMO. But I don’t think he is moving for £40 mil as you suggest. They know the market isn’t full of players like him. Do they will demand that.
Just read that barca owe de jong almost 90m euro! How the fuck is that club permitted to even spread rumors!
Habesha
£60m is vastly overpriced and ridiculous considering he has x1 top drawer season behind him.
£45-50m absolute max would be fair.
Dissenter,
Thanks for the sophistry.
Maybe look at the stats per 90, and overall work rate, then take into context that they’re paying an older Sterling much more in salary. Weren’t you complaining about 200k for Jesus a couple days back?
But 300 for Sterling is good business?
Considering all that, who’s being ridiculous here?
WengerEagle
July 10, 2022 21:54:36
I don’t think we’re interested in Tielemans. Feels like a move that would have already been hashed out if there was real intent.
Yeah I am getting the same feeling too. He just might be the backup target incase they don’t get their first choice. These Paqueta rumors might have some legs. I still feel he is an attacking midfielder. But I would be happy with anyone that is quality and that can bench Xhaka to be honest.
https://fbref.com/en/players/9b6f7fd5/scout/365_euro/Lucas-Paqueta-Scouting-Report
Paqueta’s defensive numbers are insane for an attacker. Dude is a hard working player. May be he can be the CM after all.
WengerEagle
Yep 45 to 50 would be fair. But I think they want to keep him. Anyone that wants him must over pay it seems.
Arsenal linked with Paqueta ?
Please God, make it happen !
Tavares for me is a difficult one!. Could go G Bale or A Santos.
As for Jesus, the team needed him more than Sterling. That’s enough for me to prefer him.
Great cover for KT, especially @ 7m..
Nigel
‘ But 300 for Sterling is good business’
… and £220-250k weekly for Jesus whose highest goals/season is 14 is any better
Why is not enough to just agree that we signed the best player we could have had this window?
The player the manager wants who may suit his system best.?
What’s the need to reduce another club’s signing?
We too are overpaying Jesus’ wages.
“Chelsea will badly miss Rudiger in particular. Man was an absolute beast and massive, 6″3 and really fast/composed on the ball.” I agree. A barbarian of a CB. The blame lies with Fat Frank as to why Rudiger ended up not renewing as Frank, after guiding Chelsea to top 4 and spending heavily decided that new signing Silva meant that he could disregard Rudiger. I recall rudiger saying that as a German International off the back of a solid season he thought he would at least get an explanation as to why he was frozen out and that it really… Read more »
Ronaldo should bag his bags to MLS or join the clownhouse at PSG if he wants a crack at another CL.
Auba’s looooves English clubs engage in a bidding war for one of his players.
He’s made a killing from such negotiations
That’s why Arsenal are going to walk away from signing Paqueta.
Scratch that I forgot PSG are going project youth with Galtier. Its MLS time for him.
Mysticleaves
Striker was a much bigger position of need., Arsenal got the right player from City.
Diss you mean Aulas? I didn’t know Auba was running things at Lyon that slick mofo!
“Just read that barca owe de jong almost 90m euro! How the fuck is that club permitted to even spread rumors!”
I think they owe the squad a combined 90m euro and De Jong is owed around 19m of that. Either way it’s ridiculous amount of money to owe and shows that they ait really paying their players right at all.
Long may it continue.
Vintage
I meant Aulas, not Auba
*Post was for izzo, not vintage
Barcelona should be severely punished by UEFA.
The way the club is run is farcical.
Thorough,
can’t win a point.. refuse to read the counter argument. Just hide and call it all ridiculous. Nice credibility you’ve got.
Habesha
I look at Paqueta’s pressing numbers and envision a press led by Odegaard, Paqueta, (as the left 8) and Jesus. It would give a lot of defenses fits. Paqueta is a very good signing if Arteta persists with a 4-3-3. Tielemans may be the better signing if. Arteta decides he has to revert to a double pivot.
Imagine getting upset that Chelsea want to pay 45m for Ake. What does it concern me what Chelsea do with their money and team? Nigel is really on a wind up😂😆😂 Nwm Like dissenter said, we bought the best player we could buy. And we are overpaying him in salary cos thats about the only leverage we have. And he doesn’t have a surety that he will bang cos he hasn’t banged before. All we have is hope. I am not saying we didn’t need a striker. I am saying that Nigel doesn’t know what he’s saying re Sterling and… Read more »
Dissenter, Why do you keep quoting inflated numbers for Jesus salary. Nobody is using numbers like that except for clowns at Metro and the like. So don’t begin your case with false numbers. The funny thing is, you’ll probably quote the lowest reported wage numbers for Sterling. Sterling vs Jesus: Jesus.. More goals per 90, a better shot conversion rate & the same assists per 90. Does Sterling press like Jesus? We all know the answer. You won’t use the stats per 90 because they illustrate the real facts. This is the typical anti Arsenal bias that happens here from… Read more »
Kanye, Martinez ….WTF!
You had an Arsenal fan and arguable the best
DM in the EPL BIssouma and you let him go
to Tottenham of all places.
What a horrible miss !
Kante *
Nigel
We bought the right player for us
Chelsea bought the right player for them
end off
Enough of the unnecessary griping
Look at the similarities between Jesus and Alexis.
Big club overloaded with stars looking to make some space and bring in a bit of cash…
…a very talented hard working player that wants to step out and be the main man somewhere. We’re just lucky we convinced him to come for Europa. Maybe Arteta has a little pull. Not bad for a young manager.
Sterling vs Jesus:
Jesus..
More goals per 90, a better shot conversion rate & the same assists per 90.
Funny how Jesus has never been a starter at City while Sterling has been.
FFS Sterling was starting in the center before Jesus even though Sterling is a winger while Jesus is a striker.
Grimaldo is good on the ball but a defensive liability. Another version of Cedric but with close control.
I would pay five million pesos for Sterling.
An overpaid THEO Walcott.
City just fleeced the fools from the Bridge
I would say no to Kante. Love him but too old.
Yes to Tielmans, to replace Xhaka.
Paqueta is more a Rambo style player
He is good, but I worry about his size. Fella is kinda big. In some ways a good thing, maybe not in a faster pace league like EPL
Its a toss up
I DO however love the Brazil flavor the team is taking on.
and I for one, rate Richarlison, a hard working, good in the air and with the ball at feet player. Dude is a maniac- would likely rip your head off if he could.
no smiles, just gets stuck in..
Aside Gabriel, who really is our heading threat?
We need that person still
Maghales, I meant. too many damn Gabriels now on the team
Just glad Chelsea didn’t grab both Sterling and Raphinha. Thats a little too Bayern Munich or Man City like. They are still in the market though, hopefully they don’t go overboard. They should let us take 3rd off their hands.
For perspective, Sterling has scored on average 22 goals a season over the last 5 years. People talking like he’s got no end product
Anyway enough about Chelsea, when are we gonna get a LB and a good CM? Also if partey is in real trouble we could end up needing 2 CMs
I’m always kinda curious why Dortmund always seem to be a bit cash poor
They routinely making a killing in sales and almost never overpay for anyone. High placing a in the league every year plus frequent CL money.
Where does the money go?
If we can hold on to saka we have no need of sterling. Both players’ supreme strengths are navigating tight spaces and causing chaos to well organized deep blocks
Yeah Zacharse
Saka is very much like Sterling playing style wise and the fact they both started wreaking havoc at 17/18. Marquinhos seems to be of that make up too. Think he’s gonna surprise many this season if given the chance.
marquinhos or saka? i feel like saka is gonna leave sterling in the dust if he can stay serious-injury-free. sterling always seemed to be a bit too hot headed to make it to the very top but what do i know
china i think 2 cm’s is why we’re now after an 8m LB and not a 50m one
btw china wasn’t it you that was into key & peele??? i am pumped for peele’s next film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In8fuzj3gck
Jordan peele is gimmicky. Get out was good but everything since has got worse with each offering. His twilight zone and candy man were awful
He’s a modern M.Night only less talented and too fixated on race.
Pedro is absolutely obsessed with all things Tottenham.
Who cares what they are selling their players for and to whom.
I sincerely hope we finish above them this season and in the CL, mainly for Pedro’s sake.
No jokes.
We have a very capable defensive midfielder on our books already
One who just had a very good season in Italy. One who was brilliant in his first 6 months u to he was pushed forward and used as a defensive no10 for some stupid reason.
If we are losing one defensive mid for the season then we have one already in our ranks as well as elneny and Lakonga who could both do well this season
Internal solutions 😉
Pretty sure Pedro is winding up Spuds fans because he can and it’s fun… part of the fun of being a fan is bantering the opposition fans. My brother is a ChelsLA fan, has been since Drogba. And I have a lot of fun bantering him, even though they have won much more then us recently and finished ahead…..it doesn’t matter because deep down he knows he picked the wrong team. Am I obsessed with them because I watch what they do carefully because I like to give him grief and want to have knowledge of where to stick in… Read more »
If I had to bet, I would bet LT isn’t coming back.. he has said repeatedly he would rather quit football then come back to England. Can Arteta talk him back and what kind of player would he be if he did.. ? Probably not a happy one and certainly not as a backup option which is what got to him in the first place.
Midwest, I get your point and I agree banter is part of fan interactions, but I just followed his Twitter feed on the Bergwijn transfer and I think he’s dead serious.
It’s nuts.
Nah Tom he has said on the podcast a few times he is having a lot of fun on twitter with the Spuds.. and he was the one who said leave them on when a couple of Spurs fans got on teh podcast chat feed and were spamming it.
Midwest
When you know you know
Tom doesn’t get it
Midwest, did you follow the feed?
He got his ass kicked .
Un, making fun out of their trophy cabinet,
hiring a seventh choice manager and letting him go ten games in etc…….
But transfers and especially fees for outgoings?
FFS, show me a bigger own goal for an Arsenal fan if you can.
Un agreed on paper about torreira but the biggest concern I have is is his head really at the races to play for arsenal again?
Like he’s been desperate to get out at all costs for years now. If he stays it’s only because teams he’s rather play for can’t afford him.
If he can be focused and serious with us then he’s the cheap internal solution of partey is out of the game, but if he is still moaning all the time about the weather and the food then not much point having him around
If we would actually sign a damn central midfielder that likes to defend occasionally but can still get up and down the pitch a little faster then a snail or hasn’t made 30,000 career backpasses. I would ratchet up my banter level, too. Only thing holding me back right now.
I do enjoy asking my brother how many wingers Chelsea are gonna sign when there are only 2 wings on the pitch .. last I checked. So far no answer.
“I do enjoy asking my brother how many wingers Chelsea are gonna sign when there are only 2 wings on the pitch .. last I checked. So far no answer.“
Yea but do you inflate their fees by 100% ( Lo Celso)to make it sting harder?
Unless your brother is slow you’ll get laughed out of town.
Yeah the key and peele show was absolutely golden. Loved it
Thanks for the tip off, will check it out
I’d be very happy with this Benfica LB for sub 10m. Arsenal seem to assume most signings need to cost 40m+ to count. Every summer plenty of quality players sell for 30m and less and a few go really dirt cheap. If we look at options right now, for the same price we bid for Martinez we could sign Tielemans and Aouar. Those two surely add more value than just Martinez (even tho we do certainly need a Lb). But chuck on Grimaldo and we could have 3 good signings for only 10m more than we’d have paid for one… Read more »
Tom I think its pretty clear Peds doesnt care about the back and forth and what the perception is on twitter… he is mostly just sensitive about any mention of being follicly challenged.
I probably shouldn’t have mentioned that, even. risking the wrath. J/k Peds.. love the new look.
It does kind of feel like maybe Tielemans is either signed and we aren’t saying anything or we have said screw it we are gonna go a little cheaper elsewhere on other needs and go bigger on cm.. I hope, anyhow..
If we go into the season with a double pivot of Granit and Mo.. I may actually cry.
For me arsenal should only bid 40+ million for an exceptional talent Yes 40+m is the going rate for good players most of the time but there ARE bargains every single transfer window we just aren’t usually the one hoovering them up. Vieira, Tielemans, Aouar, Grimaldo- aside from maybe Vieira as he wasn’t well known, all of these players look like proper decent players and are going at half price or less this summer. And if you have enough smart bargains like those it keeps your powder dry so that when you do spot a truly special player who is… Read more »
Midwest I don’t think Tielemans is signed. How many people would have been involved in the process and you couldn’t keep that quiet for long
By all accounts we have not even bid for him (yet).
China I mean all but signed basically..verbal agreements in place.. just need to drop the official bid off. But the quietness makes it seem like we have moved on, true.
Anyhow, getting late here,, doing some computer work before I pass out. But I hope we get some clarity on the midfield situation this week, we should start to find out when we see which players travel to Baltimore this week.
China
If nobody wants him then he’s stuck anyway and he’s under contract
Good season at arsenal next year with no fee next summer and he has his pick of a few top Italian clubs inc juventus fior and Roma
Alternatively, use him in a swap with savic. Inc Pepe and we could get a great deal
Tom
It’s a self own laughing at spurs? How?
By the way Tom
I was referring to you not getting the banter and tribalism of football in England. Showing your boy the comments section and trying to trigger arsenal fans doesn’t count unless you’re spurs
un i wasn’t aware of either of those peele related things you mentioned I’m not quite a superfan. both films of his i’ve seen are solid. i’m not judging him against david lynch and tarkofsky ffs. the sketch comedy is some of the brightest since chapelle show and i’m personally a bigger fan of iannucci and christopher morris. i’m not black and i’m def not into woke shit but calling peele gimmicky is pretty fucking shallow. dude is clearly very bright and has accomplished a helluva lot
pedro keeps banging on about how tielemans wants only arsenal, gotta trust his line there. i like many of you hope we are taking the lisandro martinez money and sending it o lyon for pacqueta even though ive barely seen the guy play
Zach Didn’t say he’s not bright or that his first two weren’t solid, same as m night but when you keep coming back to it then it gets a bit dull and repetitive. Get out as a social commentary was pretty spot on although the twist was telegraphed Us concealed the twist but didn’t strike aswell as previous offering There’s definitely talent there but he needs to spread out a bit as he seems to fixate I’m a huge horror fan and the genre is saturated with horse shit these days. All cheap jump scares and zero tension so I… Read more »
Has any club finished its transfer business ? As I look at the Sky transfer countdown clock I see there are 52 days and 15 hours still left yet for some strange reason so many on here are looking at the state of clubs and making sweeping statements about the state of clubs squads. The vast majority of European Internationals were still on holiday last week many having to join up with their clubs whilst on tour as opposed to having a week of so pre season at clubs home training grounds before they flew out on tour. The vast… Read more »
Un, I get the tribalism of football all right.
I’m just not used to the type of banter where you make fun of a guy who’s missing a molar while you yourself are missing two from teeth.
Rafinha moving to Barca as per Romano.
Tom
Look in the mirror mate. You’re Shane MacGowan 😂
Going 11 days without a game pre season as Arsenal are presently doing is a strange way to go about getting the team (new players) to gel. Against Nuremburg, the majority of the team that started will not be anywhere near our opening fixture. So that only gives Arteta 4 pre season games to get the team sorted, Everton, Orlando, chelsea and sevilla.. Let’s hope we don’t make the same mistake as last season and this season are prepared for the opening fixtures as we have a golden opportunity to hit the ground running against favourable opposition in the opening… Read more »
If we go into the season with a double pivot of Granit and Mo.. I may actually cry.
Don’t tempt generational.
Pierre
That’s no different to how it was done under wenger
We’d play teams like Borham wood and field the kids for first 2/3 games then do a tour or the emirates cup, fans in which first teamers got 45 mins quite often.
TR7
Thank God for that. Chelsea would have been very difficult to compete with if both Sterling and Raphinha had signed for them. Now their backup option in Dembele is staying at Barca too.
There is less options now in the market for top wingers for Chelsea. We can surely compete with them if we fix the majority of our holes now.
Habesha We are not competing with either Spurs or Chelsea if we don’t sign a couple of midfielders. Xhaka, Elneny and Lokonga as midfield options is absolutely horrible for a club the size of Arsenal. I am assuming Partey is not going to play for a while and we might lose ground in top 4 race by the time he returns. Hate to say it but Spurs under Conte can really kick on this season. Their net spend is merely £60M and they have added some good players in their ranks. Our manager is obsessed with signing/chasing defenders we don’t… Read more »
Fabrizio Romano Raphinha feels his move to Barcelona is “imminent”. Final verbal proposal: €72m (£61m) guaranteed, with all details included. Leeds, expected to accept once it will be official bid. 🚨🇧🇷 #FCB Raphinha has been pushing with Leeds in the last 48h: he wants Barça, his biggest dream. What a waste of time. Unless the deal for the TV rights gave Barca some money that our I hope we are working on the DM/CMs. Not that we don’t need another winger, unless Fabio is counted towards that too, but our needs in DM/CM by far exceed that of a winger.… Read more »
Unless the deal for the TV rights gave Barca some money that our management didn’t expect* then it was clear as day that Raphinha is going there regardless of our efforts.
“Xhaka, Elneny and Lokonga as midfield options is absolutely horrible for a club the size of Arsenal. I am assuming Partey is not going to play for a while and we might lose ground in top 4 race by the time he returns.”
Only good thing that could emerge from this dark, depressing scenario is the sack of the coach that allowed it to happen.
I hope that the rumour that Gabriel is likely to be sold to Juventus is untrue and certainly not
if they are already attempting to cut the transfer fee.
ES
It may be true.
TR7
I think we will sign one CM, a LB and may be as a long shot a Winger. I think we can compete with them even with a CM and a LB coming in. But at least one CM is very crucial.
Their CMs aren’t in their greatest form either. Jorginho and Kante are declining rapidly. Their forwards have been misfiring for a while and they are rebuilding their defense too. I think they are the most vulnerable to take out from spurs and Chelsea.